REPORT: Workers in Oshawa, Ontario threaten strike against GM
Workers at the General Motors assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario have given the automaker until this fall to confirm that additional models will be built there, or else... STRIKE! The Oshawa plant currently builds the Chevy Impala and Buick LaCrosse, and is scheduled to build the Chevy Camaro when it enters production in February of 2009, but that's it. Other rear-wheel-drive products were also promised, but because of the weak dollar and new CAFE regulations, GM is apparently rethinking whether those vehicles will be built at all. Apparently back in 2006, the Canadian Auto Workers union agreed to concessions to reduce costs, convert to a more flexible manufacturing process and guarantee that future vehicles would be built at the plant. They're now claiming that GM wants additional concessions to secure those future vehicles, and all GM has to say is that "future products for Oshawa are in flux." According to CAW, it has until this fall to make those future product not in flux, or else the General will have another strike on its hands to deal with.
[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Steve 5:40PM (1/25/2008)
Wouldnt a strike be exactly what they want right now?
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AlexP 5:40PM (1/25/2008)
That's funny, because Hargrove said a couple of days ago that GM was committed to keeping the Oshawa plant up.
That guy flip-flops damn much.
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mk 5:42PM (1/25/2008)
Wow. The automotive trifecta from hell.
Pressure group unions. (striking if they don't get their way)
Idiot management from corporate headquarters (cancelling cars that might actually sell)
And meddlesome over-regulatory government (making it all the more difficult, when they should keep the hell out.)
I hope you Camaro fans are ready for another possible delay, as if it wasn't late enough to the party already, and if CAFE allows it to show up at all, despite all the planning. A strike and delay may be enough to push this project over a cliff that CAFE is pushing it up to, and GM is at the helm not knowing which direction is which.
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RealityCheck 8:15PM (1/25/2008)
I am not pro union but they made deep income cuts to please GM. They call that a contract in the real world and GM needs the Camero, so thats called preasure. The dollar is making it hard on everyone but GM needs to fix a problem that they made not the union this time. GM needs relacements for the two cars that they are droing so they better put the Flex part of the plant to work I say. Canada is no longer a cheap place to make cars and they will now have to deal with a strong Canadian dollar, life sucks when you have a good economy.
Whitie 4:52PM (1/26/2008)
RealityCheck, exactly what "deep income cuts" did the union make to "please" GM? Specifically, please name a UAW member that is making less money to please GM. Buzz and Middlefinger make it sound like the "UAW brothers and sisters" have spilled blood to add to the bottom line of the Big 3. So what if they step into the 20th century by making some token co-pays. The UAW has sacrificed precious little as they continue to put a strangle hold on GM, Ford and Chrysler. The UAW (in the US) now get their health care funded or life. How exactly was that a "cost concession"? UAW can retire any time they like (with 30 years seniority) with full pension and medical, but the Big 3 would have to buy them out in order to get them the h-ll out the door. How is that a concession?
Judy Zik 1:06PM (1/27/2008)
On top of the concessions from the union the Ontario Government also gave GM a significant amount of money to upgrade to flex manufacturing with the promise that new jobs would be created in Oshawa. Instead GM made massive job cuts and now people are questioning the future of the plant since GM wont commit to future products right now. All this at a plant that has won quality award after award. Hargrove is an idiot. But GM is being an ass in Oshawa.
tankd0g 5:42PM (1/25/2008)
I can see GM cutting the CAW loose. Just in time for the US dollar to rebound.
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Tkc23 5:42PM (1/25/2008)
ummm you do know that the Camaro is starting production this FALL NOT FEBRUARY! the car is comming out in the FIRST QUARTER of 09
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tankd0g 5:45PM (1/25/2008)
Is it going to build itself?
Todd 6:46PM (1/25/2008)
Yes because they're all transformers.
Tkc23 5:51PM (1/25/2008)
no because GM isnt a stupid company they would end come to agreement before they start bringing stuff in or they just move it to a new plant =D
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Dad 5:59PM (1/25/2008)
"General will have another strike on its hands to deal with"
Where are the other strikes?
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Derek 5:55PM (1/25/2008)
Hand out the pink slips as they walk out then start placing help wanted ads.
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TriShield 6:09PM (1/25/2008)
GM has already begun tooling Oshawa to build a substantial of RWD cars on a modified version of Holden's new RWD chassis.
The first car is the Camaro which is up to 100,000 units per year (hopefully) and the second was to be the new Impala they've been working on the past two years. That's supposed even more units than the Camaro.
GM is throwing the plan in flux blaming CAFE. It will be interesting to see if they end up doing the RWD Impala anyway considering how far along it already is and the backlash created by putting it on hold.
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espo19047 8:08PM (1/25/2008)
I agree with trishield. The rwd Impala will be built. The CAW are the only ones falling for what Lutz is putting out there.
sydbot 6:40PM (1/25/2008)
What is CAFE supposed to be at by 2016 anyways? Is there a required climb up the rungs every year until 2020 at 35 mpg, is it just, "hey its 2020, we're at 35 mpg"? I'm sure that GM could get away with building 5-6 years of Zetas and still make CAFE.
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ph39 8:11PM (1/25/2008)
yes - the cafe steps up each year (probably about 4% per year) but its not totally defined yet
tankd0g 3:58AM (1/26/2008)
And so what if they don't? They pay fines which are funneled back to the domestic automakers anyway. It's all a big scare tactic by Bob to get more out of the unions.
RealityCheck 8:49PM (1/25/2008)
I am not sure what is worse people who don't care about other people or people that think they are better, which kind of person are you?
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Reality Check 9:15PM (1/25/2008)
But can they sell enough RWD cars to make a profit for 5 to 6 years?
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