Versatile Labour Dispute Ends

The nine-month-old labour dispute between Buhler-Versatile and members of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) ended on August 13 with a negotiated settlement between the two parties being accepted by 93 percent of the workers.

The agreement terminates the jobs of all 230 locked-out CAW members, in return for back pay for the period of the strike and lockout, severance pay, and topping up of pension contributions. Company and union officials placed a value of about $17.5 million on the settlement, approximately the same amount that the Labour Board was expected to order after all the complaints had been heard.

Company officials stated that Buhler-Versatile will continue to produce tractors in Winnipeg for the foreseeable future using new employees and that the terminated workers were welcome to re-apply for their old jobs, presumably in a non-union workplace. The company is still considering moving the entire operation to Fargo, North Dakota.