There is an increasing amount of material and information relating to the CAW Manufacturing Matters campaign that can be downloaded from the CAW National web site.

To view the following documents and photographs click on the link below

• Fighting for Canadian Jobs Leaflet
• Manufacturing Matters to Women
• Manufacturing Matter Forum
• National Event
• CAW Information Meetings
• Windsor Rally, May 27
• Oshawa Rally May 27

CAW National Website Manufacturing Matters

March 7, 2008

(Toronto) – CAW President Buzz Hargrove is calling on Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper to take immediate action in light of today’s alarming job market statistics which show continuing loss of manufacturing jobs in Canada.

In the month of February alone Canada lost 24,000 manufacturing jobs and over the last 12 months Canada has seen 106,000 manufacturing jobs evaporate.

“What is it going to take before the Harper Conservatives recognize the crisis in Canada’s manufacturing sector is growing worse each month,” Hargrove asked. “Unfair trade coupled with the high Canadian dollar and lack of federal government action is resulting in massive job loss in manufacturing communities across the country. Until something is done there will be more devastation.”

According to Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for February released Friday March 7, manufacturing now only accounts for 11.6 per cent of total employment in Canada, which is a record low. In 2002, manufacturing represented 15 per cent of Canadian employment.

February 15, 2008

(Toronto) - CAW President Buzz Hargrove is urging immediate government action to deal with the dramatic drop in automotive manufacturing output in December. He warned the astounding 25 per cent decline in automotive manufacturing output is bad news for workers and industry. The figures come from the Monthly Survey of Manufacturing released today by Statistics Canada.

The drop, combined with a drop in overall manufactured goods, points to a troubling economic situation, said Hargrove.

“There won’t be a decrease in manufactured goods without it having dire consequences for the overall economy,” said Hargrove. “A reduction of this magnitude in the number of goods being produced translates directly into thousands of lost jobs across the country.

“The Canadian government cannot stand idly by as the country’s once-strong industrial base is gutted.”

Across the manufacturing sector, output dropped 3.4 per cent, the lowest levels seen in three years as manufacturers attempt to stay afloat despite a high dollar and an influx of unregulated imports.

Statistics Canada reported yesterday that Canada had a trade deficit of $6.1 billion in the first 11 months of 2007, the worst deficit in three decades. The final figures for the year have not yet been released by Industry Canada.

February 18, 2008, 8:30 a.m. EST

As the CAW continues to fight the growing manufacturing crisis in Canada and call for the government purchase of Canadian made products, a key industry association is now also urging governments to buy Canadian whenever possible. “The CAW’s Manufacturing Matters campaign has highlighted the devastating impact that the lack of government action and the soaring Canadian dollar are wreaking on our manufacturing sector,” said Bob Chernecki, assistant to the CAW president. “It’s clear that this campaign is gaining momentum and manufacturers and exporters are joining the call for swift action to ease this crisis.”

A recent position paper by the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) outlines the critical role governments can play when they buy Canadian made products.

The CME outlines how the U.S. government succeeds in promoting U.S. manufacturing while still falling within the bounds of NAFTA and the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement. “Provinces and states are not subject to NAFTA. Several U.S. states use government procurement to maximize domestic economic benefits.”

Mass transit, airports and the road construction sectors in the U.S. all benefit from U.S. government procurement policy, the CME states. “However, Canadian companies do not benefit from the same support from their own governments…”

In a 27-page report developed by the CME the following recommendations are made:

the federal government and provinces implement every measure possible when funding projects to stimulate economic development, in accordance with standards imposed by the international agreements that Canada has signed;

the Canadian government apply rules and regulations favouring Canadian content when it funds infrastructure and mass transit projects under its authority or under the authority of provinces and municipalities;

that provincial governments also use funds invested to develop and renew infrastructure as economic development levers.

Canada's manufacturing sector is in crisis. Almost every week another Canadian plant shuts its doors, files for bankruptcy or announces its intention to move its operations out of the country. Good manufacturing jobs are disappearing at an alarming rate across the country and the Harper government has done nothing to stop this hemorrhaging. The clear message to Canadian workers is that the government simply does not care.

At its meeting in December, the CAW Council adopted a resolution calling on our union to lead a campaign highlighting the ongoing loss of manufacturing jobs and its effect on our country's future. Part of the campaign will involve a series of community forums headed up by our local union leadership and including our community allies.

