Unifor has been talking to GM since February 25, 2019, in an effort to save as many jobs as possible in Oshawa.

Unifor officials, including National President Jerry Dias, met with senior General Motors officials to constructively negotiate a way to preserve jobs in Oshawa.

“I am much more confident today than I was a month ago that together we will find a resolution,” said Dias. “While some of our members qualify for retirement, others need ongoing good paying jobs to support their families. We are committed to working with GM to find solutions for both.”

While GM has made it clear that vehicle manufacturing will not be extended beyond December 2019, the company has agreed to continue talks with Unifor over the next few weeks to find a viable alternative solution for current employees. So far, Unifor is examining the potential to transform operations to maintain base-level hourly employment. Dias is hopeful that a deal will be reached soon.

In light of these ongoing talks, Unifor has suspended its multi-media campaign against the company. The Union had run several ads criticizing the company for its decision to close the Oshawa Assembly plant and encouraging consumers to boycott GM vehicles built in Mexico.