Just a short message to update everyone on what has been happening.
We continue to meet with the heads of GM Canada with the assistance of the heads of Unifor Canada.
GM Canada is still refusing to meet our demands on packages. They have moved and are now offering a limited number.
We are not in agreement and meet almost daily between National and GM.
CAMI management continues to request certain members to come into the plant for training purposes.
The answer is NO!
Starting Monday of this week, CAMI have brought in the top 15 members by seniority – and they are trying to cross train them in certain areas.
By our contract for an extended layoff of this length the company can only bring in members by seniority unless the Union agrees otherwise. The company can put those 15 into any jobs they want as they are the most senior members.
Until GM Canada agree to our demands on packages not one person is coming in here outside the lines of seniority. If packages come, we would be willing to listen to reasonable requests as the future of our plant needs to be taken into consideration. Packages will help the more senior members to retire, allowing those further down the line to remain working full time.
The company has asked for DIG in welding, pilot across the plant and certain team leaders. No, No and No!
The clock is ticking, the calendar days continue to move by. We have the group of 30 waiting (somewhat waiting patiently to retire) plus we have 150 other members who could elect to retire.
We have continued to tell GM to give us the packages, and we will proceed with the reduction/canvass/posting process. There will be a ton of holes to fill if 100 people elect to retire plus all the movement from reductions to get to one shift.
As everyone is very aware, we grandfather, reduce and post. We are not posting all the jobs – if you have the seniority to hold your job as per the contract, you hold your job. However, if you don’t have the seniority to hold you bump into your department and the juniors will bump plantwide, which is more than likely into assembly.
We cannot possibly tell anyone where they will end up until we have package completed and the members identified who are leaving.
If you have any questions, please reach out.