Car dealership strike ends, 80 percent ratify new contract

The 16-week-old strike by unionized workers employed by local domestic auto dealers is now over, SooToday News has learned.

Pat Murphy, grand lodge representative of the International Machinists and Aerospace Workers, was using his cell phone and headset (shown) tonight to call the Sault's five domestic car dealers, advising that the 90 striking members of Local 2332 will return to work Thursday morning.

In a basement room tonight at the Steelworkers Hall, a revised offer of settlement was ratified by 80 percent of the membership present.

About 90 percent of the local's members turned out for the vote, Murphy told us.

The new three-year agreement includes a guaranteed work week of 38 hours, except for workers at Boston's, where the regular work week is 42 hours and the guarantee will be for 40 hours.

The union originally sought a 40-hour guarantee for all workplaces but reduced the demand to 38 hours late last week. Before the strike, the dealerships were paying 36.5 hours a week.

It took four offers to end the four-month-old strike, which involved garage and body shop workers, technicians and clerical staff at Riverside Chrysler, Boston?s Ltd., Highland Ford Sales Ltd., Prouse Motors Ltd. and Superior Dodge Chrysler Ltd.

13 unionized workers at Maitland Ford Lincoln Ltd. ratified a separate agreement three weeks ago.

"I didn't know how strong this membership was," Murphy told SooToday.com.

"They certainly surprised me and they probably surprised the employers as well."

New clauses

In addition to the guaranteed work week, the agreement ratified tonight also contains other new clauses including:

- time tickets must now be returned within two working days

- manufacturer's flat rate times are to be used on manuafacturer's promotions

The agreement ratified tonight

The following is the full text of the agreement ratified tonight. New material added since Sunday's rejection vote is presented in bold, italicized type.

***************************************************************** Sault Ste. Marie Auto Dealers and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

January 7, 2003

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

SEE ALL ATTACHMENTS

REVISED - Offer of Settlement:

Effective August 11, 2002 Expires August 10, 2005

Retroactivity of payment of wages: August 11, 2002 to September 20, 2002 paid upon ratification of Offer and return to work.

Proposed increases to current wage rates by classification

Tech, parts, body, office

Year One - 3 percent Year Two - 2 percent Year Three - 2 percent Pension (increase from $.85 current) - $.10 each year

Progression grid for general garage workers

Less than 3 years seniority

- Total in Year 1 for current employees and new hires - $8.86 - Total in Year 2 - $9.03 - Total in Year 3 - $9.21

3 years or more but less than 5 years

- Total in Year 1 for current employees and new hires - $9.33 - Total in Year 2 - $9.52 - Total in Year 3 - $9.71

5 years or more

- Total in Year 1 for current employees and new hires - $10.42 - Total in Year 2 - $10.62 - Total in Year 3 - $10.83

All red-circled general garage workers will also be entitled to a 2 percent raise in each year of the three-year agreement.

General garage workers while performing accessory installation shall be paid a .30 per hour premium.

Guarantee: There shall be a guarateed work week of 38 hours.

Pension: It is agreed that the pension will be paid on elapsed time to a maximum of 40 hours a week.

To read the rest of the offer, please click here.