Auto workers demand pay, target Comerica Bank

Workers from the Canadian Auto Workers Local 195 and their allies blockaded two plants by forming a human chain on Nov. 16 in Windsor, Ontario, to prevent the viewing of machines by potential buyers. The next day the workers physically shut down a scheduled auction for the machines at a local hotel by taking over the auction room. Windsor is right across the border from Detroit.

Catalina Precision Products had abruptly shut down the two plants, named Aramco and Aradco, last March and at that time the CAW workers occupied their plant in an effort to get wages and severance pay that was owed to them. The plants made parts for Chrysler. The worker’s struggle at that time won them $400,000 (Cdn.), but the 80 workers from the two plants are still owed $2.4 million (Cdn.) according to the CAW.

The CAW members and allies are presently monitoring the two plants 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to ensure that the multimillion dollar machines inside the plant aren’t taken out.

Because of the CAW’s direct action, there is now a temporary suspension of the auction. The workers are stepping up the pressure to get the money owed them. Denying the funds is a violation of Ontario labor law. The CAW is also demanding that the workers should be the first creditors—the first to be paid—and not the main bank Comerica.

“Ontario labor standards afford the right to severance and termination pay in circumstance such as these. However, the inaction of the Ontario government to enforce the provision of the legislation is a disgrace,” said Gerry Farnham, president of CAW Local 195.

The workers’ next major action will be a press conference and rally at Comerica Bank, 500 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, on Nov. 24 at noon. Members of labor-community-student organizations in Metro Detroit and beyond are mobilizing to build this internationalist event.

“We are targeting Comerica because they are the ones holding the purse strings for Catalina. Comerica is the major creditor, looking to sell off or auction off the assets in both of these facilities in order to attempt to recoup any debt Catalina owes them. Yet the workers, both union and salary staff, have not received a penny from this employer or Comerica,” said Farnham.

Comerica received $2.3 billion in bailout funds from the federal government in 2008 through the Troubled Assets Relief Program.

Solidarity statements can be e-mailed to [email protected] or called in to 1-519-253-1107. See www.cawlocal.ca/195/ for more information. Supporters can also call Comerica at 1-800-292-1300 to demand that the CAW workers be paid.