Plant Chairperson’s Report

WILD WATER KINGDOM CAW LOCAL 1285 DAY All CAW Local 1285 members and friends are welcome to join us on June 22nd, 2008 at Wild Water Kingdom. BBQ Lunch at 12:00 noon, games at 1:00 pm Costs of the tickets are: Adults (immediate family) - $15.00 Children (dependants only) $10.00 Friends are welcome at a cost of: $23.00 per adult & $18.00 per child One free parking pass per family.

Tickets available at: CAW Local 1285 Union Office

TEAM LEADER JOBS There were 300 members who applied for the team leader jobs. The Team Leader Selection Process has begun and the results should be posted in the coming weeks. The Selection Process can be time consuming but it is our intention to move quickly to identify the Team Leaders for the new expansion zones.

SATURDAYS Currently there are two Saturdays tentatively scheduled between now and Summer Shut Down. June 21st and June 28th. 2nd COORDINATOR APPOINTED FOR THE ACTION CENTRE On Thursday, May 22, 2008 the Adjustment Committee agreed with my recommendation of Sister Jennifer Wells to fill the position as the 2nd Coordinator to work at the Action Centre. As of Monday, June 2nd Jennifer was released to start working at the Action Centre.

WEST CAFETERIA UNDER RENOVATION The west cafeteria has been going through extensive renovations in order to build another SMART Manufacturing classroom.

The additional classroom will be complete and ready to use in September 2008 when we launch the second class of SMART Manufacturing training. The additional class and training comes at a very good time, when LOA’s for the summer months are winding down. This will require approximately 45 additional employees to remain on active roll as a result.

MOST JUNIOR IN PLANT The most junior member working in the plant as of Monday 06/16/2008 will have a seniority date of 05/11/98 with approximately 850 on indefinite lay off. Recalls for summer LOA’s should start this week.

UNION AWARENESS The classes at the Union hall have been well attended recently since the invitation process has changed for Workplace Awareness. If you are scheduled to attend Workplace Awareness, your Union representative will hand you your invitation and your supervisor will be notified of your invitation. Please make every effort to attend as this secures another members work opportunity in the plant.

FOOD DRIVE For the food bank the summer months are the least plentiful as far as food donations are concerned. We are all very busy at this time of year enjoying the warm weather and outdoor activities. This is why we will be having a food drive in the plant for the Ste. Louise Outreach Centre.

Please bring in non perishable food items and place them in the orange bins at the entrances to donate and help those in need in our community.

SUMMER HOLIDAYS Sometimes we don’t realize how priceless our time with friends and family are until it is too late. Take the time to enjoy each moment you can with them, enjoy your summer vacation!

In Solidarity Terry Browne

With the recent elimination of the third shift, many of us have found ourselves thrown back on the line. If you’ve hurt yourself on your job, or experienced an accident in the workplace, you must notify your supervisor and make him/her aware of your injury. After you are issued a medical pass, you will be expected to report your injury to the Medical Centre. You must see your family doctor/walk in clinic or hospital emergency dept. on the day of your injury if possible. Remember to mention that it is a work related injury. A Form 8 will be completed and submitted to the Board by your doctor. In return, you will be sent a Form 7, which is the Employer’s report of the injury. When you receive it, ensure to read it carefully. If there are any discrepancies, speak to the person who issued it. The Board will send you a Form 6 Worker’s report of injury. You are required to fill this out and send it back. When you are filling out Section C, question 8, Accident dates & details, they will want you to describe what your job entails and what you were doing at the time of injury. Be very descriptive in your explanation. For example, you might mention that your wrist or shoulder has been sore for an ‘x’ number of days. This is especially important in the gradual onset of an injury, where your pain comes on slowly and progressively gets worse. If you run out of room to write, attach another paper if necessary and write please see attached. Another question that will be asked is witnesses. Were there any? Get the names and numbers of your co-workers that you’ve worked with. A common problem among newly relocated employees is that they do not report their injuries right away. Employees often expect their pains to go away with time. But after they realize that their injuries are not going away or perhaps getting worse, they decide to report them. It is possible that WSIB may not believe the injuries occurred at work or that they are job related because of the questionable delay. Another common problem is that employees do not properly document their injuries. For example, some employees only complain to their co-workers about their issues, and find that they have insufficient proof or documentation when WSIB challenges their claim. This is why it is important to record and document all information thoroughly.

Many claims have been denied in the past because WSIB deemed the proof of accident to be unsatisfactory. If your injury requires time off work, you are able to collect S&A benefits pending acceptance of the WSIB claim. Be sure to see your doctor the first day you are off work. Otherwise you are at risk of losing S&A benefits. Once your claim is allowed by WSIB, Manulife will be reimbursed for the money you have collected. Once again it is very important that you see your doctor as soon as you are injured and make them aware that it is a work related injury. Any questions please do not hesitate to call.

