—ON THE PICKET LINE—

Chicago auto mechanics strike dealerships for higher pay

CHICAGO — “The car dealers want to keep the eight-year apprenticeship, we want four years,” said 21-year-old Giovanni Fernandez on the strike picket line outside the Chrysler Dodge dealer on Western Avenue here. Some 2,000 members of Auto Mechanics Union Local 701 have been on strike at car dealerships in the area since Aug. 1. Fernandez has worked at the Chrysler Dodge facility for one year.

In addition to higher apprentice wages, the union is demanding a guaranteed 40-hour workweek and better schedules. Workers are currently required to be on the clock for 40 hours a week, but are only guaranteed 34 hours’ pay, depending on the jobs they are assigned.

“The eight-year apprenticeship keeps us stuck at lower pay,” said Fernandez, noting that journeymen mechanics are backing their fight for a wage raise.

“Another issue is that semiskilled workers who are mechanics’ helpers can last forever in that job classification,” Fernandez said. “We want it abolished.”

Many young workers have thousands of dollars in debts to technical schools for certifications that they need to get hired, but are only paid minimum wage or a little more.

Many dealerships have closed their service departments, but at Cadillac of Naperville management has hired a couple of replacement workers and tried to intimidate strikers with letters of termination.

“I got a letter saying I’ve been permanently replaced,” one mechanic, who asked that his name not be used, told the Militant Aug. 28. “Four of the 12 service workers got the termination letter, with no reason given.”

Shortly after the strike began the company demanded that workers remove their toolboxes.

Despite this “no union member has crossed the picket line here,” the striker said. Over 100 strikers from various dealerships rallied outside Cadillac of Naperville Aug. 23 in solidarity.

— Dan Fein

Toronto airport strikers vote down second contract

TORONTO — Members of Teamsters Local 419 employed by Swissport at the airport here — 700 baggage handlers, and cabin and ground crews — went on strike July 28 after rejecting a contract that would impose a three-year wage freeze, cut benefits and give the company the right to change schedules with short notice. Strikers on the picket line told the Militant they are also fighting against a lack of respect on the job. They have rejected two company concession contracts, the second by 98 percent. “Right now we bid on our schedules every six to eight weeks,” said striker Burton Daley, who has worked at Swissport for nearly five years. Under the proposed contract, “They have the right with 96 hours notice to move you out of the schedule you bid for.”

Daley works four 10-hour shifts per week. He said the company is hoping to change schedules to six days on and three days off.

Swissport, which operates at 104 airports worldwide, services over 30 airlines at Toronto’s Pearson Airport. In preparation for a strike, the company hired 250 temporary workers in May.

Pickets are up at several employee parking lots, most of them around-the-clock.

— Susan Berman