CAW Hoping Detroit’s Big Three Will Give Back

A 2013 Cadillac ATS gets ready to come off the assembly line at the General Motors Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant on July 26, 2012. The Canadian Auto Workers’ union (CAW) entered into negotiations with Detroit’s Big Three automakers this week, hoping to make up for the union’s concessions during the recession. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

By Patrick Li

Patrick Li

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August 16, 2012Updated: October 1, 2015

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Epoch Times Photo — A 2013 Cadillac ATS gets ready to come off the assembly line at the General Motors Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant on July 26, 2012. The Canadian Auto Workers' union (CAW) entered into negotiations with Detroit's Big Three automakers this week, hoping to make up for the union's concessions during the recession. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

The Canadian Auto Workers’ union (CAW) is negotiating with Detroit’s Big Three automakers—General Motors (GM), Chrysler, and Ford—hoping to make up for the union’s concessions in 2009.

The CAW started negotiations with GM and Chrysler on Tuesday, and met with Ford on Wednesday. These negotiations are to last until Sept. 17.

In 2008–2009, all three automakers felt the pressure of the economic recession. GM and Chrysler had to take bailouts from the Canadian and U.S. governments. All three extracted concessions from the CAW. Workers lost vacation time, bonuses, and had their wages frozen.

Since then, these companies have recovered, and the CAW hopes the Big Three will share some of their success with their employees.

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