News & Events Archived Newsletters CONTACT 2007 April 13, 2007CAW Commemorates International Day of Mourning
CAW members across Canada will join in solidarity to remember workers injured or killed on the job, on the April 28th International Day of Mourning. But it's not enough to mourn for workers who have died as a result of their work. We must organize to fight for the living.
"Much work remains to be done, protecting workers' health and safety is an activity that must continue throughout the year. Nowhere is this truer than in the case of occupational and environmental cancers" said Sari Sairanen, CAW National Director of Health and Safety.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) statistics show that cancer is by far the most common work-related cause of death. With 1 out of every 5 workers being at risk, this leaves accidents and other occupational diseases well behind. At least one out of every 10 cancers were the result of preventable, predictable workplace exposures.
Cautious estimates by the ILO put the human toll at over 600,000 cancer deaths a year - one death every 52 seconds - with the great majority occurring in blue collar jobs. In certain asbestos and rubber industries, it says, work has effectively become a death sentence.
In 1984, the Canadian Labour Congress officially designated April 28th in observance of people killed or hurt at work. The Day of Mourning Act was passed in federal parliament on February 1, 1991. It became an International Day of Mourning in 1996 at the United Nations in New York when a Global Union delegation lit a Commemoration Candle and Incense in memory of workers who are killed or become ill because of their work.
Each year, the CAW recognizes this day on behalf of all CAW members who have been injured or who have lost their lives at work.
CAW Supports De-Mining Work in Mozambique
The CAW Social Justice Fund along with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has supported Handicap International's land mine removal project in Mozambique since 1998.
On March 22 of this year a series of blasts at a military armoury in the densely populated Mozambican capital of Maputo killed 101 people and injured close to 500 others. After the arms depot explosion, information spread about further unexploded devices scattered throughout the city.
Mozambicans working with Handicap International responded to the imminent danger for the population in affected areas and immediately dispatched a highly trained team to conduct non-military de-mining in built up areas. They visited 122 sites and found 139 unexploded mines. They also trained local workers to raise awareness about potential mine dangers within the community.
The CAW is proud of its partnership with Handicap International. Above all the CAW recognizes the extraordinary courage and dedication of the Mozambican workers who rush into danger to protect others.
CAW Education Conference May 4-6: Still Time to Register!
As a union, we are facing tough challenges; job loss, aggressive employers, cuts to public programs, government attacks on equality. Our education committees and activists have an important role in mobilizing our members to fight and challenge these threats to our members and our communities.
Join us for our Mobilizing Through Education Conference. Share tools and resources that will mobilize and inspire our members and help build education into every aspect of the union. This conference will reconnect, revitalize and inspire our education committees and activists- don't miss it!
The registration deadline is April 20, 2007. All local unions are eligible to send delegates. Childcare and teen program available (up to 16 years). For more information visit the CAW web site at http://www.caw.ca/whatwedo/education/conferences.asp
CAW Women - Building Global Solidarity 
The first all-women delegation under the CAW Social Justice Fund recently went to Brazil to meet with women in leadership from the CNM/CUT National Confederation of Metalworkers. They reviewed the success of the Shared Gender Project between the two unions over the last decade and focused on the many challenges women face in today's society, at work and in the union.
They shared their experiences as workers and discussed the effects of globalization, the WTO and other trade agreements. The CAW women delegation talked about the Manufacturing Matters campaign and how the CAW is leading a national debate in the fight to save good paying jobs for Canadian workers.
Julie White, CAW Director of Women's Programs said "we learned from our Brazilian friends what it means to fight back and how they mobilize workers and communities every day in a way that are reminiscent of the Ontario days of action. They are in a constant mobilizing mode, connecting with workers on a grass roots level, worker to worker, member to member, women to women. It was really quite empowering to see."
Stronger Future for Oakville Members
Ford unveiled its new Flex crossover vehicle at the New York auto show recently, a product that will be built at the company's Oakville, Ontario assembly plant following a decision by Local 707 members last year to implement work rule changes.
Although Ford originally demanded a rotating three-crew system, which would have required Oakville members to work 10 hour days and Saturdays with no premium pay, the union resisted. Instead the members voted in favour of a CAW three-shift operating pattern and an innovative weekend worker production system.
"The platform the company is bringing to Oakville on which the new Flex crossover will be built promises to make our plant the crown jewel in Ford's auto production system," said Gary Beck, CAW Local 707 president.
"This announcement by Ford clearly shows that our bargaining committee and membership made the right decisions and Ford has kept their commitment to our union," he said.
CAW President Buzz Hargrove said the members deserve a lot of credit for making a decision that will help secure good auto assembly jobs at a time of rapid change within the industry.
"The membership of Local 707 have made a decision that promises to bring a strong and more secure future for thousands of CAW members, their families and communities," Hargrove said.
New CAW Members
Here are just some of the groups of workers who have recently decided to the join the CAW:
- a new unit of 120 members who work at Snowbear Ltd. in Guelph, Ontario are part of CAW Local 1917;
- at SCI Shiffenhaus Canada Inc. in Mississauga, Ontario a new unit of 64 members have joined CAW Local 252;
- in Ontario a newly merged union of 600 members (Canadian Racetrack Workers Union) will become part of CAW Local 2007;
- a new unit of 270 members at PL Foods Ltd./North American Baking, Inc. in Georgetown, Ontario become part of CAW Local 876.
