May 28, 2010
Volume 40, No. 21
Fighting for Decent Pensions at St. Marys Rally
Hundreds of CAW members from across southern Ontario took part in a mass rally at the St. Marys cement plant in support of Local 222 members striking against company rollbacks in pensions and benefits.
"Workers have a right to a decent pension," CAW President Ken Lewenza told the May 18 rally outside the St. Marys facility in Bowmanville, Ontario. Lewenza stressed that the union is determined to ensure all workers receive secure retirement income.
He blasted management of the Brazilian-owned company for attempting to take away the Bowmanville workers' defined benefit pension plan.
Lewenza said management has indicated that the company can afford the current plan and further that senior officials have admitted the pension plan isn't an economic issue. Instead the company is attempting to institute a cultural change among its entire worldwide workforce.
Paul Sowden, CAW Local 222 unit chairperson at St. Marys, read a letter of support from the Brazilian union representing workers at the parent company.
He also thanked the members for their courage and tenacity in the fight to protect their pension plan, which has been in place for decades. He urged the company to get back to the bargaining table to negotiate a fair and equitable agreement for workers at the open pit mine.
"We just want to keep what we have," Sowden said.
CAW Local 222 President Chris Buckley said the pension plan is financially healthy and the company has weathered the global financial meltdown better than most companies.
"I say shame on this company, which is doing extremely well," Buckley said. He praised the dedication of the striking workers who have been without a pay cheque for 10 weeks as they fight off this attack on their pensions and benefits.
Extendicare Urged to Return to Bargaining by Pickets
| CAW Local 1120 members demonstrate outside an Extendicare facility in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario |
More than 250 CAW members took part in demonstrations outside Extendicare nursing home facilities in Sault Ste. Marie and London, Ontario, recently demanding that the employer return to the bargaining table to negotiate an equitable agreement.
CAW Local 1120 members held the Sault Ste. Marie information picket May 19 and CAW Local 302 members in London on May 20 to raise public awareness around the negotiations. At the London rally, participants were also greeted by CAW National Secretary Treasurer Peter Kennedy and London-Fanshawe NDP MP Irene Mathyssen, who addressed the crowd.
Company officials have walked away from the bargaining table after demanding a two-year wage freeze and other concessions even though Extendicare Real Estate Investment Trust reported a first quarter profit of $15.6 million, up from $3.7 million a year ago.
CAW Local 1120 President Janice Pettalia said members from both the Extendicare Tendercare Nursing Home and Van Daele Manor in Sault Ste. Marie took part, as well as a number of residents.
"Extendicare is a private and hugely profitable company and is demanding wage freezes from our members who work hard and provide quality care in these homes," Pettalia said.
CAW Local 302 President and National Executive Board member Nancy McMurphy said that this fight is with the employer, not the residents. "We want to ensure that residents are still provided with the same high level of care as they always are," said McMurphy. Our members just want to be treated with the same dignity and respect they provide to residents on a daily basis."
McMurphy said the London rally was timed so that the CAW Group of 20 (nursing homes) bargaining committee could participate in solidarity, as the committee was meeting to set their agenda for upcoming negotiations.
The CAW represents more than 1,200 members at 10 Extendicare facilities throughout Ontario.
CAW Local 599 Conducts Health and Safety Exit Clinic
A large group of Xstrata workers attended an occupational disease and musculoskeletal exit clinic at the MacIntyre Arena in Timmins, Ontario May 5 to 7.
The clinic was organized by CAW Local 599, with assistance from the CAW Health, Safety and Environment Department, in response to the closure of the Xstrata smelter. The clinic attracted 129 workers. An ongoing intake process will take place through the local union office in coming weeks.
CAW national representative Nick DeCarlo said the clinic objectives were to provide as much information to the laid off workers on the potential health risks of exposure including - assisting them to record their historic exposures and physical injuries at Xstrata; providing information on the illnesses and symptoms associated with their exposures at work; and informing them of resources to use if they have problems in the future. It also was designed to determine if any workers were sick or injured and needed immediate assistance.
Workers were also promised a copy of the analysis of the surveys and the findings of the clinic which will be completed by Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers and the local in the weeks to come.
New Agreement Provides Future for Aluminum Plant
CAW Local 127 and Dajcor Aluminum have hammered out a new collective agreement that breathes life into a shuttered Chatham, Ontario aluminum plant.
Dajcor Aluminum plans to start operating by June in the former Daymond facility, which closed in November of 2009.
CAW Local 127 represents 90 former Daymond workers. The membership voted 100 per cent in favour of a new agreement covering Dajcor, which will operate as an aluminum, extrusion, fabrication and anodizing company making everything from auto parts to solar panels.
The new operation will start with 20 production staff and 12 office staff. By the end of the year the company expects to employ 50 workers and up to 100 workers within two years.
CAW Local 127 President Aaron Neaves said cooperation between the union and a local businessman resulted in the unique start up.
"The easy part is negotiating a deal," Neaves told The Chatham Daily News. "The tough part was to try to find a local investor with local community roots who understands what it meant to be here."
Forum on Harmful Mining Practices
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(Photo by Sam Manak, CAW Local 1285 Health and Safety Committee Chairperson). Pictured are some of the participants who took part in the May 19 public forum regarding community resistance to Canadian based transnational Gold Corp's harmful mining practices in Guatemala and Honduras. The meeting, sponsored by CAW Local 1285, the CAW Social Justice Fund and the CAW national union, was held at CAW Local 1285 hall in Brampton, Ontario. Guest speakers included Javier de Leon, a community leader in Guatemala, whose village is directly impacted by Goldcorp's Marlin open pit, cyanide leach mine; Carlos Amador, a teacher and community leader in Honduras, whose town is 15 km from Goldcorp's San Martin open-pit, cyanide leach mine; and Karen Spring of Rights Action, who lives in Honduras, where she works on human rights issues. Participants were urged to contact their MPs and ask them to compel Canadian based transnational mining companies like Goldcorp to put mining projects on hold until there are inclusive consultations with affected rural and indigenous communities, including free, prior and informed consent. |