In solidarity, Patricia (Patty) Johnston

905-458-2878 In plant 2878

1-800-463-3558 ext 2878

EI Reporting and Vacation Payout

Anyone working should not have an active EI claim. If you have an active claim, stop reporting. People who were laid off and who were recently recalled should also stop reporting. If people are laid off in the future, they can reactivate their claim. Anyone who is currently laid off and who has a vacation payout on June 13, 2008 will need to report these earnings. Instructions on how to report are available at the Union Benefits office and on the Action Centre website at www.1285actioncentre.ca.

Survivor Income Benefit

With the recent passing of one of our Brother’s there has been questions regarding what happens to your pension, particularly what happens to your pension when you pass-away before you get the chance to retire. What is the spouse entitled to? At present there are 5 qualifications for retirement:

(1) Normal Retirement at Age 65 (2) 30 Years of Service, regardless of age (3) Age 60 with 10 Years of Service (4) 85 Point Option (5) Disability Retirement, require at least 10

years of credited service and meet medical criteria. Disability retirement will not apply to this article.

If an employee passes away before they elect to retire and meets the criteria of # 1 to 4 above they will be considered retired. In this case if your spouse is living at the time of your death, he/she will receive during his/her lifetime 66 2/3% of the amount of the reduced Basic Pension that was or would have been payable to you after age 60 based on the Basic Pension Rate applicable to you at the time of death. The present rate is $68 per year of service for Production and $81 per year of service for Trades. If the above criteria apply the spouse will also qualify for Hospital, Surgical, Medical, Drugs, Dental, Vision and Hearing Aid Benefits for his/her lifetime, as per current agreement. When an employee passes away there is a Life Insurance pay out. At present the amount for Production is approx. $77,000 and for Trades it is approx. $91,000. Optional Life Insurance is also available at an extra cost to you, call 1-800-361-7979 ext. 8516. At age 65 your life insurance is reduced by 2% to a cap, based on your years of service. If you would like to find out your personal amounts of insurance, including accidental death & dismemberment or update your beneficiary, phone Benefits Link @ 1-877-854-5465. You will need your 4 digit PIN# to access your account. If you don’t have one, they will mail you a temporary one. It is very important to keep your file up to date, i.e. you have the people you want listed as beneficiaries, your spouse and dependant coverage is current. Your pension is vested after 2 years of credited service, which means that there is a dollar value attached to your pension. We can not give you a value of what your pension is worth as it is a snapshot of a period in time. It is a calculation of your age, your years of service and the interest rate. The pension monies are paid out in a lump sum, which can be transferred out to a RRSP-type vehicle which can be taken out in monthly payments. In this case, the pension monies do not have to be transferred out in a locked-in RRSP. If you do not have a beneficiary elected, the pension lump sum will be paid to your estate. Under the survivor income benefit there are 2 scenarios:

� (A) Transition Benefit: If you pass away while Group Life Insurance is in force under

the Group Policy and are survived by a spouse, child or parent who meets the definition of survivor, your survivor will receive a transition benefit for a maximum of 24 months. Should you require the definition of survivor please stop by the Union Benefits Office. The monthly transition benefit would be $775 under the current contract ($850 with eligible dependents). Hospital, Surgical, Medical, Drugs, Dental, Vision and Hearing Aid benefits will be in effect during the payment of the transition benefit.

� (B) Bridge Benefit: If you pass away while Group Life Insurance is in force under the Group Policy and are survived by a spouse who was 45 years of age or more on the date of your death or whose age (to the nearest 1/12) when combined with your years of credited service under the Chrysler – CAW Pension Plan, both of which shall be determined as of the date of your death, total 55 or more, and if Transition Benefits have become due and payable to that survivor, a Bridge Benefit is payable to the surviving spouse. The monthly Bridge Benefit would be $775 under the current contract ($850 with eligible dependents). Once again your Hospital, Surgical, Medical, Drugs, Dental, Vision and Hearing Aid will be in effect as long as you are in qualification for the Bridge Benefit. Bridge Benefits will not be paid beyond the earliest to occur: (1) The survivor’s death or remarriage; or (2) The survivor’s attainment of age 65, or any lower age at which Old age Security benefits become payable other than on a “need” basis, under any Provincial or federal legislation as now in effect or hereafter enacted or amended.

Under the new contract, Survivor Income Benefits will increase over the next 3 years; $25 per month for the first and second year and $50 per month for the third year. If you have any questions regarding the above information, please stop by the Benefits Office for clarification.

In Solidarity, Lisa Contini and Paula Racicot

Childcare isn’t just a women’s issue...

