by Temporary Layoffs at GM Plant in Oshawa
Production is being scaled back at the General Motors plant in Oshawa, Ontario, leading to temporary layoffs of employees. The changes will begin in June, but they will not be permanent. Representatives from the local union Unifor have confirmed that the layoffs are not related to the policies of former US President Donald Trump.
The rotational layoffs will affect one shift per week, although the exact number of affected employees is not yet known. These are not the first negative changes for the plant – in the fall, GM already plans to transition from three shifts to two, which could lead to the loss of about 700 jobs. The company explains this by refocusing on producing more pickup trucks for the Canadian market.
“Under the terms of the collective agreement, Unifor and GM will meet and review options to prevent or mitigate permanent job loss at Oshawa Assembly,” Unifor said in a statement.
Reaction from Authorities and Unions
The Oshawa plant currently produces the Chevy Silverado 1500 and Silverado HD pickup trucks. Unifor is calling on Canadian Prime Minister Carney to hold urgent meetings with the heads of automakers operating in the country. Ontario Premier Doug Ford is also actively commenting on the situation, promising to protect the interests of local workers.
Sources report that the temporary layoffs are related to the transition to new models, which is standard practice in the automotive industry. However, the scale of the upcoming changes is causing concern among both employees and government representatives.
