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The president of Canada's largest private sector union has expressed concern that General Motors will be directed to "total divestment" in Canada if it were allowed to close its badembly plant in Oshawa.
But Jerry Dias, president of Unifor – the successor to the Canadian Auto Workers union, now gone – said he hoped for a solution after a one-hour meeting with the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his badociates this afternoon.
"He will certainly roll up his sleeves, talk to General Motors and do everything in his power to get their attention," Dias said of Trudeau.
"The Prime Minister does not see him as a accomplished fact – He'll roll up his sleeves and fight with us. "
Dias said Trudeau had told him he had spoken with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday earlier about GM's plan to shut down the factory. Dias said Trudeau and Trump should pursue a coordinated binational strategy to prevent GM from shutting down its factories in Oshawa, Ohio, Michigan and Maryland.
Dias is asking for new rates on all vehicles made in Mexico by GM. While GM is cutting in Canada and the United States, the company is increasing its investment in Mexico, where it now builds nearly a million vehicles a year.
Dias said that without government intervention, GM will eventually close all its operations in Canada. He pointed out that if Oshawa closed, there would only be one GM badembly plant, that of Ingolls, Ontario, which badembles a vehicle also manufactured in Mexico.
"We have a major problem: if, in fact, GM completes its divestment plan in Canada, the auto parts industry will collapse," he said.
Dias wants GM to transfer the production of another vehicle to Oshawa to prevent the closure of its plant. If GM does not reverse his decision, his workers are ready to take protracted actions.
Dias said he would meet with his US counterpart, the president of United Automobile Workers, to discuss actions in common against the company.
Dias said Canada could not afford to sit idly by while the Detroit-based manufacturer is transferring more vehicle production to low-wage countries like Mexico.
"They do not close our damn factory without a fight of hell," he said. "Our plant in Oshawa will not close and we will do whatever is necessary.We are sick and tired of seeing our work in Mexico.
"We will do anything to stop that, we need a very aggressive strategy."
The union leader has friendly relations with the federal Liberal government. he worked closely with Ottawa in renegotiating NAFTA with the United States and Mexico.
Trudeau and Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains said the government was ready to support the 2,500 workers affected by the closure, but they both said GM seemed reluctant to change their minds. on the closure of Oshawa as part of a broader global restructuring.
GM said the closures announced Monday are needed due to changing consumer buying habits.
The Oshawa plant produces the Chevrolet Impala, a once-popular sedan that has seen its sales plummet in recent years as North American car buyers increasingly favor light trucks and SUVs.
Oshawa has been manufacturing cars since 1908.
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