GM CHAIR REPORT,  May 14th 2019 

 

Oshawa Grievance Settlement

The settlement in Oshawa was a resolve for a policy grievance on Plant Closure v. Product Loss that was due to go before an arbitrator. The problem for St Catharines is an arbitrator can only rule on the Collective Agreement and since there was no job loss in St. Catharines the arbitrator could not award retirement incentives to our members.

We commend the Oshawa committee for all the hard work and tremendous effort they put in to get the best agreement possible for their facility. Although they were under no obligation, the Oshawa Leadership negotiated a one time $40,000 incentive for St. Catharines members who elect to retire, to create openings on a “one for one basis” for Oshawa members who opt to transfer to St. Catharines.

General Motors closed Oshawa, not the Union, and it was General Motors that capped the incentive amount at $40,000. Upon learning of the $40k retirement incentive the Company allocated to St. Catharines, we expressed our frustration as the Company was unwilling to listen to logic on the issue as outlined below.

Your Local Leadership was not at the table with the Company on the Oshawa grievance settlement. We did however take every opportunity to put a strong case forward that an increased incentive in St. Catharines, even at $75.000, would have significantly increased the number of retirements in our facility, thereby creating far more opportunities for our Oshawa brothers and sisters to continue working at half the cost of a buyout in Oshawa. We feel this is a major injustice to both the St. Catharines members who won’t see this as enough of an incentive to retire earlier than planned, and the Oshawa members who need a job. For our seniority members that were already intending to retire the $40,000 incentive will be awarded, but it will not be enough to entice additional St. Catharines members to retire early to make room for Oshawa members who have lost their job.

The timing and numbers of Oshawa members wishing to relocate will be determined soon after they complete their canvass. This will in turn determine the number of Trades including electricians and production members that will be eligible to receive an incentive to retire.

As we were not afforded the opportunity to negotiate on your behalf by the Company, we will not be recommending this $40,000 incentive to our members. It will be up to them to make their own personal decision.

Oshawa members entering our plant:

1. Will have date of entry seniority.
2. Cannot bump any of our existing members.
3. Keep all existing benefits and pay they currently have.
4. Can take advantage of job postings, transfers and holidays etc. with date of entry seniority.

ADP Payroll issues

Please see SUB Rep Rory De Marco in the Union benefit office if you have been locked out of your ADP paystub account and require assistance. 905-641-6419

 

Issued by, Tim McKinnon, GM Unit Chairperson

On behalf of the Bargaining Committee; Paul Dortono,  Doug Wark, Trevor Longpre, Ken Naldjieff, & Glenn Currie