205,882 visitors at Montreal International Auto Show

MONTREAL, Jan. 22, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ -

The 44^th Edition of the Montreal International Auto Show (MIAS) closed its doors after welcoming 205,882 visitors over a period of 10 days, between January 13 and 22, 2012.

Auto Show President, Mr. Pascal Dandurand, commented that the show has become a tradition to Montrealers and Quebecers.

"Our objective was to present entertaining and diversified attractions to please all our visitors!" he stated.

This year, the Performance Zone impressed visitors with 40 modified vehicles that have been lavished with incomparable creativity. The real show-stopper was The Bugatti Veyron GS.

The Légendes de la route has retraced the evolution of some of the most iconic automobiles ever created. Nine amazing models, from the French Historia tv series Légendes de la route, were on display on level 5.

Once again, three days were dedicated to Breast Cancer. For each visitor who was wearing pink, $2 were given to the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation (QBCF). The Show will donate a total of $2,066 for this worthy cause.

The Charity Preview evening, whose spokesperson this year was well-known comedian José Gaudet, was a resounding success. The event allowed organizers to raise $527,861.01 to benefit five worthy causes within the Greater Montreal's medical community: Foundation du CHUM, Montréal Sacré-Coeur Hospital Foundation, MUHC-McGill University Health Centre Foundation, Pierre-Boucher Hospital Foundation and Santa Cabrini Hospital Foundation. Since it premiered back in January of 2005, the event has raised more than $2.8 million for various foundations of the Greater Montreal's health care community; an achievement of which the automotive industry is extremely proud!

CAW Union Serves 72-Hour Strike Notice at Viking Air

VICTORIA, BC, Jan. 16, 2012 /CNW/

Newswire.ca recently shared that the Canadian Auto Workers union (CAW) served a 72 hour strike notice on Jan. 16, 2012 at the bargaining table with Viking Air. Viking Air is an aircraft manufacturing and repair firm based on Vancouver Island near Sidney, British Columbia. CAW currently represents a bargaining unit of 270 workers at Viking Air including aircraft mechanics, machinists, sheet metal mechanics, painters, welders, stores persons and labourers.

"The skilled workers at Viking Air have been patiently waiting for well over a year for a new contract that addresses wages, benefits and job security issues," said CAW National Representative Gavin McGarrigle. "The union reached a new contract with Cascade Aerospace in Abbotsford last year without any disruption and that pattern should work for Viking Air as well," he added.

The workers at Viking Air voted 94 per cent in favour of strike action on October 28, 2011.

"We're going to work hard in bargaining this week to reach a fair deal as a strike at Viking Air will completely disrupt production and further delay deliveries of many new Twin Otter aircraft that are already behind schedule," said McGarrigle.