Unifor holds fire amid bid to save Ontario jobs

SUSPENDS AD BLITZ

TORONTO • Unifor Canada has suspended its negative ad blitz against General

Motors Co. amid new hope it can save some jobs at the century-old manufacturing plant in Oshawa, Ontario.

Officials from the union and the automaker met in Detroit on Tuesday to discuss the future of the plant, one of five in North America slated to close this year as part of a US$6-billion restructuring plan.

While Unifor national president Jerry Dias acknowledged that GM does not intend to manufacture vehicles in Oshawa beyond December — Unifor has previously fought for a production extension and refused to consider the decision a done deal — he said he’s optimistic about maintaining a footprint in Ottawa after three weeks of constructive talks with GM.

“Do I believe a vehicle is going to fall out of the sky in the next few months so we can start building another vehicle? The answer to that is no.

“But are there opportunities? The answer is yes,” Dias said in an interview where he described Tuesday’s meeting with GM’s senior leadership as “pivotal.”

“It really is about saving as many jobs as we can and that’s the type of discussion we’re having right now.”

It’s not clear exactly what type of work could become available in Oshawa, but the union said the parties are discussing potential ways to transform operations to maintain a base level of hourly employment in the short- and long-term.

GM Canada spokesman David Paterson agreed that discussions have been productive, but would not answer questions on potential future work citing the ongoing bargaining.

he said GM is focused on “taking care of our people,” whether that means generating new jobs or matching them with jobs other companies have offered.

The Oshawa assembly plant manufactures the Chevrolet Impala, Cadillac XTS and Silverado and Sierra trucks. It employs nearly 3,000 people.

When GM announced the planned closures last November, the union launched a media campaign blasting it for axing production in the U.S. and Canada to build more vehicles in Mexico.

Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized GM on Twitter for shutting one of its facilities in Detroit.

On Tuesday, GM announced plans to invest US$2.65 billion in two plants in Brazil.