JPF Home Page Forums Canadian auto workers threaten to strike

Unifor probably saw the writing on the table. Both Clinton and Trump want to renegotiate NAFTA and this is the only chance they have of guaranteeing work in the future. This will damage the U.S economy if the big 3 reject unifors demands.
I'm of the mindset to kick all 3 out of the country and we make our own vehicles
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https://www.yahoo.com/news/canadian-autoworkers-threaten-strike-191751376.html


Montreal (AFP) - Canadian autoworkers have voted unanimously to authorize a strike if contract talks with the big three US automakers do not lead to new investments in Canadian assembly plants.

Unifor, which represents the 23,000 Canadian autoworkers who work for Ford, Fiat Chrysler and General Motors, set a September 19 strike deadline after the near-unanimous backing Sunday for a strike if the automakers don't meet their demands.

"Unifor autoworkers vote overwhelmingly (over 97 percent) for strike mandate," the union said in a Twitter message.

Canadian plants have steadily lost jobs to Mexico during the past 25 years, and unless the negotiations produce investment commitments, the auto industry will continue to contract, according to Unifor.

The union specifically wants guarantees that GM will build new products at the company's assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario; a commitment from Ford to build a new engine at its motor plant in Windsor, Ontario; and an investment by Fiat Chrysler at its plant in Brampton, Ontario.

The factories in Windsor and Oshawa could close in two years without new investments, wiping out hundreds of jobs, Unifor said.

"The bargaining committee will not accept a deal without a commitment to investment in Canada's auto sector," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias, leader of the negotiations.

The union believes that new investments by the three automakers -- all of which have heavily invested in new factories in Mexico during the last decade and refurbished plants in the United States -- would also create hundreds of spinoff jobs that would bolster the Canadian economy.

In 2009, the three committed to maintain in Canada assembly of roughly 25 percent of vehicles manufactured in North America prior to the financial crisis, in exchange for a Can$13.7 billion bailout of the industry.

Now the country assembles only around 15 percent of the cars and trucks built on the continent, according to Unifor.

Its always the college educated corporate executives who sell out their country the fastest.....

The assembly line workers tend to be high school grads....Or GED's or whatever.......

You never find any HS folks in the corporate boardrooms-except for maybe union reps....

Tom

Sounds like they are demanding from a very weak position. Probably should be begging, not demanding. What do they bring to the table?

Well, Gee, Folks,
According to the peasants the people running the company are always wrong! I've seen it all my life. Like it or not, the Yeager's will always be running the world! That's why everything is running smoothly, right? In the Navy you would thing the Command Structure was in charge. Not so! It was the mess cooks that really ran things. I know, I was there. The Unions ran the Auto Companies. That's why they are moving to other places. But, you can't tell the peasants that! What was it, the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz wanted a brain. Did Bernie ever get a brain? Don't look like it. According to him it is the Millionaires and Billionaires up on Wall Street that are screwing up the country. Well, I'm sorry Canada, but Beggars can't be Choosers. If Horses were Wishes, Beggars would Ride. Old Chinese Proverb.

I guarantee we can find 23,000 Americans or Mexicans who would love to take those jobs, without striking!

Unzip that strict border of yours and let us in!!!

Well Suh,
It seems Ford was building one or more of their engines in Canada but closed the plant and moved to Mexico. Humm, come to think of it Carrier Air Conditioners closed their plant in Indiana and moved to Mexico. Now, you would think, those workers would look over the border and see where the Auto Companies in the U.S. went.

Damn, they used to say in the Navy, Don't *uck up, Liberty's good. Don't those people ever learn?

This is more about making these companies adhere to commitments made when they were bailed out by our government in 2009

The larger issue is corporate incentives and grants that large companies bargain for in exchange for investment and job commitments, but which they will also break if it does not work for them anymore...more often than not because there are escape clauses they have available....so it is probably not illegal.

