Bombardier’s Toronto Plant Averts Strike

Workers at Bombardier’s de Havilland plant in north Toronto ratified a new three-year labor contract yesterday, averting a strike that stood to affect 2,750 workers and halt production of the Q400 turboprop. Eighty-four percent of the workers, who are represented by two local Canadian Auto Workers chapters, voted to accept the new agreement, reached on June 23, after some two months of negotiation and hours after a 10 a.m. strike deadline. Eighty-nine percent of skilled trade workers, 62 percent of the technical office group and 90 percent of the non-technical office workers voted to approve the deal.

The new contact includes wage increases in the second and third year, pension improvements and retirement incentives “to ensure greater job and income security for both junior and more senior members.”

The workers manufacture the Q400, the Global Express business jet and wings for two Learjet models at the plant.