At the time of writing this tensions between the membership
and management appear to be on the rise due to increased overtime and the
membership being mandated for it. Let me remind everyone that the law states we
can be forced to work a maximum of 48 hours per week but not more than 8 hours
per day. There is nothing we can do about this short of changing the language
in the collective agreement. But it doesn’t mean we have to like it. Let’s hope
management also understands that we have lives outside Armada and when they
force people to work it hurts moral and intern huts the company.
We are in the middle of a bit of a hiring spree as we begin
to get ready for more new business that will be arriving in September and early
2013 with at least 2 larger 500 ton plastic machines which will have arrived
before you read this. Management has said they are having a hard time finding
temp agency employees who are qualified to be hired on full time. I find this
extremely hard to believe with over 140 temp agency workers fully trained some
of whom worked here for years. In recent weeks we have also witnessed several
temps let go or laid off so they call it. Some of these people were actually
full timers at one time who left and came back as temp agency employees yet
they were let go and do not qualify for full time re employment. The
exploitation of temp agency workers or precarious workers is appalling
unfortunately it seems to be a sign of the times in Ontario manufacturing. Even
GM has issues with the way their temp workers are being used. In my 25 years on
the shop floor I have never seen such dis respect for a group of people with no
protection from a union and very few rights that they know of. This constant
attack on workers not only at Armada but all across Canada is precisely why the
Canadian Auto Workers Union and the Communications Energy and Paper unions want
to join forces. On a brighter note the company has told the committee in a
meeting that there are way too many temps which is why they have cleared a few
out and are about to hire more full time. I have said this in the past and I
will say it again. I’m not against the temp workers. But when management
discriminates based on one’s disability I want to be able to fight for them and
not have my hands tied behind my back. There have been rumours lately that die
cast could be contracted out as early as September or early October with all
die cast workers bumping into other departments. On August 10 the committee was
told in a meeting that this was not true and that they have the die cast
business for at least 2 more years and that they cannot find anyone to take the
business. We were also told that if a customer were to come to Armada with more
die cast business and it was viable they would gladly except it and bring in
more die cast machines. Let’s hope the latter is true.
In solidarity
