Unifor, the Canadian trade union which represents GM Canada autoworkers, is set to begin negotiations with General Motors next week.
Unifor recently announced that it had secured a $1.5 billion electric vehicle investment with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), with the automaker agreeing to invest in a multi-energy vehicle platform at the Windsor Assembly Plant. The plant will assemble both battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles, with at least one new model expected by 2025.
Late last month, Unifor also announced that it had ratified an “historic agreement” with Ford Motor Company that included nearly $2 billion in investments, with $1.8 billion slated to retool and build new battery electric vehicles in Oakville, and $148 million for the Windsor powertrain facility.
“This is the single biggest investment in the Canadian auto industry in years providing long-term job security for Unifor members,” said Unifor National President, Jerry Dias, during the announcement of the Ford deal last month.
Just last week, GM Canada announced it was resuming construction on a new Advanced Technology Track in Oshawa, Ontario, after progress was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new facility is located near the GM Oshawa Assembly plant, and will serve as a development center for a variety of up-and-coming technologies, including advanced driver assistance systems, autonomous vehicle systems, vehicle motion embedded controls, and more. The new test track will be part of a cluster of GM engineering hubs known as the Canadian Technology Centre, or CTC.
General Motors also operates the CAMI Assembly facility in Ingersoll, Ontario, which produces the Chevrolet Equinox.
Oshawa Assembly
Meanwhile, vehicle production at General Motors’ Oshawa plant was closed in December of last year, with limited parts production and metal stamping retained following closure of the assembly line. A new documentary titled Company Town documents the effect that that plant closure had on workers and the local community.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, GM Canada reconfigured the Oshawa facility to produce face masks, and celebrated its one millionth face mask produced last July.
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Comments
I loved my 2017 CHEVY HIGH COUNTY, but there was an issue with it the transmission. I took it back to dealer, they flush the convertor 6 times and still had the same problem. I hear about issues in 2016, but GM has alway been good about resolving this issue so I sold it. I like to read if this was ever resolve so I can buy another.
I hope Jerry Diaz is a bit more calmed down , resolute, objective, and a bit less agressive in tone ,than when GM left and their previous handshakes and promised committments were broken by Detroit on our truck plant and Oshawa Assembly after loaning them $10 billion to avoid bankruptcy and facilitate at the time the new Camaro in the Oshawa Assembly modern facility .Hopefully Detroit negotiators will be present , For Unifor Proposed feasibility plan on bring Oshawa Assembly back on line as a EV , Hybrid vehicle or overflow build build facility surrounded by small Engineering Technical centers on using electric vehicles in harsh climate conditions and a new viable work force for the 21 century and beyond !
Jerry it’s Time for a “Home Run “ for Oshawa