Auto Workers Approve New Collective Agreement with Ford
Another Pay-the-Rich Scheme to Restructure
the Auto Industry
- Louis Lang -
Autoworkers
rally in Oshawa following announcement that GM was planning to close
the Oshawa assembly plant, November 26, 2018, calling for the company
to reverse its decision.
On September 28, auto workers employed by Ford Motor Company
voted 81 per cent in favour of a three-year collective agreement
covering the company's plants in Windsor and Oakville. It is clear that the goal of the Ford
monopoly in signing the new collective agreement with Unifor is to
ensure that the production of automobiles in Canada remains "business
as usual." In this case it means continuing to receive vast amounts of state funds to finance its operations. It also
means further integrating the
Canadian economy into the U.S. imperialist war economy.
This method has been in place for more than 50 years since the
signing of the Auto Pact by the Pearson Liberals. Despite
never-ending profits for the three main monopolies, recurring crises
and insecurity for auto workers and the communities in which the plants
are located is a constant because the Canadian economy is neither
independent nor geared to ensuring the well-being of the working
people. In addition to domination by North American monopolies through
the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, the auto industry is also
subject to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for
Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement and
the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade
Agreement.
The investment by Ford, more than a quarter of which will be covered
by government pay-the-rich schemes, is intended to position Ford in the
production of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), ahead of its
competitors in Japan, China and Europe, as well as Tesla. It will not
address the problem of job security for auto workers or of the need for
an independent and self-reliant Canadian economy.
The auto industry in Canada is much more than the five global auto
monopolies -- Toyota, GM, Honda,
Fiat-Chrysler and Ford -- which dominate the Canadian scene as the main builders of
vehicles. Automotive parts suppliers operate more than 700 manufacturing plants in Canada. Of
those a few are large Canadian suppliers that operate globally
(e.g. Magna International, Linamar, Martinrea, Woodbridge, etc.). There
are also Canadian subsidiaries of large Japanese, European and U.S. global suppliers as well as medium, small and
single-establishment Canadian parts suppliers.[1]
 The
ongoing restructuring by the big three North American monopolies,
especially since the 2008-09 financial crisis, has resulted in many
plant closures such as the closure of the GM plant in Oshawa as well as
several other assembly plants in Michigan and Ohio. These closures also
put in jeopardy the livelihoods of thousands of workers in the
automotive parts industry which serves the entire Great Lakes Region
where the auto industry has historically been concentrated.
In their negotiations with monopolies like Ford, workers keep in
mind the objective conditions in which they find themselves and their
past experience. One inescapable conclusion they draw when negotiations
take place and deals are struck is that a leopard does not change its
spots.
In these negotiations Ford openly said, "Pay us, be our partner,
help us become competitive in the international market" and you will
keep your jobs. This has led to more and more demands for concessions
from workers and for more funds from governments as the auto monopolies
keep upping the ante to make profits. As long as this arrangement
continues, the problems of the industry and society cannot be solved.
Auto workers are confronted with the ongoing need to change the
direction of the economy which is based on looking after the interests
of the rich first. This cannot be the aim of a society which is capable
of meeting the needs of its members.
Note
1. The Future of the Canadian Auto Industry, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2019, p. 6.
This article was published in
Number 68 - October 8, 2020
Article Link:
Auto
Workers Approve New Collective Agreement with Ford: Another
Pay-the-Rich Scheme to Restructure the Auto Industry - Louis Lang
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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