Well, Ken Lewenza did anyway. Sad to see these jobs leaving for good. I'm sure the employees there were all hard working and will face a struggle both financially as well as in finding a job. Caterpillar paid hard ball, as did Lewenza. Problem was Caterpillar were All-Stars and Lewenza was a minor-league call-up. Pity that the CAW National chose to refuse to submit a counter-proposal, which would have served two purposes. 1. Showing a willingness on the part of the union to accept today's economic realities. 2. Served to get both public and political support for the labor cause. Read the comments from any news source and workers are getting lambasted, all because the union thinks this is a winning strategy. IT"S NOT!
Here is what those workers, the city of London and surrounding communities lost:
Crane operator: $34.98 ($18)
Crane operator mobile (licensed): $35.25 ($22).
Cleaning, production parts: $34.47 ($16.50)
Stationary engineer, second class: $40.70 ($34)
Plumber: $40.70 ($34)
Electrician: $41.01 ($34)
Industrial truck repair/gas, electrical and diesel: $41.01 ($34)
Machine repair machinist: $40.89 ($34)
Welder, tool and die maintenance: $40.93 ($34)
Labourer: $34.62 ($16.50)
Oiler: $34.75 ($18)
Cleaning, production parts: $34.47 ($16.50)
Stationary engineer, second class: $40.70 ($34)
All in the name of a futile effort by the union leadership to win a battle with no bullets. Happened at Navistar, Happened here, and looks like Lewenza wants history to repeat itself again later this year with Chrysler, with either the Windsor or Brampton plant the casualty. A little friendly advice for Lewenza and the National. Chrysler workers won't put up with it. They won't be sold out by union leaders making six-figure incomes. The ones who will keep making those incomes when thousands of workers could potentially lose their jobs. There is already a growing number of hourly workers ready for a fight in contract negotiations.
The difference this time is it will a battle against two sides, the company AND the union.
Just as long as McLiar and Harper do not step in to use taxpayers money to save any of these jobs again.
ReplyDeleteFound this I assume it is for real
ReplyDeleteActual EMD contract.
http://www.emcupdate.ca/wp-content/uploads/Employee-Letter-and-Summary-Dec-27-2011.pdf
Yep, it's real. Someone at the plant emailed it to me previously.
ReplyDeleteIf those figures get out to the general public it will show how the media and opposition lied we a 50% wage cut. When there was no stmts etc from the Cat people I figured they were lies.
ReplyDeleteKen L lost 450 jobs for his workers, plus the dues of those workers, but he keeps his job and huge salary. Maybe he is being paid off by the company. Those workers should sue the union honchos and especially Ken L.
The MSM and Liberals never mention the significant increase in the cost of electricity , which would obviously impact the EMC operating costs.
ReplyDeleteAlso the union is either totally incompetent or they really don't give a damn about the employees , or BOTH.
Caterpillar bought EMD (Electromotive Diesel) in 2010.
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/06/01/caterpillar-electro-motive-diesel-rail-business/
The London operation performed some final assembly and system test of completed units.
The Liberals and union cannot blame Harper as the US-CAD exchange rate was 1.03 (June 2010) and has remained more or less constant , and corporate tax rates are less then in the US. Increased operating costs due to electricity rates is a gift from McGuinty , along with perhaps additional regulations , and the election of Obama (cheered by unions on both sides of the border) which heralded "buy American" policies.
That the union could not see the impending train wreck (no pun intended) thinking that it was business as usual is hard to believe.
As a union member most of my life, Pulp Paper and Woodworkers, and Boilermakers.
ReplyDeleteIf it came down to a 7.00 cut in my wages to keep working at a steady in town Job.
Well I know how I would respond.
Expenses , particularly Hydro were way up, thanks McGuilty, more and more regulations.
One of the best jobs in the last ten years for me was Nicholson Mfg in Sidney Van Isle.
Built logging and sawmill machinery.
An outfit in Vancouver started building the same stuff at 1/2 the price of ours. Bye Bye job.
The Cat guys union did not counteroffer.
WHY?
I would have taken 7.00 less as a welder, to keep on at a steady job.
What I would not accept is a Union Hierarchy which kept me in the dark.
I sold my house and moved a hundred miles and spent the next 7 years on a call list.
Full time part time working out of town.
Cheers Bubba
What is missing here is the celebration of the reduction in Greenhouse gasses. The union, the NDP and McGuinty were in the forefront of demanding GHG reductions and have found away to make it work.
ReplyDeleteWhat - they weren't reduced just transferred ...and jobs went with them? - doesn't matter in Utopia Ontario. This is what you voted for and this is what you got - courtesy of your friendly union. Now call Ryan and show your thanks
Dumb and Dumber or Ken and Sid follow us we will get you unemployed. Ken what is your plan promote wind turbines up hydro rates, when most of there members are in manufacturing. Do you not think higher hydro rates means less jobs or lower paid jobs. Tell me you did put in a counter offer. Tell me you did not put up a wind turbine with your unions money.
ReplyDeleteThere will be a lot more civil servants than 450 losing their jobs over the next year or two. Interesting nobody is worried about this. I know it's necessary, don't get me wrong. But this whole site seems to be nothing but Lewenza bashing. I really don't like his 1970's style of standing on a podium and yelling, you don't make friends that way, but he is a very good negotiator, and will in the end do what is necessary for the Chrysler workers. History has proven it, Paul, you should know that by now. Right now it's 8 months until contract negotiations and it's the usual positioning and grandstanding we've all seen before.
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous At 8:24pm PST-
ReplyDeleteBelieve it. The CAW has put up a $2 million wind turbine at their Family Education Centre in Port Elgin ON. In a move of sheer stupidity, it's placed in the parking lot just metres away from the kids soccer and baseball fields. The manufacturer has set a safe boundry distance of 300 metres from the public. Also know that the CAW has a FIT contract with the government so they will continue to have their greasy mitts in the taxpayers pockets.
Unbelievable.
$2 million could have gone a long way to helping those in London. Click to see full story above.
Finally, an intelligent blog from a CAW member no less.You have obviously done the research. When the CAW/EMD impasse became front page news CAW wanted us to believe only their side.Ken and the boys are the same as any corporation. Union dues are making the executive quite wealthy. I won't mention the Port Elgin resort that furthers the CAW anti Harper agenda. As a side note,did anyone notice Lewenza' statement regarding severence? "We have negotiated several severance packages recently and we DEMAND..." perhaps not verbatum, but you get the idea.Several severance packages.Time to open your eyes ,Ken. I could go on, being a former CAW member (Ford Talbotville)but enough for now.
ReplyDelete