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GM Cuts Workers at Canada Truck Plant, Citing Trade Turmoil
Ontario Plant to Be Retooled for Trucks for Canadian Market
A General Motors Co. assembly plant in Canada that makes pickup trucks mostly for export to the U.S. will cut down to two shifts from three because of the “evolving trade environment.”
The automaker said it’s reorienting the factory in Oshawa, Ontario, to build more trucks for the Canadian market. The plant is the only GM facility in the country that still produces a consumer vehicle; another GM factory in Ontario makes electric commercial vans, but it’s set to be idled for months.
U.S. President Donald Trump implemented tariffs on foreign-made autos in early April, though the administration had made changes to soften the blow for auto companies. On May 1, General Motors cut its full-year profit outlook due to as much as $5 billion of exposure to auto tariffs, among the biggest financial hits revealed by any company so far from the trade war.
Two of GM’s four large pickup plants are located outside the U.S., including the Oshawa plant, which makes the Chevrolet Silverado.
“We’ve got about 6 months to get this reversed. We’ll be spending every single day fighting to make sure that understands this decision is not in their best interest & it’s certainly not in the best interest of our members and of autoworkers in the country,” says — Unifor (@UniforTheUnion)
The union representing workers at the plant criticized the move. Unifor National President Lana Payne called the decision “reckless” and said it would ripple through the entire auto-parts supplier network.
“GM needs to reverse this short-sighted move before more damage is done,” she said in a statement.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a social media post that the province “will continue doing everything we can to support a strong future for the facility and its workers.”
Today’s news from GM is extremely tough for the workers in Oshawa and their families. These are hardworking people who have helped build Ontario’s auto industry. GM has reaffirmed its commitment to the Oshawa plant, which will continue building Ontario-made trucks for years to… — Doug Ford (@fordnation)
Unifor’s statement noted that GM is required to meet with the union to discuss options to mitigate job losses. The union plans to also ask if a plant in St. Catharines, Ontario, that supplies engines to the Oshawa factory will be affected by the May 2 decision.
