Hargrove drums up solidarity for striking International workers

CHATHAM, Ont. (July 2, 2002) — Canadian Auto Workers union president Buzz Hargrove told striking workers at International Truck and Engine Corp.’s truck plant in Chatham, Ont., last week that he has put 130,000 CAW members from across the province on “alert,” ready to support them.

“You’re on the front lines,” he told about 600 CAW Local 127 members, on strike since June 1. “By God, you have the total support of our union! If we lose this battle and force wage cuts and allow 56-hour work weeks, that would affect all our future bargaining.”

According to Canadian Press reports, Hargrove said he has informed management at DaimlerChrysler, General Motors, and Ford that the union may pull its workers out of plants at any time should it be necessary to send them to Chatham.

He added, “If International brings back scabs to Chatham, we will bring our membership for as long as it takes. Regardless of the law, we are not going to allow scabs to steal our jobs and steal our livelihoods.”

Picketers have tried to stop plant management from sending temporary workers to the plant.

International has shifted production from Chatham, its primary producer of class-8 highway tractors, to a plant in Escobedo, Mexico. Flush with orders in advance of tighter emissions requirements coming into effect Oct. 1, the Chatham plant had been making 39 trucks a day at the time of the strike.

In April, International said it might close the plant unless it could cut $28 million in fixed costs there. At that time, the company had reached only half the target.