OSHAWA – Unifor members are saddened by the end of an era as vehicle production at General Motors Oshawa will cease this week after operating for more than a century.

“General Motors’ decision to stop vehicle production at the birthplace of GM Canada is devastating to workers, many of whom come from GM families who have been at the plant for generations,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “There is no question that this is a difficult time for workers, for our union and for the people of Oshawa.”

Final production of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra will wind down this week, bringing the storied assembly line to a halt.

In November 2018, General Motors announced plans to close the award-winning Oshawa plant. Following an aggressive multi-media campaign by Unifor the union secured an agreement from GM to maintain a manufacturing footprint in Oshawa, commit to parts manufacturing and to create an advanced vehicle testing track at the site.

“I want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the members who built General Motors into a world leading manufacturer,” said Dias. “We’re not giving up on that legacy and when we face GM in negotiations next year job creation will be a priority for our union.”

The plant will transition to parts manufacturing operations and produce service parts such as doors, hoods, fenders, tailgates, and deck lids. Unifor believes there are new business opportunities that GM should aggressively pursue to expand work in Oshawa, including past-model parts production and products for other automotive industry customers.

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

REGINA—Co-op Refinery’s unfounded allegations against its unionized workers is a desperate attempt to distract attention away from the unsafe operation of one of Western Canada’s largest refineries.

“Nearly eight hundred highly skilled refinery workers are locked out of Co-op Refinery. The impact this has on refinery safety is, without a doubt, the most dangerous situation in Regina,” said Scott Doherty, Executive Assistant to the Unifor National President.

Co-op Refinery locked out members of Unifor Local 594 on December 5, throwing the job site into chaos as a skeleton crew of managers and replacement workers with little to no experience run a dangerous facility. On December 8, the company began the unsafe task of ferrying in supplies and workers by helicopter without a proper helipad onsite.

In the meantime, Unifor’s legal picket lines have been allowing fuel trucks to enter and exit the facility in a safe and orderly fashion.

The labour dispute began after Local 594 members refused to agree to aggressive demands for concessions from the company that would have gut the pension plan.

“Federated Co-op has made a mockery of co-operative values and betrayed their members’ trust. Co-op members and other members of the public should consider taking their business elsewhere to protest this attack on our pensions,” said Kevin Bittman, President of Unifor Local 594.