When the Conservatives took over after the last election they cut the National Childcare and early education program that many groups and individuals were fighting so hard to achieve. The prior Liberal federal government had promised this and had put money aside for this program. When the Conservatives took power, they immediately cut this program and implemented a ‘baby bonus’ style of payment for some, but not all families. This was not what the groups were asking for in a national childcare program. This payment is also taxable and has the potential to put one in the next higher tax bracket! The groups lobbying the government for a national Childcare program were looking to achieve quality, affordable childcare not a monthly payout. What good is this money if there aren’t any childcare programs to take the kids to? With over 4 million children under the age of 12 in Canada there are only approximately 750,000 childcare spaces. So even if one is lucky enough to afford this childcare, one may not be able to find a space available. Quality childcare is detrimental to many intact families as well as single mothers and fathers. Since Harper has taken over, not one single childcare space has been made available in Ontario. In many families the women stay home and do not work because by the time they pay for the childcare while their working, they don’t have much left over from their pay checks. There is also the big worry of whether the childcare that is available is quality childcare. These groups were looking towards a program similar to what Quebec families have. In Quebec a family pays $7.00 per day for quality childcare. Yes, $7.00 per day, not $7.00 per hour. Just imagine how this would assist those young families out there struggling to survive. Imagine paying $35.00 per week for a child to go into quality childcare! This $100.00 per month baby bonus style payout doesn’t even come close to matching what the families in Quebec have. If the province of Quebec can implement this program why can’t we have a national childcare program similar across Canada?

Two thirds of women with children under three are working outside of the home. Yet in 2004, only 16% of Canadian children had access to a regulated childcare space. There are more children under the age of five in Canada than there are people in the entire greater Vancouver area. We wouldn’t neglect the greater city of Vancouver. So how can we neglect our children? While the OECD recommends countries invest 1% of the GDP on childcare, Canada’s investment only reaches 0.3% of GDP, ranking it dead last among the fourteen countries surveyed (including France, UK, USA, Korea, Ireland...). A comprehensive and affordable national childcare system would be a good source of good jobs for the economy. On the other end of the spectrum, if a woman is out working because she has affordable childcare, she is also paying taxes, which in turn is contributing to the economy. It’s a win-win system! The Canadian Labour Congress held a national childcare program rally last Saturday, near Financial Minister Jim Flaherty’s riding office. I had our Communicator post the rally information on the boards for anyone that was interested. Unfortunately we were working on this day. However, if and when there are other activities regarding this subject I will let you know through the Communicator and the posting boards again. All of the stats I have quoted have come from Statistics Canada via Canadian Labour Congress. In closing, I would like thank all the people that supported me in the recent local elections. I am very honored to be elected as a trustee on our local executive. My supporters have also given me the honor of being the first woman trustee as well! Since this is probably the last communicator before summer shut down I would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable summer vacation, you deserve it! Please remember if a crisis does occur during vacation, refer to the first few pages of the phone book. There one will find crisis numbers for the area which you are in.

In Solidarity, Phyllis Foster EX: 2522

Membership needs support

One hundred protesters gathered at the front steps of the Manulife Financial building in downtown Kitchener on June 6, 2008 in support of nearly fifty locked out support staff workers that have been without a collective agreement since May 23 The WCSWR provides service to hundreds of woman and children each year in the Kitchener Waterloo region at two shelters formerly known as Anselma House in Kitchener and the Haven House in Cambridge) I understand that some people in our community have voiced concern over the possibility of blocking roads and street but it seems to be the only way to get the message across to certain government officials and politicians. However, I am one the thousands who have committed to support brothers and sister in time of need, you never know when your next to be on the chopping block. (Out of work) Unfortunately many people in society do not comprehend that an injury to one is an injury to all approx one in 7.5 people get affected when someone in the automotive industry looses their jobs. Society would benefit greatly if they had the opportunity to be educated about manufacturing in Canada does matters. When good paying jobs leave Canada and go south surrounding communities and property owners will not benefit because their property value will go down like a ton of bricks. It sure would be devastating to have to sell your dream home because of the unfair auto-trade and its border policies. I urge you to move forward on the decisions to support the less fortunate in their times of trouble and struggles. Considering the way our economy is deteriorating at such a rapid pace, even the Challenger SRT 8 would not have a chance to keep up pace in this rapidly declining economy. I am looking forward to hear from member’s friends and family that live in or close to the Kitchener Waterloo area with stories of support for the locked out staff at those two shelters. I recently facilitated a 3 day Human Rights course in Kitchener Waterloo and I’m proud to say that my class of 20 students supported the rally two days in a row, way to go!.

Congratulations to all the successful candidates who recently got elected as union representatives for CAW local 1285. It’s always quite disturbing why they seem to have police presence at these peaceful rallies, I guess they are there to protect the support staff from people walking and driving by waving and honking their horns in support Ps; Thanks for all your support in my recent elections.

