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LABOUR DAY 2008, a WINNING DAY Sherry Hillman Financial Secretary L CA 11 O 2 SERVING L MEMBERS SINCE 1942 SETPEMBER 2008 VOL.8 ISSUE 2 Bombardier • Northstar Aerospace • MacDonald Dettwiler • Hewitt • L-3 SPAR • Toromont • Vitafoam • Woodbridge Foam ELECTION TIME AT LOCAL 112 (seeLABOUR the full story on the inside front DAY cover) 2008 See the full story on page 12 Special MANUFACTURING MATTERS section starts on page 16! 58384-1 Aircrafter Sept08.indd 1 9/22/08 3:40:07 PM BOMBARDIEr‘S CANADIAN CAW LOCAL 112 EXECUTIVE BOARD Executive Officers SPIRIT!?! President Nick D‘Alicandro, Editor Roland Kiehne Financial Secretary ope the summer treated you and your family Sherry Hillman well, and left you with lots of great mem- Vice President Scott McIlmoyle Hories. Unfortunately another summer season Recording Secretary is coming to an end, leaving us to wish for some great Maxine DeCunha Indian summer ahead. Trustees My summer was a remarkable one with many new ex- Terry Howes periences. One, which really stuck with me, occurred Mary Vukman one night while I was watching some sports news. A Brad McConnell commercial came on that was really catchy. It was Sergeant-at-Arms a Bombardier commercial, using a series of clips of Bob Newby individuals from around the world singing the Can- Guide Mark Grix adian national anthem. I thought it was amazing, Retirees Chair really capturing our great country and its diversity. But then it ended with “BOM- Maurice Coulter BARDIER, Trains, Planes, The Canadian Spirit”, which made me think. This is a Unit Plant Chairs company that uses our country’s symbolism as a business promotion, portraying Bombardier themselves as caring about our country, meanwhile they don’t mention all the work Merv Gray they are off- shoring to other parts of the world, taking advantage of people there Hewitt by underpaying them, just to make a few extra dollars. I wonder what the world Dwight Brown would think if they knew how little they really care about their Canadian workers, MDA and our Canadian spirit! Dennis Borden Northstar Graham Davies IN THIS ISSUE Spar Aerospace Allan Layton Aerospace Soars Toromont Melrose Cornwall • Good news Aerospace Council Vitafoam Merv Gray................................................................................. 6 Ahamad Nabi Woodbridge Foam Disaster Hits Downsview Kevin Robertson • Propane plant explodes next to Bombardier Editorial Committee Joe Rudnick .............................................................................. 7 Editor Nick D’Alicandro New CAW President Tours DH Sherry Hillman, Hugh Lynar, Fred Schwertner, • Ken Lewenza elected as 3rd CAW President David Gyorgy, Walter Tucaynski Sherry Hillman .................................................................. 10 Photographers Nick D’Alicandro, Walter Tucaynski Labour Day Parade 2008 Executive Assistant Shan White • Best turnout in many years AL C 11 Nick D‘Alicandro .............................................................. 14 O 2 SERVING L MEMBERS SINCE T 1942 O O R O N T Special Section on Manufacturing Matters • Spend our tax dollars here at home • Campaigning for aerospace jobs • Interview with MP Peggy Nash 30 Tangiers Road ........................................................................ 16-21 Toronto, ON M3J 2B2 Telephone: 416-635-5988 Annual Family Picnic 2008 Fax: 416-635-5580 www.caw112.on.ca • And the photography contest winner is... ............................................................................... 30 The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Editorial Committee, the local union or the CAW National Office. 2 FALL 2008 58384-1 Aircrafter Sept08.indd 2 9/24/08 9:15:56 AM MANUFACTURING MATTERS AND THE FEDERAL ELECTION Roland Kiehne, President n October 14th, Canadians call for and adopt a Buy Canadian will once again be heading to public purchasing policy that requires Othe polls. At no time in our the highest possible level of Canadian nation’s history has an election mat- content. Demand that they use the • Emphasize space in the Industrial tered so much. In the last six years, tools that government has to take some and Regional Benefits Policy: Defence 400,000 workers in the manufactur- steam out of the rising dollar. Tell them contract offsets can be directed to the ing sector have lost their jobs through that giving tax breaks to corporations space sector. plant closures and major layoffs. In that ship our jobs to Mexico, India, • Develop a National Space Policy: It 2007, 360 jobs were lost every single China or anywhere else in the world is is critical that the CSA develop a long- day. This past July, 55,000 more jobs wrong-headed and finally tell them that term vision of where it wants to go and were lost. This job crisis can be attrib- if they don’t listen they won’t get your what projects it wants to be involved uted to a number of factors. vote and that Manufacturing Matters to you, your family and the community in. 1) Unfair