The ongoing strike at Cascade Aerospace has workers up in arms and many in the community concerned that the owners of Cascade will not agree to ensure the plant will stay in Abbotsford.
Many feel Cascade gets all the help it needs from the politicians while the workers get no support at all.
Today these workers are walking the picket line. This is their first strike and two critical issues make this dispute very important far beyond the plant gate. That’s because Unifor 114 members are fighting for the future survival of the plant, and for the next generation of workers who will come to work there.
The company is demanding that new employees make less. If the union agreed to this, new employees would have lower benefits, substandard pensions and less holidays. The principle that all employees deserve the same pay and benefits for the same work is a foundation of the labour movement. Selling out the next generation before they even arrive on the job is the opposite of that. It is unfair and simply wrong.
The employees are also seeking a commitment from the company that they will continue to operate in Abbotsford and not transfer work to its other operations. For that reason alone, everyone should be standing shoulder to shoulder with these men and women. A victory on this front would be a victory for the future well-being of the entire community. – Jim Sinclair, President, B.C. Federation of Labour.
Background:
UPDATE: Banman Refuses To Talk To Striking Cascade Aerospace Workers
Guest Column: Why Won’t Cascade Negotiate?
Unifor Condemns Cascade For Using Replacement Workers
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