BY KATY LEROUX
MONTREAL - On August 16, over 800 of the 900 Canadian Autoworkers (CAW) Local 2169 members on strike against Boeing in Winnipeg, Manitoba, packed into a meeting hall to vote on the company's final offer. Many unionists were wearing T-shirts reading "assaulted and peppered," referring to the police attack on the picket lines minutes after the strike began on July 11.

After being on strike for 38 days workers voted 86 percent in favor of the contract. The company had threatened to shut down the plant for good if the contract was refused, after strikers voted by 67 percent to reject a previous proposal on August 8.

Under the terms of the agreement, 350 workers returned to work immediately, with other call-backs scheduled to continue through to November. More than 200 jobs have been permanently eliminated.

The contract also calls for government-funded retraining by the company of the 212 permanently laid-off workers. The company is required to give them preferential rehiring rights for possible new positions.

"We can go back in with our heads up high because we got a major concession with help from your tax dollar and mine. We failed on pensions and benefits but ... secured training for our laid-off members. Those jobs were going anyway. Their departure was maybe hastened by six months because of the strike," said Dale Walker, Local 2169 financial secretary, in a phone interview.

The three-year agreement increases the pension contribution by $1 to $30 per year of service. Pay raises will be 2 percent in each of the first two years, 1.5 percent in the third and an immediate 42-cent cost of living raise. Wages now range from $11.83 to $22.21(CAN) an hour.

"The company screwed us over," said another CAW member with 10 years service who asked his name not be used. "The company is punishing all of us who were with the union. We're not called back right away." His return is scheduled for late October. Strikers explain that since seniority is departmental, the company has used work reorganization to call back selectively.

"Boeing is always talking about the team concept. Why can't we just work together and everybody can make money. I just want to be comfortable. We weren't asking for a lot," said Zvonko Jovanovic. He had voted to reject the offer.

"It's a war zone in there," said Walker, describing life in the plant now. "Barry Hoeppner was fired for walking behind a scab and saying, `I guess they hire scabs here.'"  
 
 
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