Unifor Local 1996-O

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Windsor fights back against Nemak

windsor-bannerSeptember 12, 2019 – 12:00 AM

WINDSOR—Hundreds of members of the Windsor community and people from across Ontario assembled near the Nemak plant in solidarity with workers protesting the company’s decision to break the collective agreement by announcing their intention to close the plant.

“Canadians are fed up with greedy multinational corporations that don’t honour agreements with workers and move jobs outside of Canada,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Nemak is playing with fire and has ignited an entire community against them.”

The community rally was held adjacent to the Windsor Nemak plant that builds engine blocks and bedplates for General Motors.

“We are fighting for the rights of all Canadian workers with this community rally in Windsor,” said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. “Nemak must do the right thing and live up to its end of the agreement. It’s as simple as that.”

Unifor and Nemak renewed a collective agreement in 2016. In the agreement Nemak committed to make the Windsor plant the sole global source for certain engine block products produced for General Motors. Now the company intends to move the production to facilities in Monterrey, Mexico in contravention to the agreement.

On September 10 Justice Terrance Patterson of the Superior Court of Ontario urged all parties to resolve the dispute before the parties have to return to court on Friday September 13.

Unifor continues to engage in dialogue with Nemak corporate representatives urging them to do the right thing and live up to their contractual obligations to the workers and the community.

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Scheduling for weeks of Oct 20, and Oct 27

BTS VSP

To:  All Full-Time Ontario Central Technicians
C.c.: All Ontario Central Managers, Field Operations
From: Mark Olmstead, Director, Field Operations. Ontario Central & Structured Cabling

Patrick Gendron, Director, Workforce Management
Hello everyone,
Please note that all employees will be scheduled on 8‑hour shifts for the weeks of October 20 and October 27. Technicians with 10‑hour and late shift accommodations will be contacted.

Scheduling the 2 weeks as 8-hour shifts will ensure the ability to schedule 80 hours for the pay period.

Halloween night

We would also like to remind you that, for safety concerns, all employees must be off the road by 5 pm on Halloween, Thursday, October 31.
Thank you,

Mark & Patrick

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Windsor workers protest Nemak’s decision to move their jobs to Mexico

nemakbanner

September 2, 2019 – 12:00 AM

WINDSOR –Unifor members at Nemak of Canada Corporation gathered today to protest the decision by their employer to close their plant and abandon them in an attempt to move their jobs to Monterey, Mexico.

“Nemak cannot get away with betraying its workers or Canadians simply because they are motivated by corporate greed,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President, in a news conference streamed live on Unifor Canada’s Facebook page. “They can’t take millions in government handouts one day and then desert their loyal workforce and the community of Windsor the next.”

Since 2015, Nemak received more than $5 million dollars from several government sources including a $1.5 million grant from the province of Ontario, $1.3 million in tax breaks from the city of Windsor, and $3 million in federal funds.

“This plant has made nothing but profits and closing it is an avoidable, short-sighted decision that will take a devastating toll on 180 workers, their families, and the community,” said Dias.

In July, the company announced plans to move production of the I-6 diesel aluminum engine block and the Corvette engine block and bedplate to its facilities in Monterey, Mexico, which violates an agreement Nemak signed with workers in 2016.

“Nemak signed an agreement with us to keep this plant open until at least 2022,” said John D’Agnolo, Unifor Local 200 President. “We expect nothing less than for them to keep their word.”

Nemak agreed in writing, to keep the plant open until 2022, after workers agreed to a 4-year wage freeze.

“Workers decided this morning that it was time to send a message to their employer that they expect the company to live up to the agreement,” said D’Agnolo.
Unifor leadership met with Nemak CEO Armando Tamez Martinez last week in Monterey, Mexico but talks were unproductive.

Today work has been disrupted at the Windsor plant, which is the sole source for the engine blocks and bedplates.

The plant originally opened in 1996 under the Ford Motor Company, and employed more than 600 workers before Nemak took over operations in 2010. Since then, union members agreed to wage reductions to keep the plant operating.

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

 

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