Partial settlement in mechanics' strike

A partial settlement has been reached in the strike by members of Local 2332 of the International Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union against Sault domestic car dealerships.

13 employees at Maitland Ford-Lincoln returned to work on Wednesday.

The Maitland employees included mechanics, parts people and general garage workers, General Manager Brent Lewis told SooToday News.

Unlike five other dealerships in the collective agreement, however, Maitland has no body shop workers, Lewis said. "That was one of the reasons for us leaving the group," he told us.

"A good number of the members at other dealers are body men. One major issue was lack of parity with respect to that job classification."

There is a body shop on the Maitland premises, but it's an independent outfit that's not operated by the dealership.

Although the six dealerships have negotiated collectively with the Machinists, "we don't have an accredited employer bargaining unit," Lewis said.

Some provisions of the Maitland deal:

- recognition of Maitland's right to negotiate separately was a condition of entering negotiations. This does away with the need for an Ontario Labour Relations Board prehearing requested by Maitland

- a formula for menu pricing, accompanied by an increase on the guaranteed work week, which is now 38 hours instead of 36.5

- a general wage increase of two percent this year and two percent next year

- a 36-month 'sunset' clause on employee disciplinary records. This means that all written reprimands will be expunged from the files after 36 months, unless a worker is suspensed for a similar related incident.

"We're glad to have our people back," Lewis said.

Picket lines remain in place at the five other dealerships affected by the strike.