Report: CAW Will Target Chrysler For Strike

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

The Canadian Auto Workers union is expected to target Chrysler in the event of a strike, but will reportedly wait until Labor Day before taking action.

CTV News reports that

Tony Faria, an automotive expert at the University of Windsor, predicted Chrysler will be chosen because it has the largest Canadian footprint of the Detroit Three and therefore has the most at stake. “They can least afford a shutdown of operations in Canada, so they’re the most vulnerable in terms of a strike threat,” Faria said Wednesday. “But even though Chrysler is not pushing for two-tiered wages, Chrysler is going to push hard for lower starting wages.”

Canada is home to the plants that build some of Chrysler’s key products, including the Chrysler/Dodge minivans, the Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger and the Dodge Challenger. Canadian sales would be especially impacted in the event of a strike, since Canada is a key market for the Dodge Caravan.

CTV News quotes Faria as saying that Chrysler will probably ask for a further reduction in the starting wage, and an increase in the time it takes workers to reach the maximum wage (from six years to eight years).

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • DenverMike DenverMike on Aug 18, 2012

    Hello, CAW. I see a lot of sombreros and huaraches in Chrysler's manufacturing future.

    • Highdesertcat Highdesertcat on Aug 18, 2012

      There's not going to be a strike. In the end the CAW will walk away with even less than they have now and learn to like it. It's all posturing on the part of the CAW. There won't be any strike because the CAW will prefer to remain working. They'll be lucky if Sergio and the Fiat BoD will keep as much production going in Canada as they have now. I would be surprised in Fiat opens new plants in Canada.

  • Omnifan Omnifan on Aug 18, 2012

    All the Chrysler workers have to remember is the ElectroMotive strike earlier this year. CAT closed the plant and the workers were left with nothing but a small severance.

    • CJinSD CJinSD on Aug 18, 2012

      Unions wouldn't continue to exist in a world where people learned from the mistakes of others.

  • Gentle Ted Gentle Ted on Aug 18, 2012

    CAW won't have a Strike anywhere imho! after all Sergio is a Canadian by birth and the Canadian Federal Government who bank rolled the Bail out here in Canada, it would not surprise me if the Federal Labour Minister the Honourable MS. Raith would step in and order the workers back to work' like she did with the Postal Workers and Air Canada, so time will tell eh?

  • Gentle Ted Gentle Ted on Aug 19, 2012

    The CBC is reporting tonight (Sunday) Aug.19th that the CAW local in Oshawa has given there Local Union the word to Strike General Motors! You can tell it's that time once again eh?

    • Mikey Mikey on Aug 19, 2012

      @Gentle Ted....Its called a "strike mandate" Translation, maybe ten percent of the "rank and file" show up to vote and give the local the right to strike. It means, squat.

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