TORONTO – With the strike fast deadline approaching, the Canadian Auto Workers say no progress has been made in contract talks with General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler.
   
C-A-W president Ken Lewenza says the automakers are flat out refusing to back down from their proposals to reduce fixed costs.
   
Among other things, they’re demanding a new pay scale that would prevent new hires from ever reaching the current top pay level.
   
Lewenza says the union has been flexible, but the companies remain entrenched in their bargaining positions.
   
The automakers argue that Canada has become the most expensive country in the world in which to build cars and trucks — and they’ve dropped broad hints about moving production south to reduce costs.
   
A strike could start at 11:59 Monday night, and the C-A-W has warned that it may target more than one of the automakers.
   
Lewenza, meantime, says the strike deadline could be extended if progress is made at contract talks in Toronto.