JUNE 9, 2008 - TORONTO SOLIDARITY CALL

MESSAGE FROM TORONTO AND YORK REGION DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL Communications   SOLIDARITY NEEDED   CAW Local 222 members are continuing their blockade of the General Motors Canadian Headquarters as part of the fightback against GM for its betrayal in closing the Oshawa Truck Plant.  Supporters are welcome – take the Harmony Road exit from the #401, go south on Farewell, then east on Colonel Sam Drive. You will see the flags and picketers outside the GM office. Click here to see maps of the blockade.

JUNE 5, 2008 - TORONTO MEETING

MESSAGE FROM TORONTO AND YORK REGION DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL Communications   KICKED IN THE TEETH?   Just days after negotiating a new collective agreement, General Motors announces the closing of the Oshawa Truck Plant, one of the most productive facilities in North America . CAW members have been blockading the GM Headquarters to demand justice. Come to the Labour Council meeting tonight to hear directly from Jim Freeman, President of the Durham Region Labour Council and CAW Local 222 member whose job is on the line.   Thursday, June 5th, 2008 7:30 pm. OFL Building Auditorium 15 Gervais Drive Toronto, Ontario Phone: 416-441-3663 Fax: 416-445-8405 Email Address: council@labourcouncil.ca

Location of Labour Council, 15 Gervais Drive, Toronto, ON Canada

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JUNE 2008 - RELATED ENTRIES

SPECIAL: JUNE 11, 2008 - ST. CATHARINES BUS TO OSHAWA

Date: Jun 12, 2008
Time: 8:45 AM - 2:00 PM
CAW LOCAL 199: 124 BUNTING RD. ST. CATHARINES

Local 199 has organized a bus to go to Oshawa to show support for the Oshawa blockade.

The bus will depart the union hall at 8:45 a.m. There will be a march at 12:00 noon. The bus will depart from Oshawa at 2:00 p.m.

A boxed lunch will be provided.

All members are encouraged to participate, however, you must have authorized time off to be absent from the plant.

If you are interested in attending or want more information, please call the union hall at 905-682-2611 or your in-plant committeeperson.

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SPECIAL: JUNE 9, 2008 - SOLIDARITY RALLY ON THURSDAY!!

Click here for 'Solidarity Rally Poster' in pdf format

Solidarity Rally This Thursday At 12 Noon. Meet at the GM Truck Plant Parking Lot - Southeast Corner of Wentworth And Park In Oshawa

Manufacturing Matters: Each auto manufacturing job directly sustains 7.5 other jobs in our communities*

1st Solidarity Rally

If General Motors closes our Truck Plant 2,600 Truck Plant jobs lost = 19,500 other jobs lost

One of these could be yours!

JOIN THE FIGHT!

Bring family, friends, neighbours & come to the march on Thursday, June 12, 2008 12 noon sharp starting from the Truck Plant parking lot (off Park Rd.)

Everyone on shift remains at work.

*CAW Canada Economics Dept.

Click here to see maps to the rally.

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SPECIAL: JUNE 8, 2008 - COPY OF THE PHASE 3 PRESS RELEASE

CANADIAN AUTO WORKERS

Attention News Editors:
Top Canadian labour leaders to address workers at Oshawa GM blockade

TORONTO, June 8 /CNW/ - Canadian Labour Congress President Ken Georgetti and Secretary-Treasurer Hassan Yussuff are addressing workers at the blockade at GM headquarters in Oshawa this morning at 9 a.m. to lend their support for the effort.

Workers will be joined by CAW President Buzz Hargrove at approximately 2 p.m. this afternoon as CAW members and other members of the community take part in a family barbeque at the site.

Federal Liberal Party leader Stéphane Dion, federal NDP leader Jack Layton, NDP Industry Critic and former assistant to CAW president Peggy Nash and Ontario NDP leader Howard Hampton have all addressed the workers at the blockade since it was set up early Wednesday morning.

For further information: CAW Local 222 Communications Director Joe Sarnovsky, (cell) (905) 439-1007 or CAW Communications Shannon Devine, (cell) (416) 302-1699

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SPECIAL: JUNE 7, 2008 - PHASE 2 COUNTER ATTACK
ACTIVATION OF THE CAW LOCAL 222 FIGHT BACK - ARE YOU READY FOR MORE?

