1. How does the CAW relationship with UAW in the 1980s contrast with the historical relationship between the American and Canadian labour movements?

Q2. Discuss how the CAW can be seen to have both bread and butter and social justice orientation.

Q3. The CAW is said to be tough bargainer. Does the case provide evidence to support this claim?

Q4. As shown in the chapter, the large labour federations had often had rifts and separations. If the CAW ever left the CLC, do you believe it has sufficient membership diversity to form an organization that would rival the CLC?

Case The CAW As shown by the discussion of the 1940s Rand Formula decision, the UAW had a long history in Canada. For much of that period, the Canadian union members simply followed the directions provided by their American leaders However, the 1980s marked a turbulent time in the auto industry. There were numerous layoffs and increased competition from non-North American manufacturers. The following events show how the CAW was created in this turmoil to become Canada's largest private sector union In 1982 negotiations, the president of General Motors made a public statement that if Canadian workers did not follow the concessions of their American counterparts, there would be plant closures and relocations. GM settled with small gains for workers and without a strike. However, the Chrysler negotiations that followed resulted in a strike. As Gindin (1995) states, after a five-week strike, Chrysler agreed to accept the opening-day proposals of the union-Canadian workers even won a wage increase. In so doing, the Canadians had shown they were a force to be reckoned The next round of bargaining came in 1984. GM settled in the United States with no wage gains for workers. After a thirteen-day strike, Canadian workers earned an annual increase that their American counterparts did not. This again signalled the independence, and strength of the Canada component of the UAW. In December of that year, Bob White (then Canadian director of the UAW) called for a vote regarding the formation of a new, independent Canadian union. Only four of the 350 delegates voted against the call for the Canadian union In September of 1985, after nine months of negotiating the terms of se aration, the legal and monetary issues were settled; the Canadian Asas formed. In 1986, it was renamed to the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), In the twenty years that followed, the CAW became the largest public sector union in Canada. Since its founding, it has merged with more than thirty other unions/locals and now represents workers in many industries outside of the auto sector (eg, airline, fishery, retail, mining, rail). Given the diversity of its membership, the CAW has taken a leadership role in the areas equity. In fact, since 1986, it has held an annual human rights conference As its human rights policy states, Chapter 4 Labour History Unions emerged to not only collectively protect workers from the arbitrary use of power by employers and governments, but also to create a culture of equality and dignity for all members in their ranks. Achieving higher wages and better working conditions for workers is no more important in the final analysis than achieving solidarity amongst all workers. (CAW, 2006b) The CAW fight for equity among disadvantaged workers even include workers not represented by it. For example, the CAW website shows policy and discussion papers on issues ranging from employment insurance to pro tection of workers in the sex trade. It is a union that has clearly made a mark on the country Sources. CAW, 2005, 2006, 2006, 2006c, Gindin, 1995. Questions 1. How does the CAW relationship with the UAW in the 1980s contrast with the historical relationship between the American and Canadian labour movements? 2. Discuss how the CAW can be seen to have both a "bread and butter and social justice" orientation. 3. The CAW is said to be a tough bargainer. Does the case provide evi dence to support this claim? 4. As is shown in the chapter, the large labour federations have often had rifts and separations. If the CAW ever left the CLC, do you believe it has sufficient membership diversity to form an organization that would rival the CLC