BUT they keep coming back and the government keeps giving them money for the jobs and economic spin offs

I think I can state with certainty that every car plant in the US, and every large manufacturer behaves in exactly the same way because local governments vie for what they bring to the local\regional economy.

It is simply corporations exercising the power they have.

Unions were founded to countervail the power large corporations exercised over individual employees. This union action is, in part, designed to make these companies do as they promised...which was to assemble roughly 25 percent of vehicles manufactured in North America in exchange for a Can$13.7 billion bailout of the industry.

The union has numbers that say only around 15 percent of the cars and trucks built on the continent are assembled here.

I haven't been paying enough attention to Canada!

In June, Prime Minister Trudeau lifted the VISA requirements for Mexicans to enter Canada, starting in November!
Of course, Canada says that Mexicans will still need an Electronic Travel Authorization and a work or study permit.
THAT sounds racist to me, though.
Suppose somebody is too poor and can't produce the necessary documents or simply isn't capable of navigating the system?
I'm sure that Trudeau will see the light and drop those racist requirements soon enough, though!!

CANADA TO LIFT VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR MEXICO
Ottawa, Ontario
28 June 2016

The Government of Canada has made it a top priority to re-establish and strengthen our relationship with one of our most important partners, Mexico. To this end, Prime Minister Trudeau today announced Canada’s intention to lift the visa requirement for Mexican visitors to Canada beginning December 1, 2016. Lifting the visa requirement will deepen ties between Canada and Mexico and will increase the flow of travellers, ideas, and businesses between both countries.

Closer collaboration between Canada and Mexico on mobility issues will also help encourage travel between the two countries while preventing any increase in asylum claims or other irregular migration. Officials plan to meet regularly to promote these mutual interests.

Canadian officials are working with their Mexican counterparts on final details to ensure a successful visa lift.

Until November 30, 2016, the visa requirement is still in place for Mexico and – until it is lifted – Mexican citizens must continue to apply for a visa to visit, study or work in Canada. Mexicans can apply online for a visitor visa on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s website, or can use the services of one of the Visa Application Centres in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

Visitors are generally allowed a six-month stay from the day they enter Canada. If the Border Services Officer authorizes a stay of less than six months, they will indicate in the visitor’s passport the date by which they must leave Canada.

After the visa requirement is lifted, Mexicans wanting to work or study in Canada will still need to apply for a work or study permit prior to their arrival in Canada. Mexican citizens should also be aware that – once the visa is lifted – they will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly or transit through Canada. Applying for an eTA is a simple, inexpensive (CAD$7) process that takes just minutes to complete online. The eTA is electronically linked to a traveler’s passport, and is valid for five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. All visa-exempt foreign nationals – except for U.S. citizens – need an eTA to fly to or transit through Canada.

Additional information will be provided to Mexican citizens in advance of the visa lift, including details on when Mexicans travellers can begin applying for their eTA.

http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2016/06/28/canada-lift-visa-requirements-mexico

Gosh ah All mighty John,
Board members have to look at the bottom line. It ain't on Auto Pilot. When the bottom begins to fall out they have to act. Most likely they have Stockholders to answer to. And, I doubt any Company would sign on to a deal where there is no escape clause.

Of course the Peasants all think the Company is no good and is out to screw them.
Since nobody is going to take a pay cut if they can help it, the Company makes other plans to survive. Sometimes that means leaving the country. A lot of that happening here. Did I say Beggars can't be choosers?

That's interesting. You see, we are told in this country that CANADA IS PERFECT AND EVERYTHING WORKS AMAZINGLY. Every Hollywood actor and actress laud Canadian everything and all these companies and the entertainment business are all claiming to MOVE TO CANADA if Trump gets elected.

An interesting things is that ALL auto companies, and pretty much any other manufacturing entity can be REPLACED by AUTOMATION. They don't NEED any workers at all and just people to keep the machines running.

So they might be going on strike and be completely let go. Should talk to the 3000 or so Air traffic controllers in America that thought they could strike and stop Air travel in the 80's.

