Unifor Local 444 is preparing for contract talks with four of Chrysler's feeder plants in the Windsor area.
Talks in the next few months include bargaining at Dakkota Integrated Systems, where three years ago, 60% of members rejected the original contract offer. That halted production at the Windsor Assembly Plant and three other feeder plants. In a second vote, 74% of members ratified the same offer.
Local 444 president Dino Chiodo says the union hasn't met with Dakkota, HPBO, TRW and Oakley yet.
"We're still strategizing on when bargaining is actually going to take place because the Windsor Assembly Plant will be down from the middle of February to May," he says. "Our bargaining falls right in the middle of that."
Chiodo says his members at the feeder plants will be idled along with members at the minivan plant. He says some will collect employment insurance during the shutdown. Others will collect wage replacement benefits.