At 7:30 AM, about 250 vehicles holding hundreds more rank and file workers left the CAW Local 222 blockade of the GM HQ in Oshawa. The 5 mph, horn-blaring convoy loped its way over to Park Rd. and then on to Stevenson. The massive traffic jam that snarled even more vehicles in its web brought the regional traffic to a complete standstill. At 10:00 AM, the GM plant, working Saturday overtime, ran out of parts. The 'Just In Time' delivery system had been smashed. The parts needed then and there for installation on the continuous assembly lines at the GM car plant and the GM truck plant were miles away, stuck in the traffic snarl. The tortoise-speed group of worker-owned vehicles, traveling together under the same cell-phoned orders of their own making returned to the GM HQ blockade to celebrate their victory. Their PHASE 2 - DAY 1 fight back action was a magnificent success which brought on waves of feelings of power, pride and enablement to the hundreds of rank and file workers.

Federal politicians Dion, Sgro, and McTeague and their groupies attended the blockade. It was like they didn't understand that the fightback was on. Their message was for another era, a bygone time of speaking of times even more distant in the past. The Fiberals had their same old message that "There is no shame in accepting defeat". They used low, soothing tones to try and turn the workers minds to embrace failure and abandonment. These politicians exuded cowardice and appeared tired and beaten down. They did not offer any encouragement or support. These politicians essentially asked the workers to join with the Liberal Party and wallow in defeat. The politicians expressed their apathy and despair, and offered resignation to 'powerful forces beyond anyones control'. Happily the politician's hand wringing was ignored. Hello! These workers had just launched a hugely powerful fight back action of their own design, and were in no mood for wallowing at the Fiberal trough for losers and failures. Many workers asked for Dion to join the NDP party to bring down the government this coming Monday, but Dion ducked the issue over, and over, and over again. Then they ducked out - bam! - gone!!!

Jack Layton and the union leaders arrived. With the local union leadership, there were rousing speeches of empowerment, defiance, success and hope in 'forthcoming developments'. President Chris Buckley urges everyone to report to work for their regularly scheduled shifts, AND to try and make it out to the GM HQ blockade for as long and as often the workers busy lives would allow. The retirees, community supporters and the entire regional labour movement were invited to come on down to the GM HQ blockade as well. Amongst the crowd there was also some discussion about connecting with the GM workers at the two U.S. plants and the Mexican plant that are scheduled to be closed as well.

PHASE 3 - Tomorrow, on Sunday, the fightback continues at the GM HQ blockade. On hand at 9:00 AM will be two of the countries highest echelon labour leaders. The top two ranking officers of the Canadian Labour Congress CLC, (Canada's version of the AFL-CIO) will be on hand to support the blockaders. Ken Georgetti, President and Hassan Yussuff, Vice-President will be inspiring the rank and file onward and upward. Let's hope Kenny has even more powerful messages about the massive worker shutdown that he mentioned during last month's May Day rally in Hamilton!

After more speakers and information exchanges, there is a huge barbeque planned, sponsored by CAW Local 222 - All supporters invited! Stick around for the 2:00 PM starttime.

All the GM HQ blockade fight back action starts at 7:00 AM. The address is 1908 Colonel Sam Drive in Oshawa . Click here to see maps of the blockade.

We Can Win This!!!

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SPECIAL: JUNE 6, 2008 - PHASE 2 COMMENCES
THE CAW LOCAL 222 FIGHT BACK AT GM HQ INTENSIFIES

In Michigan this morning, GM corporate decision makers shrugged their shoulders, hung their heads, and refused to reverse, alter or suspend their days-old decision to permanently shut the GM Oshawa Truck plant. Sadly, the CAW Local 222 leadership returned to the blockade at GM Canada Headquarters by early afternoon with no new news for the throngs of hopeful supporters. Federal MP's Jack Layton and Peggy Nash also addressed the crowd. No other community politicians were on hand, they all scampered into hiding!

Keith Osborne, GM plant chairman for Local 222 gave a spirited, rousing call for across-the-board worker solidarity. He also brought cheers and applause from the disheartened membership and supporters. The crowds roared in agreement when they heard him declare:

"I'm not going to advocate a work stoppage but I'll tell you what, if it happens I'm behind you 110 per cent." "We've done all the legal stuff but sometimes you have to get a little illegal to get stuff done."

Now 'PHASE 2' of the fightback has begun! All community supporters, CAW membership and the entire regional labour movement are invited to come on down to the GM HQ blockade tomorrow morning in support of this struggle. The action begins at 7:00 AM. The address is 1908 Colonel Sam Drive in Oshawa . Click here to see maps of the blockade.

We Can Win This!!!

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