By Courtney Duffett
The Oshawa Express

In lieu of all of the recent announcements with General Motors and the truck plant in Oshawa, workers have been offered retirement incentives and buyout options as a result of a recent grievance agreement between GM and the union.“This has been a stressful time for all of us,” says Chris Buckley, president of Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) Local 222. “Things continue to get extremely worse.”

However, at an information meeting held for GM members on Monday, the CAW announced some cash and car incentives for its truck production and skilled trades workers. The meeting was to announce the resolution reached on the policy grievance filed against GM regarding its decision to shut down the truck plant on Park Road South in Oshawa. At the meeting, Buckley praised members of the union for letting the representatives of the union handle the arising issues and continue to work at one of GM’s best truck plants in Ontario.

“I take real confidence in your leadership to continue to go to work each day and leave the fight up to the leadership,” says Buckley. Buckley announced Monday that as of Jan. 1, 2009, the truck plant will be down to one shift until the summer shutdown in 2009. In addition, a commitment was made not to demolish the truck plant for the life of the agreement. The union also announced that as a result of GM’s decision to cease production at the Oshawa truck plant, the company has proposed retirement incentives for both the produce In option one, those individuals who are eligible to retire will be entitled to $100,000 plus a $35,000 car voucher for production workers, and $120,000 plus a $35,000 car voucher for trades workers.

Options two and three are for those who are not eligible to retire and include buyout and leave to retirement programs. The buyout program, which is based on seniority for employees not eligible to retire, range from $37,000 to $120,000 depending on seniority for both production and trades workers. In addition, everyone is eligible for the $35,000 car voucher.

The leave to retirement program, which is based on eligibility ranges from $50,000 to $96,000 for production and trades workers, plus a $35,000 car voucher. In addition, once retired, everyone will receive 65 per cent of his or her wages.“We’ve made the very best of a very terrible situation,” says Buckley. “As a union, we did stick to our principles. Fighting back does made a difference.”