In preparation for the community forums scheduled to date, the CAW has organized information meetings for our leadership, membership and activists to learn more about the scope of manufacturing job losses and what we can do to protect our jobs and the welfare of our families and communities. Be sure to encourage union members from all unions and community activists to join in.

David Robertson of the CAW informed those in attendance at the Niagara meeting that the manufacturing sector has lost over 4,000 jobs in the region and 171,000 in Ontario since 2004. 4,000 manufacturing jobs represent a loss of 239 million dollars in the local economy.

It is incumbent on us all, as trade unionists and Canadians, to take up this fight for our families, our communities and for future generations.

To date, sixty-seven Members of Parliament have pledged their support to the CAW Manufacturing Matters campaign and have joined the union.s call for a Federal Parliamentary Task Force on manufacturing job loss. According to the CAW pledge sheet, the Taskforce.s mandate will be to examine the challenges facing Canada.s manufacturing sector, develop recommendations to government and report back to Parliament at the earliest possible date.

This initiative is a cornerstone for Phase 2 of the campaign, which was officially kicked off in the summer at the CAW Joint Council in Newfoundland.

Delegates to December Council were urged to take an active role in Phase Two of the campaign. Hargrove recommended CAW locals prepare for a demonstration in January or February next year when Parliament resumes to highlight the continuing inaction of the Harper Conservative government on the loss of manufacturing jobs.

Across Canada the Manufacturing Campaign is picking up momentum. This week has been an eventful one. Following the Opening Forum at the union hall there has been several interesting developments.

Photos 199 Bus to Ottawa

May 11th 2007

On Friday, May the 11th we are encouraging everyone in the community, union members, politicians, business owners and the media to attend Manufacturing Forums. The forums are being held at three different locations, if you would like more information about the nearest Forum, times and locations please click on the link Manufacturing Forums.

May 7th 2007

At 6:45 President of CAW Local 199 Wayne Gate and Peter Scott Chair of the Education Committee made an impassioned presentation to St. Catharines City Council. The presentation included statistics of job losses in the region due to plant closures and downsizing. Wayne talked about the impact the erosion of the manufacturing sector was having on the community the workers and their families.

After a 45 minute presentation and discussion St. Catharines City council unanimously supported the Manufacturing Resolution with a friendly amendment for a staff report on the impact to the community.

The council was very supportive and concerned, many councillors asked questions, wanting more information, they asked for the reason this important sector was losing jobs and wanted to know what they could do to protect these jobs. Once again a very encouraging move forward.

The meeting was televised live on Cogeco cable 10 and will be shown again on cable 10. If you are interested in watching the meeting we hope to have a copy of the tape at the union hall of the in the near future.

Manufacturing Matters Resolution

May 3rd 2007

Howard Hampton (NDP) visited the union hall to talk with some laid off workers and representatives from Affina, Dana GM & Ferranti Packard. They discussed job losses in the region, the impact to the community and the problems the displaced workers were experiencing.

Many suggestions were made about:

• Protecting Canada’s resources
• Government control over the Canadian market
• Ensuring that where possible value added work is done in Canada.
• Protecting our market and jobs from unfair competition.
• Reform of the EI and adjustment services
• Treatment of severance packages
• Stronger Employment Standards
• Stronger closure language
• Pension Security bill C55
• Bankruptcy Rules
• Investment in new technology

We certainly gave Mr. Hampton lots to think about!

Following the meeting Mr. Hampton announced that he will be presenting a private members bill on the loss of manufacturing jobs in the region.

May 2nd 2007

Gary Bradnam and Peter Scott made a presentation to Thorold City Council. Local 199 had previously sent in the Manufacturing Matters Resolution asking for support for the Campaign.

We were told that they would not deal with the resolution at that meeting. However we could make a presentation. If the council felt it necessary, the resolution would be on the agenda for the next meeting.

At 7:55 after the 15 minute presentation no questions were asked however several councilors commented on the impact on the community lost wages, lost property taxes, the mayor commented that he had put himself through university by working as summer help in a Thorold plant, this option is not available to today’s youth. At that time the resolution was moved, seconded and passed unanimously...

This is the first city council to support the resolution.

For us... a very proud moment in time

Links
Photos From The Meetings
CAW National Presentation
CAW Niagara Presentation
Call Letter to all Leadership
Manufacturing Matters Resolution
Invitation to Manufacturing Forum
Niagara Fact Sheet
Rally For Jobs May 30th Poster
Invitation to Manufacturing Forum