CAW says 'Phase Four' of protest on the way

OSHAWA – As plans were in the works to escalate their protest to ‘Phase 4’, Canadian Auto Workers president Buzz Hargrove rallied with truck plant workers Sunday afternoon at General Motors headquarters in Oshawa.

Mr. Hargrove was on hand to show support for the workers who will be out of a job when the truck plant, which produces the Silverado and Sierra pickups, stops production in 2009 as announced Tuesday by GM.

The visit follows that made earlier in the day by Canadian Labour Congress president Ken Georgetti who, speaking from the back of a GM pickup, pledged the support of his 3.2 million members to the GM workers.

Today marks the fifth day of a round-the-clock blockade of GM’s Canadian headquarters on Col. Sam Drive in Oshawa.  Speeches held today to build community support are a departure from Saturday’s three-hour motorcade that circled the truck and car plants disrupting the flow of parts and putting an end to a previously-scheduled veterans’ memorial service at nearby Camp X.

“This was no way to garner support for your cause,” wrote Marianne Waldman in an email to newsdurhamregion.com. Mrs. Waldman’s daughter was one of the cadets who were to have taken part in today’s service. “The cadets, who gave up their time to come out and support the veterans as well as to show their loyalty to the military and the community, were met with nothing more than a slap in the face.”

CAW Local 222 President Chris Buckley has since written a letter to newsdurhamregion.com apologizing to Mrs. Waldman for the inadvertent disruption.

"Had we known there were services going on at the time of our convoy, we would have not come by our CAW Local 222 Union Hall at the same time. There was certainly no disrespect intended and the disruption was purely involuntary," Mr. Buckely said in the letter.

A CAW spokesman says the union is set to launch “Phase 4” of its action early in the week, but details have yet to be released.

Phase 1
Early Wednesday morning (June 4) GM workers began a blockade of the entrance to the company’s headquarters on Col. Sam Drive in Oshawa.

Phase 2
A motorcade of more than 100 cars was dispatched from the blockade on Saturday morning (June 6) to circle the truck and car plants in an attempt to disrupt production.

Phase 3
A day of speeches and a family barbecue aimed at rallying the community was held Sunday (June 7) at the blockade.

Phase 4
TBA