2 November, 2010Over a hundred auto parts workplaces participated in protest actions organized by IMF Canadian affiliate CAW on October 27. Auto workers protested against pressure for wage cuts and pension reduction imposed on them both by employers and the government.
CANADA: On October 27 the IMF-affiliated National Automobile, Aerospace, Transportation and General Workers' Union of Canada (CAW) organized more than a hundred protest demonstrations during lunch time at worksites in the province of Ontario.
According to the union over the recent years the Canadian auto parts industry was hard hit by unmanaged trade, high value national currency and excessive imports. In addition the most recent strong impact was made by the global financial crisis and following recession. The workers who were not the reasons of the crisis now have to pay its costs.
"During the turbulence of the past few years, auto parts workers provided painful cost savings through wage freezes and cutbacks to benefits, work rules, and time off," said CAW President Ken Lewenza in his address on the eve of the Day of Action.
The protest actions serve to deliver a clear message of the Canadian autoworkers to the right wing government and employers that no further concessions will be accepted by the workers. "We are not going to cut wages or pensions, or sign two-tier agreements with permanently lower conditions for the next generation. We did not go down that path during the worst of the financial crisis, and we are not going to now," reads the union statement.
The protests also served to mobilize non-unionized auto parts workers across the industry. The CAW represents interests of 21,000 auto-parts workers, the additional 40,000 workers in Canada were welcomed to join CAW's protest campaign.
Further details about workplace rallies, photos and the union statement is available at the CAW website here.