To All Unifor Local 88 Members:
Just to inform you, Unifor Local 199 St Catharines, Local 222 Oahawa, and Local 636 Woodstock went on strike last night at 11:59 pm. GM Canada as usual, has put greed and profits ahead of their employees and will not follow pattern. GM Canada did the same thing in the 1996 contract negotiations with our predecessor the CAW.
Unifor Local 636 members work at the GM Woodstock Part Distribution Centre located at 1401 Parkinson Rd., Woodstock. This local has approximately 60 members to cover the picket lines 24 hours a day 7 days a week. It would be greatly appreciated if members of Local 88 could assist these members on the picket line, as they did for us during our strike in 2017. So, if you have some free time, please join the picket line for an hour or two and support our brothers, sisters, and siblings from local 636. Also members living the vicinity of local 199 or local 222 please attend their picket lines and show your solidarity.
In Solidarity
Mike Van Boekel, GM Cami Plant Chairperson
Brent Tree, Unifor Local 88 President
Auto members,
Your bargaining team has announced strike action against General Motors. This strike includes all GM members at the Oshawa Assembly Complex and CCA Stamped Products, St. Catharines Powertrain Plant and Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre.
The decision to strike was not taken lightly. After working throughout the Thanksgiving weekend and into the final hours before the deadline, General Motors made it clear that they would not agree to meet the conditions of the pattern agreement. We cannot and we will not settle for less than pattern – not today – not ever.
This strike is the result of the company’s unwillingness to agree to the union’s core pattern demands on pensions, as well as supports for our retirees and making sure full-time temporary part-time workers are given a clear path to permanent employment, among a series of other unresolved issues. Unifor retirees built the automotive industry in Canada and Unifor will not agree to pay our retired members at GM less than retirees at Ford of Canada.
General Motors members have a proud history of fighting back and winning. In 1996, we successfully fought GM when they tried to break the pattern. We won pattern then and we will win it now.
Members should continue to report for your next scheduled shift to speak with your strike captain for picketing duties. Your local and national leadership team will provide you with more information as soon as possible.
Continue to monitor autotalks.ca and your email inbox for more information as the situation develops.
In solidarity,
Lana Payne, Unifor National President
Jason Gale, Unifor GM Master Bargaining Chair
Trevor Longpre, Unifor GM Master Bargaining Vice-Chair