General Motors said it plans to support its Oshawa workers by providing them with funding for employee retraining to help prepare them for new jobs, according to a GM Canada news release.
The news follows GM’s announcement to close its Oshawa assembly plant in 2019. The financial support is aimed at helping affected workers prepare for “more than 2,400 good, available new jobs” expected to open in the Durham Region area in 2019 and 2020.
“My priority is to have a transition plan for every Oshawa Assembly employee,” said GM Canada president and managing director, Travis Hester. “We will work with our community colleges, universities, the government and all interested local employers, to make this happen and we are committing millions of dollars from GM Canada to support this effort.”
The closure of the Oshawa plant will reportedly eliminate nearly 3,000 jobs. A coalition of local partners are preparing training programs and job fairs to help these workers transition to a career that suit their skills. GM Canada is also working with Unifor and its partners to improve the situation.
Days before GM’s financial support announcement, Unifor launched a #SaveOshawaGM campaign — a call to Canadians across the nation to help support autoworkers and retain automotive jobs in Canada. “Together we can send a clear message to General Motors that we do not, and will not, accept this unprincipled act of corporate greed,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
The union even unveiled a “Tree of Hope” in Oshawa’s Memorial Park and decorated it with #SaveOshawaGM ornaments.
Based on GM’s news release, the company and its community partners have so far identified:
- 300 open jobs for auto technicians at GM dealerships in Ontario
- 100 jobs that will be open at GM’s other facilities in Ontario
- And 2,000 jobs in energy and other industries in Durham
Furthermore, a local initiative will be launched in the new year by Durham College. This initiative will help auto workers find job openings, learn more about new careers, and begin training plans to ensure a smooth career transition. Online tools will also be made available.
