CAW members at Chrysler ratify new three year agreement

TORONTO, May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of CAW members working at Chrysler have voted in favour of a new collective agreement, ratifying the deal by 87 per cent today. This wraps up the 2008 round of negotiations between the CAW and the Big Three North American auto producers.

The approval rate at Chrysler was the highest amongst the three companies, with General Motors workers voting 84 per cent in favour and Ford workers voting 67 per cent in favour of the new contract.

CAW President Buzz Hargrove said that the strong approval rating by the membership is further evidence that the union did the right thing in negotiating an early settlement. "I have no doubt in my mind that going into early bargaining with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler was the best thing for our members," said Hargrove. "With the new product commitments contained in the agreement, our members will be better equipped to weather the economic storm currently devastating the auto industry."

The Chrysler agreement closely follows a pattern established at Ford two weeks earlier and includes product commitments at the Brampton plant for the launch of the new C-series vehicles in 2010 and confirms that the Windsor plant will continue to be the lead producer of mini-vans in North America. Chrysler also agreed to keep the Etobicoke Casting plant open until June 2011, with the intention of selling the plant or making it into a joint venture. Chrysler had threatened to close the plant.

Ken Lewenza, chair of the CAW-Chrysler master bargaining committee and president of CAW Local 444, said that it was an excellent agreement that will protect workers well into the future and ensure that Canada remains an choice location for investment. He acknowledged the terrible impact job loss is having on the city of Windsor and right across the country and connected the job loss to a falling market share for all three auto companies, due to unfair trade. "It's not about the worker, his or her benefits or wages, we cannot be expected to compete with third world countries."

The agreement includes cost of living wage adjustments in the second and third years of the agreement, benefit improvements and no two-tier wage structure. The CAW represents approximately 8,000 workers at Chrysler.

The union reached historically early agreements with both General Motors and Chrysler Thursday morning, more than four months before the contract expiration.

The results by location are as follows:

CAW Local 1459, Etobicoke
Production: 83% in favour
Skilled Trades: 77% in favour
Combined total: 81% in favour

CAW Local 1285, Brampton
Production: 82% in favour
Skilled Trades: 91% in favour
Combined total: 84% in favour

Office: 92% in favour

CAW Local 444, Windsor
Production: 89% in favour
Skilled Trades: 90% in favour
Combined total: 89% in favour

CAW Local 1498
Office: 90% in favour

CAW Local 195
Security: 96% in favour

Total Production: 87% in favour
Total Skilled Trades: 89% in favour
Total Office: 89% in favour
Total Security: 96% in favour

Production and Trades combined total: 87% in favour.
Overall total: 87% in favour

Source: Canadian Auto Workers

CONTACT: please contact CAW Communications: Shannon Devine, (cell) (416)
302-1699 or Angelo DiCaro, (cell) (416) 606-6311

2008-05-17 19:48:56 0364470 PRNEWSWIRE