Thursday, April 16, 2009

Tony Clement Talks Tough With CAW

I love hearing this: Ottawa willing to let GM, Chrysler collapse
When asked whether he would be willing to let Chrysler Canada Inc. or General Motors of Canada Ltd. go bankrupt if the unions do not agree to cut costs, Mr. Clement replied: “We have to examine every possibility.”

“I don't think it is in the interest of the Canadian public to have continued funding to a company if there is no deal with their union and if there is no outside investor, or no outside partner in the case of Fiat,” he said. “Those were our conditions.... So if you're asking me whether I'm willing to funnel Canadian government money, taxpayer money, when we do not have an acceptable plan on a go-forward basis, I cannot do that. I don't think it would be responsible.”

CAW president Ken Lewenza has called Fiat's proposal to cut labour costs at Chrysler Canada by $19 an hour an “unreasonable” demand and has said it is “not going to happen,” arguing the CAW is competitive with unionized environments in the United States.
CAW are so shameless. They refuse to negotiate down. Having a cut wage, is better than having no wage. It makes me hope these fat cats go bust and collapse. Ye shall reap, what ye sow. I think the Tories are reading public opinion on this one properly.

2 comments:

  1. These guys get $76 per hour. The $20 pay cut would bring them down to $56 per hour. That still works out to over $100,000 per year in wage and benefits (without over time). I think the wage cut should come down to $20 per hour, if they want government money. When profits return, they can get a raise.
    What an unbelievable world the CAW lives in. These guys would rather be unemployed then have a job paying $100K per year, for unskilled labour. Chrysler Canada is located in Brampton and Windsor, both are Liberal/NDP seats, and the public at large is against giving them money. The CAW is trying to call an all-in from Ottawa, and they are holding an offsuited 2-7. Boys, its time to throw in your hand.

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  2. It's a sad dereliction of CAW's responsibility to its membership.

    That Union's leadership ought to be strung up by their ears.

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