Membership give CAW negotiators
strike mandate at big three automakers

TORONTO, Aug. 28 /CNW/ - CAW members who work at the Big Three automakers
in Canada have voted overwhelmingly to give union negotiators the mandate to
strike, if necessary, to achieve their bargaining demands in the upcoming
round of contract talks.

Here are the results from votes across Ontario on August 28: CAW members
at General Motors voted 97.1 per cent in favour of a strike. At Ford, 95.5 per
cent voted in favour of a strike, while at DaimlerChrysler, 97.9 per cent
supported a strike, if necessary.

CAW president Buzz Hargrove said the vote results show that CAW members
are determined to negotiate a strong collective agreement in 2005 that
provides wage and pension gains, job and income security, as well as benefit
and working condition improvements.

"These results show that our members understand the importance of backing
their bargaining committees as we head into what will be a tough round of
bargaining with General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler," Hargrove said.



For further information: CAW President Buzz Hargrove at (416) 464-3352 
or CAW Communications, Jim Paré, cell at (416) 723-2224