Friday May 13, 2005
For Immediate Release
Montreal – The ratification of a new six-year collective agreement in March by members of Machinists Local Lodge 712, was a key component in Bombardier’s decision to build its new ‘C-Series’ aircraft in Montreal.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that our ratification of the new agreement was the key ingredient in the decision to locate production and assembly in Montreal,” said IAMAW LL 712 president Dave Chartrand. The agreement, which contains no wage concessions, was the union’s share of a company target of $120 million in labour cost reductions. “This is a tremendous day for aerospace in Canada and Quebec,” said Chartrand. “From the very beginning, the Machinists have urged federal and provincial governments to invest in our industry and now they have responded, everyone is pulling in the same direction with their commitments to this new series of aircraft.”
The new aircraft will seat 110 to 130 passengers and their development is expected to cost $2 billion. The assembly and production of the ‘C-Series’ aircraft will create up to 5,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Montreal area. It means IAMAW LL 712 members have guaranteed work for at least 20 years. As one member put it, “my wife and I were holding off having a third child until we knew the outcome of this decision, now we might have five!”
The first delivery of a ‘C-Series’ aircraft is expected in 2010.
