Motor City strike comes to a close

 

By Matt Flood

Negotiations have ended the strike between management and employees at Motor City Chrysler in Windsor.  

 

The strike began Jan. 30 after talks between the employees and management failed to reach an agreement. The employees said they were fighting back against concessions and asking for respect from management. After a long period of silence and a rally, management agreed to come back to the bargaining table.

 

Employees said they were unwilling to accept concessions created by management after learning about clawbacks regarding holidays, benefits, wages and working conditions among other things in the contract. Moe Janssen, the lot manager at Motor City Chrysler said management has been making small concessions in recent contracts but were still providing monetary raises. In the disputed contract concessions were made again, but this time employees would lose their monetary raises for the next three years.

 

“This year they said absolutely no raises because of the minimum wage thing,” said Janssen. “They’re taking stuff back and that’s what caused the people to say ‘listen, either we get something or we’re going on strike’ and management basically said ‘go ahead.’”

 

The strike ended on Feb. 16 after the employees and management were able to reach an agreement. The agreement came after management agreed to provide the employees with the monetary raises they wanted.

 

“The outcome was 60-40, so 40 per cent of people didn’t want the agreement and 60 per cent said ‘yeah back to work,’” said Moe Janssen, the lot manager at Motor City Chrysler.  “I got a raise so I’m happy.”

 

Motor City Chrysler is rated as the fifth best dealership in sales across Canada.

 

The employees held a rally with approximately 200 supporters and guest speakers on Feb. 8. Among the speakers was Percy Hatfield, MPP for Windsor-Tecumseh.

 

Janssen said he believes the rally brought management back to the negotiating table.

 

“They weren’t going to the tables and discussing anything for the last two weeks prior to the strike,” said Janssen. “We got them to come back to the tables.”

 

Many employees claim they have been disrespected by the management. These claims have pushed the employees to stress the importance of respect as part of the strike.

 

“Management is micromanaging from the office. They’re disrespecting people without even meeting them face to face,” said Janssen.

 

Management at Motor City Chrysler dealership has decided not to comment on the issue.  

 

Vesna Ilievski, an employee at the Chrysler Canada Windsor Plant, does not see the strike as a surprise.

 

“Sadly strikes like this happen all the time. I’ve been working at Chryslers for 20 years and it seems like the union is struggling,” said Ilievski.

 

With the strike over at Motor City Chryslers engines are up and running again.