In Solidarity: Mike Allen

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� The Local 1285 Web site is www.cawlocal.ca/1285.

� Junior people in plant: - In the plant 05/11/98 - PSO 09/22/1986 - Inspector 01/03/1989 - Material handler 02/28/1989 - Stamping specialist 01/17/1994 � LOA requests have been approved and signed, see

your supervisor for your copy. � 630 members have registered for the action centre � Discount tickets are only available at the Union

Hall, 23 Regan Road, Brampton Ont. � 110 Day language will begin after the holidays.

Supporters show solidarity at G.M Oshawa Truck Plant

Thousands of union members from across the province gathered in Oshawa to protest the closure of the General Motors Truck Plant. Demonstrators marched the length of G.M.’s property wearing red-and-white to mark the occasion as a day of injustice to both the autoworkers of Local 222 and Canada.

Surrounded by media and reporters, NDP Leader Howard Hampton also joined the protest. He scolded G.M. for their ill-decision to abandon Oshawa workers – particularly after a substantial amount of government funding was issued to subsidize the company’s Canadian operations.

In another instant, a handful of managers bravely wandered outside of their office building to get a glimpse of the rally. But they were quickly pressured back into their confines after demonstrators overpowered the area – shaming them for their dishonest commitment to maintain future production at the facility.

“We haven’t seen this amount of solidarity in years, it’s way overdue...” said local 222 member Mark Sanders who despite his 24 years of service faces the threat of unemployment. Truck plant employees came out to support the momentum during their break– clinging to the inside perimeter of barb-wire fencing and cheering on demonstrators. Others stood silently, tendered by the weight of the movement – softly mouthing the words “thank you” as supporters powered by.

“The Buck stops here!!” bellowed a crowd of Oshawa workers in support of their President Chris Buckley who has been an inspirational voice of strength throughout this difficult period in time. The well-respected president was greeted by boisterous applause and cheering after he ducked-out of a court room hearing – concerning the unions blockade at G.M. headquarters – to join his members.

Brampton Local 1285 supporters were bussed to the event – also showing their solidarity to the workers of the Oshawa truck plant.

We thank all of those who took the time to support our brothers and sisters of Oshawa.

John Fallis Communications

Do you have a plan B?

As life goes on, it always strikes me as interesting how even the best-laid plans can all of a sudden become null and void. When that moment comes about, our lives can feel like total chaos, although we know change is inevitable. This is where what a friend of mine calls “Plan B” will make life’s changes easier. Old dreams and ideas plus new dreams and ideas equal Plan B.

In these uncertain times, change must be anticipated and expected, but most of all, accepted with open arms. So prepare yourself and have a Plan B. Unfortunately, when times are good, most of us become complacent, comfortable and too busy to pay attention, and often leave ourselves vulnerable to the unexpected!

Since these are times of corporate cutbacks, we all become affected by indefinite lay-offs and forced retirements. How easy it is for companies to

eliminate the human element when making these decisions. They are constantly eliminating jobs, increasing the workload of each and every one of us, and then seek concessions on promises made.

So what does our union do for us? How often I have heard this question, and also asked it myself. PROTECTION! We have a negotiated contract that should not be taken lightly. It demands that a company follow proper procedure, and secures advance notice of lay-offs, job elimination and closures. It provides us with guidelines that, through mediation and negotiation, protect our rights as employees, but most of all as humans.

Having made this statement, my recent personal experience leaves me with the realization that corporations do not provide the same for their management team. All they provide is a false sense of security, that loyalty and honest hard work will be appreciated and respected. We, the membership, know differently. We have recently observed the disgusting and disrespectful dismissal of several of the corporation’s management team. Twenty minutes, “your name came up,” 3 pieces of paper and an escort to the door. How fortunate we are, that we are not treated the same, since without our union, we surely would be. On a personal note, I would like to say a sincere thank-you to all of those people (and you know who you are), who have expressed their heartfelt thoughts and wishes to “Mr. Thanks-for-coming-in!” He was one of the few in management who would greet you with a welcoming handshake: a well-respected and respectful side to management. He was given the 20-minute dismissal, “your name came up”, 3 pieces of paper and the escort. So to all those who crossed paths with him, he would like to take the opportunity to say, “Thanks for the memories.” He has humbly moved on to his “Plan B”, and wishes each and every one of you the very best in your future endeavors. So, here we all stand, constantly dealing with the inevitable changes of our time, hopefully taking into account that we all need to have a Plan B. Please keep in mind a corporation’s battle cry, “Demand and Comply”. However, as strong membership, ours should always be, “United We Stand!”

In Solidarity, Evita Clapham

Chrysler LLC, Brampton Assembly