STRIKE MANDATES GIVEN AGAINST FORD, GM, CHRYSLER

A Chrysler worker installs instrument panels on
the Trim Line at Windsor Assembly Plant.

By Nick Brancaccio, Windsor Star - Workers at Chrysler, General Motors and Ford have voted overwhelmingly to go on strike if necessary to back their contract demands. The Canadian Auto Workers union says Chrysler workers voted 99 per cent in favour of strike action in support of their bargaining committee. The vote was almost as strong at General Motors, where 98 per cent backed strike action, and at Ford, where the vote was 97 per cent.

Earlier, Canadian Auto Workers delegates re-elected Ken Lewenza as the union's national president.

National secretary-treasurer Peter Kennedy was also re-elected and Sylvain Martin was elected Quebec director to replace retiring Jean-Pierre Fortin. A number of new local presidents were also elected at the CAW's first constitutional and collective bargaining convention in Toronto. The term for each position is three years.

Lewenza, who has been union president since 2008, was born and raised in Windsor and has been a CAW member since he began working at Chrysler Canada in 1972.

Last week, CAW delegates voted unanimously to merge with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, combining two of Canada's largest private-sector unions. CEP delegates will vote on the proposal when they meet in October.

The new union would represent more than 300,000 workers across roughly 20 economic sectors.