The workers at the Oshawa Assembly Plant in Ontario are once again about to bear the brunt of a series of layoffs by GM as the automaker shifts pickup production to its U.S. facilities in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump and his 25-percent tariffs on foreign-produced autos.
Just a few weeks away now, GM will start rotational layoffs at Oshawa in June 2025, though these are not additional to the 700 layoffs announced earlier according to Automotive News Canada.
Three shifts will continue to operate during summer 2025 despite the rotational layoffs as GM prepares for the start of regular production (SORP) of 2026 model-year vehicles. The return of two shifts will only occur in autumn once all of the necessary retooling is complete. Worker scheduling during this interim period will be “irregular,” however.
While GM spoke of the 2026 model year, the president of the Unifor labor union in Canada, Lana Payne, laid the full blame at the feet of the Trump administration. Payne said the rotational summer layoffs are “especially disappointing” because of the upcoming reduction from three shifts to two. She remarked that GM’s plans are “leaving workers facing increased instability and uncertainty” and added that the cause of the situation is “all tariffs.”
The General uses the Oshawa facility to produce the light-duty Chevy Silverado 1500 as well as the heavy-duty Chevy Silverado HD. The stepdown from three shifts to two will take total yearly production levels from over 150,000 to around 100,000 pickups.
Meanwhile, the GM Fort Wayne assembly plant in Indiana will activate its idle capacity to increase production by about 20 percent annually. This amounts to approximately 50,000 trucks, the number by which Oshawa production is expected to drop as a result of the reinstated two-shift regime. GM CEO Mary Barra said the automaker is “making a commitment that we are going to bring more production back to this country to build on what we already have.”
Unifor President Lana Payne
GM plans to “review options to prevent or mitigate permanent job loss at Oshawa Assembly” in upcoming talks with representatives of the Unifor union.
In addition to the 700 direct layoffs at the plant, 1,500 supplier employees are expected to lose their jobs this autumn as a domino effect from the reduced production.
Comments
Will it be possible for Canadians to avoid tariffs by purchasing a truck made in Oshawa, Canada?
When Canada lowers tariffs the US will too. Your move Canada!
The big orange Cheeto was the one who implemented tariffs first. He’s also stated many times “there’s nothing Canada can do”. He’s made it pretty clear he’ll just do whatever he wants.
Dear daniel. Crazy is as crazy does, trump started the trade war. Not canada .
You probably also still believe in da Easter bunny and Santa claws, you poor misguided
Soul , we hear your cry for help, still hope for you, your move,
l
Correct Daniel!
Equal playing field! No tariffs for Canada or U.S. that’s what Trump wants. You decide Canadians.
If trump wants no tariffs why did implement them tnt y6ou are imploding, you must be
Related to Daniel please see my reply to Daniel. You two are monkey see monkey do,