People representing Windsor's labour community had the eyes and ears of Canada's head of government Thursday afternoon.
Local union leaders were invited to participate in a virtual roundtable with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to discuss the economic impact of the auto industry of Windsor-Essex in the midst of a global pandemic. Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk also participated in the discussion.
Among those on the Zoom call was the leadership of Unifor Local 444, including President Dave Cassidy, who used the opportunity to pitch the virtues of Windsor labour to Trudeau.
In an excerpt of the private call, posted on Local 444's Twitter and Facebook pages, Trudeau listened intently and nodded as Cassidy discussed the benefits Windsor autoworkers will be entitled to, thanks to Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles' new contract with Unifor.
https://twitter.com/LOCAL444UNIFOR/status/1326985903584268288
"The bargaining that we just went through was huge. We're still going to continue. We are going to build the Pacifica [minivan]," said Cassidy, adding that the new contract allows for new plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle models to be built at the Windsor Assembly Plant by 2024.
As a result of the new electric models being rolled out by FCA and built in Windsor, a third shift will be restored at the plant by the end of the new agreement's term.
Cassidy also reminded Trudeau that the workforce in Windsor is capable of producing the batteries that will soon be in high demand.
"We had a lot of struggles a year ago getting the batteries, and we're getting them from China," said Cassidy. "We need to look at manufacturing that stuff here. Instead of just assembling that stuff, we need to manufacture that stuff."
Single-game sports betting was also scheduled to be discussed on the call with the prime minister. Local 444 represents employees at Caesars Windsor, which is currently operating below capacity on an invitation-only basis due to the pandemic. Proponents of on-site sports betting have said it would secure at least a hundred additional jobs at the casino.
Windsor West MP Brian Masse had been fighting for years to get sports betting legislation passed. The third attempt at a bill, with Conservatives supporting, is now working its way through Parliament and was due to be referred to committee.
