CLC announces resolution of 
CAW-SEIU dispute

OTTAWA - Canadian Labour Congress President, Ken Georgetti announced that a resolution has been found to the dispute between the Service Employees International Union (SEIU Canada) and the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW). "We have always said that the Canadian Labour Congress would work with the parties for as long as was necessary to bring this dispute to an end," said Georgetti. "We thank and congratulate the parties on having the same resolve to move on, the same goal of creating strong unions and the will to tell working people across Canada that this can be accomplished within the constitution of the Canadian Labour Congress."

In February 2000, SEIU Canada filed a complaint, under the Constitution of the Canadian Labour Congress, against the CAW. After an unsuccessful series of initiatives, sanctions were imposed on the CAW. Working with the leadership of the Canadian Labour Congress, the parties have now ratified a process that will allow an orderly resolve of the issues between them. The resolution allowed the sanctions against CAW to be lifted.

"SEIU Canada has reached this agreement in the interest of labour peace and solidarity for the working women and men of this country," said SEIU’s Canadian International Vice-President Sharleen Stewart. "We are relieved to have this dispute behind us so that we can all move on."

Buzz Hargrove, president of Canadian Auto Workers, said: "This is a great moment for democracy and solidarity. This resolution reconciles our demands for workers’ democratic rights and the need to send a strong message that this can be accomplished within the constitution of the Canadian Labour Congress."

"We, at the Canadian Labour Congress, expect this agreement to show the world the unity of purpose of democratic unions in this country," concluded Ken Georgetti. "The protests, in Quebec City last month, against the Free Trade Area of the Americas reminded us all that only our solidarity will defeat the fences of shame governments and corporations put up to silence the voices of working families."