ee ee ae The auto-pact and the Windsor lay-offs | “What is presently happen- ing at Ford of Canada in Wind- sor with respect to plant recon-- version and layoffs, is an eco- nomic disaster for workers in- volved, a disgrace for the gov- ernment which negotiated the U.S.-Canada Auto Trade Pact; and, a deép humiliation for our country: . .-.”" The above is a quotation from | a letter sent by Bruce Magnu- son, Ontario Communist leader and a Windsor federal candi- date in last June 25 election, to the Hon. Allan MacEachen, Min- ister of Manpower and Immigra- tion at Ottawa, and to Hon. Jean- Luc Pepin, Minister of Trade, Commerce and Industry in the federal government of Pierre ‘Elliot Trudeau. _ “How can it be possible to Sign an agreement, which ob- viously was intended to facili- tate industrial reorganization and rationalization, without some provision for the industry to reveal its plans to govern- ments at. all levels and to the union of its employees in the interests of national and com- munity planning,” Mr. Magnu- son asked. He called upon the federal government to imme- diately pass needed legislation, making .it mandatory for all such corporations to file their plans at some prescribed time ° prior to changes. “In this speci- fic case,” Mr. Magnuson wrote, “there is no reason why Ford of Canada should not carry all costs of maintaining their em- ployees on the payroll at full rates of pay until such time as they are recalled to work by the company.” ~° The above refers to pre- Christmas lay-offs of close to 400 Ford of Canada workers’ at Windsor as part of a plant re- conversion plan which calls for up-dating of plant and equip- ment for an eventual tripling. of production. Further layoffs are part of this plan by the com- pany, and may reach as high as 1,000 workers in all for a period of one and one-half to-two years, Writing also to the Hon. Dal- ton Bales, Ontario Labor Minis- ter, on the same date, November 29th, Mr. Magnyson urged that Ontario make strong represen- tations: to Ottawa about this matter. “If Ford of Canada gets away . With ‘this precedent of ignoring governments, expecting the workers and the community to pick up the tab for its techno- logical reconversion and modern- ization without sharing any of its benefits, we can expect some serious consequences for the future,” Mr. Magnuson told Mr. Bales. tional assistance benefits nego- tiated by the company as a con- sequence of the Canada-U:S. Auto Trade Pact are being used. On the contrary,” Mr. Magnu- son continued, “it expects peo- ple—who have not worked long enough to even qualify under the laws and regulations govern- ing such payments—to exist on unemployment insurance and supplementary unemployment benefits for the duration of the reconversion period.” While Federal Ministers, in- cluding Labor Minister Bryce Mackasey, have strongly criti- ° cized Ford for lack of adequate layoff notice, it must be pointed out that this is not ‘enough. What is needed in this case is for the Canadian government to assert its authority within its political jurisdiction to force foreign-owned corporations such as Ford of Canada, and others like it, to disclose their plans so that governmental authorities in “Not even the transi- - Showdown looms over parts strike If Michael Ladney, Jr. of Detroit, president of the company, who has written a booklet, and goes around making speeches entitled How to Break a UAW strike" wants a holy war, that's what he'll get from today on. Se eal EO this country can act to accept or reject such plans, and simul- taneously to enable the govern- ments at various levels to en- gage in meaningful economic and community planning. As. Mark MacGuigan, Liberal M.P. for Windsor-Walkerville, stated after a meeting in Otta- wa with a Windsor union dele- gation, “Only in situations such as the one resulting from the Ford. layoffs can the govern- ment see for itself how the auto pact works . . . certain malfunc- tions of the auto pact can now be viewed.” He, wondered if seven days notice would have been given if this were not provided for in the collective agreement between the compa- ny and the workers and, he also said “there is plenty of work available in the Windsor Fort plants, but that it is given‘ out . by ‘way of overtime.” Eugene Wheland (Liberal MP for Essex) said the layoffs are ridiculous because there are so many men working overtime in the plants to begin