Buhler Industries Inc. has rejected a mediator’s request to give him power to end the strike at the Versatile tractor plant in Winnipeg and says it plans to shut the factory.
It’s not a negotiating ploy, said John Buhler, the company’s chief executive officer and majority owner. He is moving the plant, which is Canada’s last tractor factory, to Fargo, North Dakota.
“The factory is moving and it’s all over,” Buhler said Feb. 16.
Mediator Wally Fox-Decent had asked both the Canadian Auto Workers union and Buhler to allow him to impose a settlement to end the strike, which began on Nov. 3.
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The union accepted, but Buhler rejected the suggestion. Union officials say they believe Buhler never wanted to reach a settlement.
The protracted dispute began after the workers’ contract expired at the end of September. Until July, Versatile was owned by New Holland but was sold as part of a deal to allow New Holland to merge with Case.
Union and company officials were unable to negotiate a new deal.
The company wanted to continue contracting out work at the plant and wanted to weaken seniority rules. The union wanted to stop contracting out and wanted to preserve seniority protection.
Contract lost
Early into the strike the company favored giving a mediator the right to impose a settlement. The union rejected that idea. As the strike dragged on, the positions switched. Buhler said his position changed after the Versatile factory lost a $100 million contract with CNH Global.
One of the most contentious issues at the end, said Fox-Decent in his report, was setting rules for workers’ return. That would set out who got to pick which workers returned and when.
Fox-Decent’s report suggested both sides either give him power to dictate a settlement to this and other issues or quickly come up with a settlement themselves.
Two hundred and forty-eight workers were on strike. Another 350 workers had been laid off earlier.
