Striking workers in front of the CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, September 18, 2017. (Photo by Miranda Chant. BlackburnNews.com)Striking workers in front of the CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, September 18, 2017. (Photo by Miranda Chant. BlackburnNews.com)
London

Job Security At the Heart Of CAMI Strike

Striking workers at the CAMI plant in Ingersoll say the number one issue is job security.

The 2,800 Unifor members went on strike at 11pm on Sunday after their union and General Motors failed to reach a tentative agreement. Speaking from the picket line on Monday, Unifor Local 88 plant chair Mike Van Boekel said workers are looking for a guarantee that production of the Equinox crossover vehicle will not be shifted to another plant.

"We are asking for a letter to remain as the number one producer of the Equinox and they obviously have no intention of giving us that letter at this time," said Van Boekel.

The letter would mean GM would not be able to move assembly of the Equinox to Mexico, as it did with the Terrain sport utility vehicle in July, costing 600 positions at CAMI.

"They took it down to Mexico strictly because the Mexican workers are making $3 an hour U.S. We can't compete with that. We have no intention of competing with that," said Van Boekel. "We were number one in all of the quality segments. We are the number one in efficiency, and that's done by an outside ratings company. That's in North America and that's everybody. That's your Toyotas, your GMs, your Kias."

The Chevrolet Equinox is the only vehicle currently being produced at CAMI.

"If there is no product to build in our plant then money doesn't matter. We can argue all day, but if the plant is empty we lose 2,800 jobs," said Van Boekel.

He also noted workers understand the economic ripple effect of their job action elsewhere in the automotive sector.

"They're telling us that the GM plant in St. Catharines that supplies their motors and engines, they will be going down Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning and that 1,700 workers are out of a job. So we understand what we are doing. We will bargain responsibly and reasonably but sometimes you have to draw a line in the sand."

Van Boekel reached out to GM Canada's bargaining team Monday morning regarding a few of the lesser issues.

Motorists driving passed striking CAMI workers have been honking their horns as a show of support, which is helping to keep spirits high. Although Van Boekel worries the good feeling on the picket line will diminish if the strike drags on for too long.

GM Canada said in a statement posted to its corporate website late Sunday that it is "disappointed" they were unable to reach a new agreement with workers.

"We encourage Unifor to resume negotiations and to continue working together to secure a competitive agreement," said the statement.

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