CAW may be days away from Chrysler deal
Most demanding of Big Three in negotiating new contract
The Canadian Auto Workers hopes it’s just days away from successfully concluding talks with Detroit’s Big Three automakers by reaching a collective agreement with Chrysler, though it has been reluctant to follow a pattern deal reached with its rivals.
“I’m optimistic that within the next three or four days we can get the job done,” CAW president Ken Lewenza said in an interview Friday.
Negotiations with Ford and General Motors suggest that Chrysler needs the time to hammer through terms of the framework agreement and also address specific issues affecting Chrysler, which has the largest presence in Canada of the three.
Lewenza said the tone of conversations Friday was constructive and respectful, but added he has no illusions that the final efforts won’t be tough.
Chrysler has been the most vocal in demanding concessions and breaking away from pattern bargaining.
The union boss has asked for a written proposal from the car company to focus discussions and says Chrysler is fully aware that following the pattern set by its American rivals is essential for the union.
“We’ll try to get it done. But if it breaks down in any way, we’ll give the 24-hours notice and we’ll utilize the tool, but I’m anticipating we won’t need to do that in the next three or four days.”
Industry experts say Chrysler has no choice but accept the general terms of the framework agreement since it can’t afford a strike that would cripple its Canadian operations, which account for about 25 per cent of its global production.
“I think we should see an agreement with Chrysler in the next 24 to 48 hours,” said Tony Faria of the University of Windsor Odette School of Business.
“Chrysler full well knows they can talk around the edges of the contract a little bit but there’s going to be no adjustments made to the main provisions,” the auto expert said in an interview.
The company declined to comment, but said for now they are still in discussion.
More than 100 union leaders from Ford met in Toronto on Friday to familiarize themselves with the tentative agreement in order to answer member questions ahead of ratification voting Saturday and Sunday.