Skilled Trades Association, CAW Local 199 St. Catharines (General Motors Unit) | ||||||
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December 4, 2003 Letter to the editor Doug Orr / Gary Martin "No respect from GM, laid off worker laments" The Standard Dec. 3, 2003 touches a sour chord with all the laid off workers in St. Catharines and their CAW leadership. While GM could have done more in the Union's opinion to reduce the layoff, GM is not the only one showing disrespect. The federal government trade policy, the death of the Auto Pact, has slowly claimed the loss of thousands of automotive jobs in Canada. In addition, the effects of the [past] Tory anti-worker policies are acutely felt in our area. Every auto- worker understands that the auto industry often resorts to layoffs during times of slack sales. If the customers aren’t buying we aren’t working. What we can’t understand and don’t accept is the increasing habit of General Motors to lay off workers and replace them by forcing their co-workers to put in overtime in the form of eight hours of weekend work or offering them twelve hour shifts through the week. General Motors is allowed to hide behind the existing labour laws, and goes so far as to discipline workers who refuse to work overtime while their colleagues are on layoff. We believe that such abuses should not be supported by Provincial legislation. The intent of overtime is to supplement an existing fully utilized skilled workforce, not to force people to cover for members unfortunate to have drawn a pink layoff slip. Even through this embarrassing local practice the CAW has worked very hard with GM to save jobs and create opportunity in St. Catharines. Our flexible and constructive attitude has paid dividends but the realities of the North American auto environment are such that without willingness by government to play an active partnering role, our initiatives will be limited. The auto industry plays a unique role in the Canadian economy and needs to be recognized as such by all forms of government! Doug Orr, Plant Chairperson GM Unit Gary Martin, Vice Chairperson, GM Unit | ||||||
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