with. Even in Chrysler there are layoffs of some employees, while others are denied time off from monotonous and tiring work. Close to 9,000 Ford workers in the Canadian Oakville plant, in a demonstration of solidarity with 343 members of Local 251, UAW at the North American | Plastics Co. Ltd. at Wallace- - burg, Ont. on strike since last May 18, are refusing to handle scab plastic materials now be- ing made by strikebreakers in the struck plant. The refusal to handle “hot plastics,’ made by the scabs in the Wallaceburg plant, could spread to other Ford shops in Windsor and St. Thomas, Ont- ario. A recent meeting of the Can- adian UAW Council of locals representing over 100,000 auto workers from Ford, GM, Chrys- ler and parts and_ supplier shops, voted to take action to ask auto companies using North American plastics not to use them. The Big Three of auto in Canada so far ignored the union’s plea. The refusal of the Ford Oakville UAW members to handle scab parts is a drama- tic move by new UAW regional Director Dennis McDermott to force North American Plastics to come to the bargaining table. Dennis McDermott, Canadian UAW regional Director, it is learned, will ask the UAW In- ternational officers in Detroit to consider what they can do to stop the use of scab plastic ma- terials being used by the Ford Motor Company, U.S.A. McDermott in making his ap- peal for support commented re- cently in the UAW’s monthly publication Solidarity “this is “not just a strike to the manage- ment of this company, it’s a crusade to defeat and humiliate our union. So be it. If Michael Ladney, Jr., of Detroit, presi- dent of the company, who has written a booklet and goes around making speeches entitled In some departments overtime = schedules include 12 hour shifts. This brings us back to the situ- ation existing 30 yedrs ago be: — fore the union was organized. @ At that time men were made t0 | work six days a week, 12 hours a day for six months and thet left to walk the streets for an: @ other six months. Now some are working 12 hours per day up 0 @ seven days a week with ovel- © time pay, while other$ are left — to walk the street all yeal | round. ja Both the U.S.-Canada auto trade pact and technological changes have brought about 4 bonanza of profits for the U.S" owned -and controlled aut0 moguls. But what is good fot U.S. corporations,is not neces ~ sarily good for Canada or its © people. The exploitation of the auto workers has_ increas through: speed-up and by othet means, while prices on cats keep on increasing instead of the other way around. if The big question is: “Is Can: ada to be run by our elect ‘parliament and government, oF by a handful of billion-dollat corporations, operating here but ; deciding on policy and plans i! the U.S.A. : ‘How to Break a UAW strike’ wants a holy war, that’s what he’ll get from today on.” 4 ‘ The Plastics strike began last — May 18, in Wallaceburg, Ont. about 30 miles from Windsor Detroit River area. All but 20 ~ of the 343 workers joined the — picket line. Over the months thé company has replaced most 0 the others with strikebreakers, many brought in by bus from Chatham, 18 miles away. Many of the strikebreakers are itinerant workers attracte to the area by seasonal farm work. Union hating Ontari0 Provincial Police, sometimes numbering as many as 80, eS cort them to the plant and through the picket lines. About 75 percent of the strik- ers have some kind of charg against them. arising out © picketline incidents. Many 9 the strikers are women. On May 27, company prest dent Ladney made his first pub- lic appearance in Wallaceburg: He personally escorted a caval- cade of strikebreakers’ cars int0 town and through the picket line under heavy Ontario Prov incial (OPP) guard. The whole labor movement in Wallaceburé responded with a one day dé monstration in which an est mated 1,500 workers filled the — streets and marched to see thé mayor. About 90 percent of the pro duction from the plant goes 1 the Big Three.auto makers. big bulk of it goes to Ford a both Oakville and the U.S. Lad: ley who having brokena UA strike at his Detroit plant in 1963 went around bragging he wou break this one. UAW Canadiat leader McDermott replies, “I# 1968 we are not going to stan@ still and be slaughtered. I am — prepared to lead this fight . -° some of our people may go 1 jail, some may get hurt, what ever the cost we are prepare to pay it.” 4