Strike at Infinity Rubber Due to Demands to Slash Modest Wages, Benefits

TORONTO , Dec. 2 /CNW/ - Despite accepting a 10% pay cut last year, a group of manufacturing workers is now on strike after their employer demanded even greater concessions to their modest wages and benefits.

Unionized employees at Infinity Rubber Technology Group Inc. in Toronto decided to strike in response to the company's demands for a 25% pay cut and for the workers to start paying for group insurance benefits.

The company also is demanding other concessions from the workers, who are members of Local 526L of the United Steelworkers (USW).

"These are workers who were earning $20 an hour and they reluctantly agreed to take a $2 hourly wage cut in November 2008," said Bryan Adamczyk , a USW staff representative.

"Now the company is demanding they take a $5-per-hour wage cut and pay 50% of the cost of benefits. With these demands the workers would be earning $13.65 per hour after factoring in cost of benefits for employees."

Most of the workers who were still on the job prior to the strike have more than 20 years of service with Infinity Rubber, formerly known as Biltrite Rubber Inc.

The company had employed more than 100 unionized workers, but the layoff of more than 60 employees left 44 workers prior to the strike.

For further information: Bryan Adamczyk, USW, [phone], ext. 237, [email protected]