July 28, 2000
Volume 30, No. 20
Response To The CLC Ban On CAW Participation
The CAW's National Executive Board at a July 27 meeting, unanimously approved the following resolution: WHEREAS the CAW has been banned from participation in CLC, Federations of Labour, and Labour Council events and structures because of its support for a group of SEIU locals who overwhelmingly decided to leave their union; and WHEREAS the issue involved is the fundamental democratic right of workers - including any group within the CAW itself - to choose their own union; and WHEREAS at this time a resolution to this conflict appears unlikely. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: a) The CAW will continue its historic support of the struggle of working people regardless of affiliation. b) The National Executive Board reaffirm its solidarity with any group of workers that has democratically and independently chosen to change its union affiliation. c) Meetings be set up before the end of August in every region of the country with CAW leadership, activists, and staff to discuss the background of this conflict and its implications. d) These discussions include the establishment of alternative community-based forums for grass roots activism, militancy, solidarity, and education. e) The National Executive Board also authorize its officers to begin to explore alternative national as well as local structures and relationships.
GM Canada Pleads Guilty And Fined $325,000 After Worker's Death
GM Canada has been fined $325,000 after pleading guilty to a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations that led to the death of St. Catharines worker and CAW Local 199 member, Joel Murray. Murray, 39, died November 4, 1998, following an accident at the St. Catharines components plant. In court on July 12, 2000, GM pleaded guilty to failing as an employer to maintain an interlocking device in good condition. The company was fined $325,000, the largest fine in GM Canada's history. Dan Boone, the CAW's national health and safety coordinator for GM, said no amount of money can make up for the death of Joel Murray. But Boone said he hopes the fine sends a signal to GM and other employers that they must make changes to ensure greater safety in the workplace. The review committee that was struck at CAW's insistence after Joel's death has uncovered many other violations in St. Catharines presently, Boone said. "Let's see if GM will fix the dangerous circumstances or carry on with their past status quo attitude," Boone said. Murray, a husband and father of two children, had worked at GM's St. Catharines facilities for 15 years.
CAW Gives $1 Million Endowment To Ryerson University
The Canadian Auto Workers union National Executive Board has approved a $1 million endowment to Ryerson University for the CAW-Sam Gindin Chair for Social Justice and Democracy. It is the first time a labour union in Canada has made such a donation to a post-secondary institution. A committee composed of former CLC president Bob White, Rosemary Brown, former Chair of the Ontario Human Rights Commission and Carol Phillips, current Director of the CAW International Department spent several months reviewing submissions from various universities across Canada. "Ryerson is in the very heart of the 'new Canada', in the most diverse city in our country," said the report submitted by the committee to the CAW executive board. "It is a proudly working class university that fits best with our union's traditions. Surrounded by great wealth and great poverty the Ryerson campus has for 52 years been a scene of constant change....we feel that Ryerson represented an institution of higher learning that is very close to the soul of the CAW itself." Gordon Cressy, Ryerson's vice-president of university advancement, said the Gindin gift is a tremendous honour. Cressy told the Globe and Mail the donation will enable Ryerson to build on its research capacity. The Chair is named for Sam Gindin, a renowned left economist, activist, author and assistant to the first CAW president Bob White and current CAW president Buzz Hargrove. Gindin recently retired after 26 years with the CAW.
BC Hotel Workers On Strike
Some 350 CAW members, workers at six British Columbia hotels, are on strike over wage increases, health plan coverage, wage parity among the six hotels, and the need for a written agreement on gratuities (tips). The first workers walked off the job to form picket lines on July 17, with the rest joining by the end of that week. Silvia Simpson, CAW national representative, describes the hotels as part of a sector with a long history of employers exploiting the diversity within the workforce. "Now, perhaps as a sign of the times, that diversity is being directed at a common goal - a fair deal for all hospitality workers. They may not take on employers very often but when these workers make up their minds to get a better deal, they're absolutely determined." An August 1 exploratory meeting has been scheduled by a government mediator to take place between the CAW and the Hospitality Industrial Relations group (HIR) which represents management at the six hotels: Quality Downtown Hotel, Parkhill Hotel, Coast Whistler Hotel, Pacific Palisades, Ramada Vancouver Centre and Courtenay Hotel.
CAW Supports OCAP Leaders
CAW president Buzz Hargrove has protested the bail conditions imposed on arrested leaders of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) John Clarke, Gaetan Héroux, Stefan Pilipa and Patricia Lilley. "The bail conditions prevent the four OCAP leaders from communicating or associating with each other or with other members of OCAP," said Hargrove. "These conditions, which must be removed, not only violate their rights of freedom of expression and communication but also seriously interfere with their duties and responsibilities as anti-poverty organizers to represent their constituency." At meetings in late July, the CAW's National Executive Board reaffirmed its support for OCAP and approved an additional $2,500 donation. The executive was unanimous in recognizing OCAP's contribution toward greater public awareness on the issues of poverty and homelessness. The board acknowledged that the issues of poverty and homelessness are not receiving national attention and OCAP receives little recognition for its extraordinary dedication to the task of dealing with the plight of people living in poverty.
Bulletins
New Date: National Hospitality Sector Conference
The CAW's National Hospitality Sector Conference has been rescheduled to December 10, 11 and 12 at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto - following the joint CAW/TCA Council meeting. The conference is designed for CAW members and staff representing hotel, restaurant, catering and casino/gaming workers. Workshops will cover issues such as gratuities, harassment on the job, hours of work, work reorganization and contracting out. A call letter and registration form for the rescheduled conference will be sent out shortly.