And the fast food workers demanding raises should probably keep an eye on this too, because they are about to be automated out of jobs as well. Those days in the 60's where they said "Robots were going to replace man?" Well, guess what? It's HERE.

MAB

I've worked in parts supplier plants. They'll always need people to run the machines that make the car parts and fix the machines when they break, which is every day. Fast food? You need people to make the food and take your order. Some McDonald's have an automation menu but people have a hard time with that and self check outs. People are resisting them. Rather wait in a line for people to do it for them. Companies wants to move towards automation but I think it's too early for that yet. Eventually it will be here.

Aaron, you are WAY behind on this. Fast food places have already started installing kiosks where the customer orders themselves, and does away with counter people. There are machines right now that unthaw the burger, fry it, turn it add the ccndiments, wrap and deliver it. They are $70,000 but the various fast food resturants are waiting until the election. If Hillary is elected, they are going to be hit with higher taxes and are going to shift to automation.

And if the inevitable "riot and burn down the fast food place" they'll simply NOT build back there. People always think they can beat business and a bottom line. They can't. People are obsolete and have been for some time. The "people option" is just there right now to start people getting used to the idea. Will happen much faster than you think. Just like farming in other decades, when it comes to mass production it is either done by technology or completely outsourced.

MAB

Hey Ray, I was only reporting the facts and not attaching a value judgement to it.

Marc, dead on about automation, robotics and the Internet of Things. These developments are going to have a huge impact...but it is not beholden to election results. It's simply coming.

Now it will not be entirely automated everywhere and it will actually create high paying, skilled jobs...but it will also displace a lot of lower skilled workers.

The US is actually lagging. Germany and Austria have a few years head start in all this with their Industry 4.0 initiatives that brought together various kinds of engineering associations, academics, industry associations, specific companies and government people to scope it all out and begin development of 'smart factories". They already have parts of it working.

Obama started a similar US initiative, and China, Japan and South Korea are also moving on this. Germany\Austria's plan had an outlook of 7 to 8 years...expect the rest of the world can probably learn from what they have done and shorten the time frame somewhat

I was at a conference in Austria 2 years ago to meet up with someone I needed for my own business, and attended some sessions on this. Fascinating stuff.

So yes, it is coming, and waiting for no one.

There needs to be a workers revolution against globalist companies.

If the minimum wage is raised to $15 per hour for fast food workers, you'll be ordering from someone in India via a phone kiosk. I just hope we don't have to eat Indian food too......

Yes Aaron. That happened. 1917 in Russia. Ended in 1989. Also tried in Cuba, Venesuala and other countries around the world. It has always failed like all "workers revolts." Now China and Russia are becoming some of the richest capitalist countries on Earth. All that happens is the rich get richer and the poorer get poorer and there is nothing that any "workers" are ever going to be able to do about it.

Indian food is pretty dang good!

Seems Ireland gave tax breaks to Apple that is deemed unfair to the rest of Europe, so now Apple has to pay a heavy tax bill. Countries and even cities give large companies breaks to get them to set up in their area just for the jobs and tax spinoffs, but the price of what they produce never comes down, just more profit for these companies and their share holders, and rarely do they pay much if any tax.

If all these companies can automate and produce their products cheaply, and if people have no jobs, who will be able to buy what they produce. Maybe the governments will have to pay people a guaranteed income like they talked about 40 or 50 years ago, then tax these companies to be able to afford paying this wage.

Unions are good and they are bad. They protect workers against unfair employers, but when they get too strong, they treat employers unfairly, just to justify their own existence. They protect a worker that should be fired for what ever reason, usually laziness, just because he/she is part of the union. It's like the tail wagging the dog.

When unions demand wages way above what they should be, someone has to pay those wages, and it is usually the poor and middle class that are working for much lower wages. They have to buy these products at inflated prices to pay the inflated wages that are producing these items. A lot of those high wage jobs are not highly skilled jobs, just highly paid.