The contract expired June 10 and the company first tried to impose a percentage increase but the workers refused. Workers finally voted to go on strike when the company made an offer of Can$2.20 but over four years, paying 50 cents in the last year.

This "would mean a 25 cents increase when you take into account inflation" said one striker. Wages vary between Can$9 an hour to start and top out at just below Can$13.

"People that have worked here for over 12 years still don't make more than Can$13 an hour," another striker explained. One hundred of the 150 people at the September 5 union meeting voted to go on strike that day rather than accept the company's four-year contract offer.

Workers picket the plant 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Militant reporters joined the line on September 8 in the afternoon. The workers held up a yellow school bus full of management scabs for two hours under the hot sun. The picket line of about 25 yelled out "Shame on you" as they stepped back to let the bus through. Workers are especially angry because the company has refused to let them use trees on the lawn for shade.

One striker who has worked there for five years had been on the line since 6:30 a.m. He commented, "You have to have commitment." He described the conditions in the plant, especially the heat and dust. Many of the machines, which produce brake pads, operate at 300 degrees. "When it gets too hot [in the summer] they are supposed to give us extra 10-minute breaks. But they use the airport temperature. When it is 30 degrees at the airport it is 40 here. We tell them we don't work at the airport."

He also pointed out that they go for a dollar figure rather than a percentage on the wage increase because "everyone gets the same and it closes the gap between the lowest and highest paid and makes us stronger."

Workers expressed their confidence as they walked the line. They explained that many had been working seven days a week because the company has so many orders. They also expressed anger at the company's refusal to meet their wage demands.

"They hire a lot of engineers to stand around with stop watches to time our work, but they don't have money for us," said one striker. Another explained that just recently the company had given everyone free pizza for lunch. "They pretended it had nothing to do with the negotiations but we know better." He added, "I'm an immigrant. Okay, I work here because I have to. But that doesn't mean that I'm ignorant or illiterate. That I don't understand what they're doing."

Nirmal Sallan, plant chairman for the union, explained, "My concern is public safety. These brakes are used on school buses, tractor trailers and other public vehicles. Who knows if these products will last? There could be a major accident."

Annette Kouri and John Steele are members of the United Food and Commercial Workers union in Toronto.  
 
 
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