CAW and NDP

scribblet · March 25, 2006

Could this be the death knell of the NDP.... is this the start of a unite the left....

http://www.torontosun.com/Comment/Commenta...25/1504737.html

Sat, March 25, 2006

EDITORIAL: Ditching the NDP will benefit CAW

-snip-

Ignoring the war of words between Hargrove and the NDP, the far more significant issue here is that rank and file CAW members no longer support the NDP en masse, if they ever did.

Today, the CAW has very little political clout in terms of how its members vote in elections. The main value of the CAW to the NDP is that it can supply financial support from union coffers and campaign workers from the ranks of union activists.

The reality is it makes far more strategic sense today for the CAW to support parties on an issue by issue basis -- particularly since so many CAW workers don't vote NDP. Ironically, the improved wage and benefit packages the CAW has negotiated for its members over the years has steadily pushed them into the middle class, to the point that many now oppose traditional NDP "tax and spend" policies.

Breaking formal ties with the NDP could actually make the CAW leadership far more politically relevant to its rank and file members than it is today.

If, as we said at the outset, Hargrove is serious about this split.

As for the NDP, there's no upside for it in this fight.

It needs the CAW far more than the CAW needs it, something you'd think it would have figured out by now.

Freshinit · March 25, 2006

I read in the Globe And Mail this morning by Tu ThanH Ha that 900 delegates of the CAW will be meeting to discuss a resolution. This resolution entails new policy directed at the political support given by union members. If passed, there is a possibility that shunning the NDP in provincial and federal electons would become policy. I can't see this being legal.

Canuck E Stan · March 25, 2006

The CAW and the NDP have had a love /hate relationship for a long time.

With membership getting into rough waters with layoffs and poor sales, the motive for this divorce may be only to save a few bucks by not giving to the NDP and save face by not admitting so,at the same time.

I don't see the membership deciding to give financial support to another party,and who else is there for this socialist minded group,the Liberals? I don't think so.

Hicksey · March 25, 2006

I wonder where the NDP ends up if the CAW dumps them.

This past election they posed as an anti-conservative voice. If they dumped the NDP I think a lot of not-so-loony-left leaning liberals might defect back to the Liberals. And that could give the CPC some problems if SH can't become the darling of the Canadian people shortly.

Canuck E Stan · March 26, 2006

I wonder where the NDP ends up if the CAW dumps them.

With Harper having two meetings already with Jack about the throne speech,and Layton saying nothing about the meetings,but being critical of the Liberals.I wonder if these two maybe have some plan that will bump the Libs down further in popularity and in turn boosting the NDP popularity up.

Maybe Jack's hopes are of replacing the "Left" away from the Liberals.

Graham doesn't seem to be able to sway anybody with his "another election" threats over the Liberal child care program that never existed.

As for the CAW, former senator in waiting, and now has been NDPer, Hargrove, will, I believe, lose further support from the rank and file workers with his "federal politics agenda" as the auto industry wavers with uncertainty about the car sales.

Maybe Buzz should buzz off.

Hicksey · March 26, 2006

I wonder where the NDP ends up if the CAW dumps them.

With Harper having two meetings already with Jack about the throne speech,and Layton saying nothing about the meetings,but being critical of the Liberals.I wonder if these two maybe have some plan that will bump the Libs down further in popularity and in turn boosting the NDP popularity up.

Maybe Jack's hopes are of replacing the "Left" away from the Liberals.

Graham doesn't seem to be able to sway anybody with his "another election" threats over the Liberal child care program that never existed.

As for the CAW, former senator in waiting, and now has been NDPer, Hargrove, will, I believe, lose further support from the rank and file workers with his "federal politics agenda" as the auto industry wavers with uncertainty about the car sales.

Maybe Buzz should buzz off.

The only reason for Layton to make deals is that he's in damage control mode. He sees the Liberals are rebuilding and if they do make gains he knows they will likely come from his supporters. I don't like him personally because he'll make a deal with whatever devil (CPC & Libs are devils to NDPers) will further his cause.

August1991 · March 26, 2006

The comments on this thread, and my own thoughts, are all over the map on this one.

Party finance reform is partly behind this change. The CAW no longer has the same influence as it had in the past. Layton has been able to ignore Hargrove.

Auto companies' (particularly those with unionized workers) need for government subsidies and other perks is another factor.

I don't see any ideological consistency with Hargrove. At one moment he complains that the NDP is too left, and at another, he appears on a rostrum (that word again!) with Paul Martin. Now he appears to back Rae as Liberal leader, but he's willing to accept Stronach too.

Maybe the CAW is irrelevant. Union membership is declining in Canada and it is mostly concentrated in the public sector, or in Quebec. New auto plants in Ontario are non-unionized.

What does this mean for the NDP? The NDP did reasonably well in the last election but their success was partly due to to the Liberal failure. If the Liberals put forward a good campaign next time out, the NDP will not do so well. Furthermore, the NDP is increasingly an urban "progressive" chic party for intellos.

If there is any logic here, it may be that Hargrove really wants to get rid of Harper and knows the Liberals are the only way to do it.

If they dumped the NDP I think a lot of not-so-loony-left leaning liberals might defect back to the Liberals. And that could give the CPC some problems if SH can't become the darling of the Canadian people shortly.

Good point, I agree.

scribblet · March 26, 2006

I wonder where the NDP ends up if the CAW dumps them.

With Harper having two meetings already with Jack about the throne speech,and Layton saying nothing about the meetings,but being critical of the Liberals.I wonder if these two maybe have some plan that will bump the Libs down further in popularity and in turn boosting the NDP popularity up.

Maybe Jack's hopes are of replacing the "Left" away from the Liberals.

Graham doesn't seem to be able to sway anybody with his "another election" threats over the Liberal child care program that never existed.

As for the CAW, former senator in waiting, and now has been NDPer, Hargrove, will, I believe, lose further support from the rank and file workers with his "federal politics agenda" as the auto industry wavers with uncertainty about the car sales.

Maybe Buzz should buzz off.

The only reason for Layton to make deals is that he's in damage control mode. He sees the Liberals are rebuilding and if they do make gains he knows they will likely come from his supporters. I don't like him personally because he'll make a deal with whatever devil (CPC & Libs are devils to NDPers) will further his cause.

Now that makes sense.

geoffrey · March 26, 2006

Are union workers so lockstep blinded by their leaders to stop voting for the NDP because Buzz is mad at them?

If so, I have no pity for the fools. If not, then this is a non-issue.

I'm glad I made that commitment to myself to never work for a labour union. Just too much brainwashing and stupid follow the leader for me.

Rovik · March 28, 2006

I could see this as a good thing for the NDP.

Many people have liked the NDP in the past but weren't comfortable with the Union's influence on the NDP. If this latest development tells people that the Union's influence on the NDP is waning, then these people may feel more comfortable voting for the NDP in the future.

geoffrey · March 28, 2006

No one other than tired intellectuals and unionists vote for the NDP though. Or crazy wanna-be Europeans I guess.

lost&outofcontrol · March 28, 2006

No one other than tired intellectuals and unionists vote for the NDP though. Or crazy wanna-be Europeans I guess.

Nice buddy, brand every NDP voter. I might as well brand every conservative voter as a slack jawed yokel. It's not true of course but you seem to like offensive simplification of issues.

Buzz pissed off many in the NDP and his own union during the federal election campaign when he promoted strategic voting. He's retreating in practice to the treacherous ground of ‘lesser-evil’ politics and is also part of a long-running strategy of his to engage in politics independently. Funny enough, OPSEU is in the process of affiliating to the NDP party.