Trade: Canada’s manufac- in which you live! • Fund the CSA to the G-8 Average: turing trade balance has gone from a Additional spending of $1.53 billion $12 billion surplus in 1996 to a $28 On Saturday, October 25th, Local 112 billion trade deficit in one decade. will be hosting a Manufacturing Mat- over five years is vital to maintaining Canada’s space industry. This would 2) High Canadian Dollar: The Can- ters Phase 2 workshop at our union hall. Leadership and activists from put Canada at the 2007 G8 average of adian dollar has risen by 60% in the space spending as a percentage of GDP IN THIS ISSUE past 5 years, negatively impacting other Toronto and area Local Unions by 2012. workers in export based firms. will be attending. I ask all 112 leader- ship and activists to mark this date on To find out more, please visit www. 3) No Buy Canadian Policy: Unlike your calendar and to attend this very rideauinstitute.ca and click on Flying many other countries, Canada still important workshop. High. does not have a Buy Canadian public procurement policy. Canadian Space Strategy I want to take this opportunity on be- 4) Government Inaction: Workers, Needed half of the membership and leadership of both Locals 112 and 673 at MDA families and communities impacted by Our union, along with the Rideau In- to thank Carol Phillips and Dawn manufacturing job loss have received stitute in Ottawa, has called on the nothing more than lip-service from the Federal government to take immediate Cartwright from our National Office, Federal government. No plan. No ac- action to create a strong and sustain- Steve Staples and Anthony Salloum tion. Not even words of comfort for able space industry in this country. from the Rideau Institute, David Mac- the families and communities that have The following are a few of the recom- donald, author of Flying High, Park- been devastated by this crisis. mendations from our document Flying dale High Park MP Peggy Nash, Local High – A Plan to Rebuild Canada’s 673 President Maria Pinto, Local 673 Canada’s manufacturing sector ac- Space Capabilities: Chairperson at MDA Tom Bunting and counts for two-thirds of Canadian last but not least ‘the undertaker’ Den- exports. It supports millions of other • Fund the RADARSAT Constella- nis Borden 112 Chairperson at MDA. Canadian service industries like retail tion Mission: Following the success of All have worked, and continue to work, and hospitality. It contributes tens of RADARSAT-2, this is a vital next step hard on this campaign. billions of dollars in income taxes each to preserve technical expertise in Can- year, helping to pay for the social ser- ada. Buzz Hargrove and Ken vices we care so much about. Manu- • Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Lewenza facturing is the lifeblood of many com- President: After having three presidents On September 6th, 2008, CAW munities across the country. in three years, the CSA needs stability President Buzz Hargrove made the We need politicians to take action to build its long term vision. toughest decision of his 16 year ten- now! Demand from the politicians * This past August, the government an- ure as President of the CAW. Buzz re- that they fight for balanced trade poli- nounced the appointment of former astro- tired from the union he loves so much. cies. Demand that they immediately naut Steve McLain as CSA President. Brother Hargrove, without question, ..continued on page 4 L CA 11 O 2 SERVING L MEMBERS SINCE T 1942 FALL 2008 O O 3 R O N T 58384-1 Aircrafter Sept08.indd 3 9/22/08 3:40:21 PM LABOUR DAY 2008, A WINNING DAY Sherry Hillman Financial Secretary ope everyone had a great sum- mer that didn’t rain, so we were able Committee ever: my Co-Chair Scott mer and are re-energized after to enjoy a variety of picnic activities McIlmoyle, Bob Newby, Mark Grix, Hsome vacation time and ready on Olympic Island, and the kids had Bill Bargent, and Dan Pollock, who now for fall with its typically busy a ball in the races, the talent show, on built an amazing float, as you’ll see in schedules. It’s no different at the Union the Centreville rides, and with Dora the centre-spread photos, and which Hall; we are gearing up for a very busy and Diego’s treasure hunt. Our Picnic we are convinced deserves the prize for fall with seminars on Stress & Violence Committee worked hard all day and in 2008. It is the activists’ involvement in the Workplace, a Manufacturing the weeks leading up to the Picnic to that makes the difference that turns an Matters – Phase 2 seminar, Human ensure a big success. Thanks to the best event into a huge success. Many thanks Rights training for new union officers, Picnic Committee I’ve had the pleasure also to Committee members, Angie the Trustees’ audit, the fall Aircrafter to work with: Chair Angela Bresolin, Bresolin and Pam Robataille who and now a federal election to name just Duane Coffin, Melinda Smith, Deb- helped with the many other details making the day special.
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