Over the decades we have helped build the community and improved working conditions for our members. We negotiated seniority rights, wages, pensions, health benefits, and new investment. These bargaining gains were not just handed over to us. Our members had to fight hard and struggle for everything. Strikes in the early days were long, often lasting many months.
Our contract improvements have not only benefited the workers that Local 199 represents, but the Niagara community has grown and developed because of our struggles. Just look around the community where we spend our wages. Local businesses, dentists, doctors, lawyers and many others have profited greatly because of our wages and benefits.
Unions build communities. Over the past decades, CAW Local 199 has helped raise over 12 million dollars for the United Way Campaign, helped build Brock University, a community swimming pool, the Pelham Road Clinic, built a retirement village for our retirees, donated equipment to local hospitals, have held many plant gate collections for people in need and host an annual community Christmas Dinner for the less fortunate. This is just the tip of the iceberg. In the name of community spirit and fellowship, our members donate their time to volunteer, whether it is canvassing for the Diabetes or Cancer Society, coaching or even volunteering to drive cancer patients to treatment or deliver meals on wheels. We are a very important part of our community, and we should be proud of it.
We have a history that can be traced back one hundred years. The tragedy is that everyday we lose touch with our past and our history is being lost. The documentation of our history can't be done quickly and can't be done by one or two members. We need your help!
This website provides a sample of photographs we have in our archives. If you recognize anyone in the photographs, would like to share information, or tell a story about our past, please contact us. If you have old photographs or a newsletter or items that are of historical interest, we would love to look at them. Anything received will be returned to you.
Memories of a United Auto Worker
Women in the Union
70 Years of Bargaining
Have you ever heard the expression Rome wasn't built in a day? Well, the same analogy can be used for the collective bargaining process. It takes time and commitment to negotiate a good collective agreement. The blocks to build a good contract start with organizing and joining a union. Once workers have a union to represent them, a contract can be negotiated. With each subsequent round of negotiations improvements can be made and new language can be added. As an example of what can be achieved, the following is a chronological list of the bargaining gains made by our GM members.
| 1936 |
Local 199 Sign Charter |
| 1937 |
First Contract at McKinnon's |
| 1940 |
Paid Vacation |
| 1941 |
McKinnon's Wage Parity (GM) |
| 1943 |
Union Recognition |
| 1945 |
Post War Wage Increases |
| 1945 |
Union Security (Rand Formula) |
| 1948 |
Paid Holidays |
| 1948 |
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) |
| 1950 |
Employer Paid Pensions |
| 1950 |
Annual Improvement Factor (Wage AIF) |
| 1954 |
Medical/hospital/ surgical coverage |
| 1953 |
Local Agreements in effect |
| 1955 |
Supplemental Unemployment Benefits (SUB) |
| 1964 |
Paid Time Off |
| 1964 |
Overtime Rules |
| 1964 |
Paid Jury Duty |
| 1964 |
Signing Bonus |
| 1970 |
Early Retirement Option (55 + 30 = Out) |
| 1973 |
Vision Dental Benefits |
| 1973 |
Health & Safety Committees |
| 1973 |
Voluntary Overtime |
| 1976 |
Paid Personal Holidays (PPH) |
| 1976 |
Shorter work week |
| 1976 |
30 & Out Pension, regardless of age |
| 1976 |
Hearing Aids |
| 1977 |
Paid Education Leave (PEL) |
| 1982 |
Paid Maternity Leave |
| 1982 |
Pension Coverage for Laid off Workers |
| 1983 |
Child Care |
| 1984 |
Legal Service Plan |
| 1984 |
Income Maintenance Plan (IMP) |
| 1984 |
Union Counsellors |
| 1984 |
Affirmative Action |
| 1986 |
Health & Safety Company Wide Coordinators |
| 1986 |
Weekend Workers |
| 1987 |
Pension Indexing (for future retirees) |
| 1987 |
Child care Expanded |
| 1987 |
Letter of Neutrality, No interference to Organize |
| 1990 |
Social Justice Fund |
| 1990 |
Four Day Weekends |
| 1990 |
Vacation Bonus |
| 1990 |
Income Security Program |
| 1990 |
Improved Severance package |
| 1992 |
Same Sex Benefits |
| 1993 |
Scheduled Paid Absence (SPA Weeks) |
| 1993 |
Lump Sum Retirement Incentives |
| 1993 |
Employment Equity Representatives / Women's Advocates |
| 1993 |
Harassment Training: Right to Refuse |
| 1996 |
IMP /SUB closure Language |
| 1996 |
Outsource Protection / Work Ownership |
| 1996 |
Protection from Changes to Labour Laws |
| 1996 |
Union Training Funds |
| 1999 |
Pension Indexation (for all past and future retirees) |
| 1999 |
New Childcare Benefit |
| 1999 |
Tuition Assistance for Dependents |
| 2002 |
Investment and Job for Canadian Facilities |
| 2002 |
Laser Eye Surgery |
| 2002 |
Paramedical Services |
| 2002 |
Dependents of Retirees now covered for tuition refund |
| 2005 |
Pension for Surviving Children |
| 2005 |
Car Discounts |
| 2005 |
Car Insurance Rebate |
| 2005 |
PSA Test |
| 2005 |
Eye Examination Coverage |
