CAW settles with Bombardier

6 posts / 0 new

Tue, 2009-06-23 15:44

Unionist

They had a strike deadline for today I think. Does anyone have any inside info on the terms? I'm very interested in how or whether the concession bargaining in auto is affecting the CAW's stance in other manufacturing sectors which are not suffering as bad a hit.

[url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2009/23/c9460.html][color... release[/color][/url]

Quote:
(Toronto) - The CAW has reached a tentative agreement with Bombardier Aerospace covering the nearly 3,000 workers at the company's Toronto facility.

"This was a tough round of negotiations, but we were able to reach a good collective agreement that will both make improvements and protect our members' historic gains," said CAW President Ken Lewenza.

"We were under a lot of pressure to make concessions, but were able to resist these demands, recognizing that they would have ultimately been damaging to the past and current workers," said Merv Gray, CAW Local 112 Bombardier plant chairperson. "We're happy with the agreement we negotiated on behalf of our members, especially in light of the current economic challenges."

"We're pleased that we were able to preserve retiree benefits, which were under threat in this round of negotiations, as well as making a number of other improvements for our current members," said Gus Goncalves, CAW Local 673 office unit chair person.

Tue, 2009-06-23 15:58

KenS

Aircraft manufacture is not as severely hit as auto manufacturing. But it has the same problem of deep overcapacity, which runs even firther back.

Although I know little about the industry, it sure looks to 'offer' a bargaining environment in the same league as auto.

And this sure sounds like an echo from the recent auto bargaining hits:

Quote:

We're pleased that we were able to preserve retiree benefits, which were under threat in this round of negotiations, as well as making a number of other improvements for our current members," said Gus Goncalves, CAW Local 673 office unit chair person.

Tue, 2009-06-23 16:02

KenS

On the other had, they did say they resisted concessions, and there was no such claim about the gun to head GM and Chrysler deals... only that there no hourly wage consesions.

But I'm guessing earlier rounds of concessions may go even further back than they do in auto- couple contracts even. Anyone know about that- even roughly speaking?

Tue, 2009-06-23 16:13

Unionist

I had the same feeling as you did about the "echo" of "able to preserve retiree benefits". That's actually what triggered my suspicion.

But I'd find it hard to believe that one could find a single concession in previous rounds of aerospace bargaining, what with Bombardier's legendary successes and its amazing capacity to tap into federal and provincial subsidies. But again, I know nothing about the specifics. It's just that Bombardier has never pleaded poverty or bankruptcy.

Tue, 2009-06-23 19:23

KenS

Those legendary successes are a thing of the past. I don't know how many years aircraft manufacture has had a serious overcapacity- lots of years... long before auto, I think during all the years that virtually everything else was booming.

While Bombardier does not seem to be ready to collapse, it has been unprofitable, 'restructuring', restructuring again, and looking for handouts from everyone for years now- more than I can remember.

Sun, 2009-06-28 15:15

Unionist

[url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2009/28/c2619.html][color... - no mention of concessions, just seemingly no wage increase in the first year:

Quote:

Workers at Bombardier Aerospace have ratified a new three year collective agreement by 84 per cent, covering nearly 3,000 workers in the company's Downsview Toronto facility.

The workers approved the new deal by 84 per cent in production, 89 per cent in skilled trades, 62 per cent among the technical office group and 90 per cent among the non-technical office group. Workers in the plant ratified the deal by 84 per cent in total (CAW Local 112 -production and skilled trades), while office workers approved the deal by 80 per cent (CAW Local 673 technical and non-technical).

The agreement was reached on June 23 after more than two months of negotiations. It includes wage increases in the second and third year, pension improvements and retirement incentives to ensure greater job and income security for both junior and more senior members.