The Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) has announced a tentative agreement with Lear for its Whitby plant in Canada, ending a two-day strike. The CAW represents about 400 workers at Whitby, which provides seats for General Motors’ Oshawa facility. The industrial action at Lear, which began on 28 October, halted operations at the Oshawa vehicle plant on the 29th. Production at Oshawa has now returned to normal.
Talks between Lear and the CAW started in early August but were later halted as the union turned its attention to securing deals with GM, Ford and Chrysler. Lear resumed talks with the union earlier in October. According to the union, the company was demanding “deep concessions”, prompting the launch of strike action.
Workers are scheduled to vote on the tentative agreement this coming weekend (3-4 November).
Meanwhile, CAW workers at Wescast in Strathroy, Ontario, are continuing their strike action, which began early on 27 October. Wescast workers are angry with a move by GM to transfer work from their Ontario plant to a facility in China. The company provides engine components for GM’s St Catharines, Ontario plant. So far, no disruption in supply has been reported.
