Listening to Oakley this morning, I heard that the contract offered by Caterpillar was NOT voted on. That means that a handful of union activists sealed the fate of their co-workers and a large number of others. I heard an estimate of 2,100 total jobs were lost.
How is it that Caterpillar is the villain for our news media? They made a good faith offer to keep the plant going. On the other hand, 2,100 people had their livelihoods curtailed by faceless goons.
If I were one of those people I would attempt a class action lawsuit against those INDIVIDUALS involved.
11 comments:
The more you read about this,the more obvious it becomes that this was a power play by the Union,and they lost.
You'd think they'd learn from other industries,like pulp and paper,that eventually Unions price their workers out of the market and plants close.
I'm completely disgusted by the CAW trying to claim it's all Stephen Harper's fault when the whole deal has nothing to do with the government.
But I guess the MSM,in their anti-Conservative fanaticism,see everything negative as the fault of the Harper government.
Enjoy your EI payments while they last,you bloody fools. And notice that the Union brass will still get paid while you get nothing.
No matter what side of the issue you are on it is very hard to believe the Cat made a "good faith offer". They knew (or should have) what the response would be even before they made it. This was merely a P.R. effort on their part so they could say "we tried to work with the union, but they wanted to be unreasonable" They have a perfectly legal and reasonable right to relocate, but let's be honest about it.
To Anonymous
An offer is always Good Faith. IT means a deal if you agree. It's no different from you making an offer on a house!
The CAW needed to think long and hard. They knew about the new Muncie plant. They knew that Indiana was in the process of passing Right to Work.
If Ontario was right to work, the plant would probably stille here.
The workers did not vote to accept or deny the contract, the decision was made by the hierarchy. If the workers had a choice to vote I bet they would have saved their jobs instead of now being on the government dole.
This is the offer look at what they were offered but never got a chance to vote on.
Actual EMD contract.
http://www.emcupdate.ca/wp-content/uploads/Employee-Letter-and-Summary-Dec-27-2011.pdf
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)
A 50% pay cut take it or leave it, and you want to blame the union?Really?
I don't care what side of the political spectrum you sit, but that's being a villain in my book. There's absolutely nothing 'in good faith' about that. Especially when you consider the massive profits that company boats.
Stevie didn't ask me if I wanted to spend a billion on the G8, or reform OAS or purchase new fighter; the list goes on. Oh right he was acting with a mandate by those who elected him, much the same way elected union leadership acts on behalf of its members. And anyone who thinks that EMC was acting in good faith is delusional.
Thanks for that list of wages,pissedoff. Some of the tradesmen are making Oil Sands type wages,but they have the luxury of working in a nice warm plant instead of welding outside in -40 weather.
Just talked to a young guy who's a welder's helper on a pipeline up North. He said the wages are great,$25 for a welder's helper,but he damned near freezes to death working outside in the Winter.
Maybe some of those CAW guys can go up North and see how the other half lives.
The workers should have been shown the contract,and had time to think about it. Then seeing as we live in a free Country,they could have made an informed choice as to whether or not they wanted to still have a job.
The worst part of this whole story is the media's lack of honesty and cherry-picking of facts to attack Stephen Harper.
Anonymous:
Every time you make a purchase of a good or service you generally compare multiple options. You then select the one you feel is best for you, not the seller.
That is what Caterpillar did. If the workers had taken the offer, they would still be working. They (well least Lewenza) chose to go in a different direction. The reply left Caterpillar to seek other suppliers.
Why should any person or company be forced to deal with someone who is not satisfying their requirements.
Did the CAW ask the other 1700 or so people affected what they thought of this deal? Since he didn't even allow his members to vote, I guess not.
Unless you are willing to be forced to do things not in your interest, you have no right to expect others to accept it.
I was not aware the union members were at odds with the union rejecting the 50% pay cut.
Can you elaborate on this?
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