Oshawa GM Plant and its Workers Facing Deep Uncertainty - Again
For over a century, Oshawa, Ontario has embodied the working-class soul of the Canadian automotive industry. Museums, murals, and even the local hockey team — the Oshawa Generals, its name inspired by General Motors — bear witness to a history deeply rooted in the auto sector.
But Oshawa, forged by generations of General Motors workers, is facing an unprecedented threat. The cause, of course, the U.S. administration's 25-percent tariffs slapped on imported vehicles. Many workers believe the danger they pose is more serious than previous crises.
An already weakened industry
Auto production in Oshawa has seen its share of ups and downs. The hardest blow dates to 2019, when GM halted production for nearly two years, plunging thousands of families into uncertainty.
Today, even though the plant has been producing Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks again since 2021, the shadow of American tariffs hangs like a sword of Damocles. Jeff Gray, president of Local 222 of the Unifor workers’ union, sums up the situation as follows:
"This time, it's not a conventional battle. It's a fight against one man and his administration."
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