Q&A with Dino Chiodo, chair of Unifor's master bargaining committee
CBC News | Posted: July 21, 2016 11:53 AM | Last Updated: July 21, 2016
'We're always asking for support from the government, but that's not to get wages and benefits'
Unfor begins preparing for contract negotiations with the Detroit 3 automakers next month in Toronto.
The union, which represents thousands of hourly employees are several auto plants across Ontario, will announce a "target company" Sept. 6, the day after Labour Day. A "target company" is the one automaker the union will deal with in order to strike a deal that will be used with all three automakers, including Fiat-Chrysler Automobile, Ford and GM.
Dino Chiodo, president of Unifor Local 444 and chair of the master bargaining committee that will deal with FCA, sat down with CBC Windsor to answer some questions before heading into negotiations.
Here are edited excerpts from the interview.
Why shouldn't Canadian autoworkers accept a wage freeze, two-tiered wages or other financial constraints in order to keep Canada competitive with Mexico?
The reality is inflation happens. Things happen. Cost of housing is increasing, the cost of eggs and milk is increasing, and we haven't had any type of raise in a 10-year period. That's not to say we deserve the stars and moon. What it means is we deserve what we should get as employees working in that type of facility.
I think a lot of employees are underpaid for the amount of service they provide to the company they work for. What we look at it is, what is a competitive price, what is a competitive rate?
Today, when companies are making millions of dollars and individuals are being paid millions of dollars to run those companies, then we should share in some of that. I'm not sure it has to be in the form of all wages or all benefits but surely there is an opportunity for us to make gains for people.
If Unifor gets what it considers a fair contract, what type of government support – if any – will the union ask for in order to help the auto Canadian industry?
We're always asking for support from the government, but that's not to get wages and benefits. We ask the government for support for auto strategies and manufacturing policies to keep us competitive in the global market because other countries do exactly that; they provide billions of dollars to corporations to have them invest in their country.
Which is more important to Unifor: a second vehicle at WAP or upgrades and retooling in Brampton?
I think we've got a retooling that sustains us for a long period of time [in Windsor]. If anybody asks me, obviously it's important to look at what's happening in Brampton. We've got a paint shop there that was put in place 30 years ago. That's not an acceptable model. They need new equipment in their body shop. There's 3,000 employees that work there and we don't want to discard that. We want to make sure we're looking at the entire picture and how we maintain a large footprint for Fiat Chrysler Automobile right here in Ontario. If the government can play a key role in that, why wouldn't we extend our hand out?
What are you looking for in terms of a second-vehicle at Windsor Assembly Plant?
There's an extension [of Dodge Caravan production] we're talking about going on until 2019. They may even extend beyond that, but I don't know that. We have full productivity. We're maximized. So, I think we do have job security. Potentially, there's always opportunity to improve that. I think it's more about what we're doing at Brampton [assembly plant] and Etobicoke [stamping], short-term.
What happens if the Pacifica isn't successful? How is this possibility going to be addressed during contract negotiations?
I think the Pacifica is already successful. It's selling. People think it's hot. It's bringing people into the showrooms. If they're not buying a Pacifica, they're buying another [Chrysler] car.