Union blockades GM headquarters in Oshawa

ChevyOptra5 · 06-04-2008, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Union members set up a blockade outside General Motors' Canadian headquarters on Wednesday, a day after the automaker announced it was halting production at four factories across North America.
Between 20 and 30 trucks have blocked the entrance to GM's corporate headquarters in Oshawa, Ont., Canadian Auto Workers Local 222 president Chris Buckley told CBC. About 100 union activists and local leaders are gathered at the site.
"Nobody is going into GM’s head office as long as we're standing here today," he said, noting that workers have been allowed to cross the blockade on foot, but not with their vehicles.

continued at link
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/...-blockade.html

FenwickHockey65 · 06-04-2008, 09:51 AM

I knew crap like this was going to happen...yesterday was just a massive truckload of fail for GM...

BurnOut · 06-04-2008, 10:02 AM

Sounds to me like the folks that work in that building need to call the city and have those vehicles towed.

Behavior like this further illustrates that the CAW is a leach that GM needs to get rid of for good.

ChevyOptra5 · 06-04-2008, 10:25 AM

That article says that they are letting people in on foot but the news just said that nobody is being allowed in. They are actually checking people's IDs to see where they work.

I can understand the workers frustration and disappointment at the closing of the plant. But, they must see and realize that GM has been losing billions of dollars over the past few years. To continue building vehicles that are no longer in demand just to appease a few thousand workers will only weaken GM further. What will these workers say if GM went bankrupt? "We saw it coming?"

On the other hand, I am opposed to shifting production from Canada/U.S to Mexico, even if it is cost beneficial. Its one thing to close plants because of lack of demand, its another thing to close plants and shift production elsewhere. Building the VUE and soon the Astra in Mexico, while cheaper, there are plenty of plants in Canada and the U.S. that could have been re-tooled to produce these vehicles.

K-1 · 06-04-2008, 10:25 AM

Such hard-working and loyal employees those CAW folks are...

smokyn454 · 06-04-2008, 10:28 AM

Geez, the company is going bankrupt. Is losing millions of dollars every month. It needs to make cuts somewhere ( any company would ) and its still gimme gimme gimme with the unions.

Why do they feel they are so entitled?

I am in the building business ( engineer ) and I know when the market slows down, I may not have any work. I don't feel entitled and feel I can't lose my job or I can get paid even though I don't work.

Leech is a great term. Get rid of them.

Uzzy · 06-04-2008, 10:45 AM

****ing Retards!

shabodah · 06-04-2008, 10:57 AM

I honestly don't understand how people were unprepared for any of this, nor how unskilled laborers who were making more than twice the normal wage found it so impossible to budget.

member12 · 06-04-2008, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K-1

Such hard-working and loyal employees those CAW folks are...

In all fairness, it was high gas prices that caused these aweful CAFE standards that will be the end of these old plants.

GMfan1111 · 06-04-2008, 11:04 AM

The CAW also claimed that they were "betrayed". Give me a break GM is currently losing millions of dollars and they had to cut corners somewhere. The sale of trucks and especially SUV's are sharply decreasing so why continue to build a vehicle that no one will buy with the way current fuel prices are now.

However the shift of production to Mexico is a questionable move when there are dozens of plants in the U.S and Canada plants that could have been retooled for this purpose

BurnOut · 06-04-2008, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMfan1111

However the shift of production to Mexico is a questionable move when there are dozens of plants in the U.S and Canada plants that could have been retooled for this purpose

If the quality is the same (or close) and costs are lower, there's nothing questionable about it.

GM (literally) can't afford to pay more than they absolutely HAVE to in order to get work done... not if they want to stay in business.

SV6 · 06-04-2008, 11:11 AM

Gas 1.30 a litre and over priced trucks=plant closure..30 dollars a hour labour doesn't help.

K-1 · 06-04-2008, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMfan1111

However the shift of production to Mexico is a questionable move when there are dozens of plants in the U.S and Canada plants that could have been retooled for this purpose

Shift to Mexico? Isn't Silao being shut down too? I think everything is moving to U.S. production.

2003tsport · 06-04-2008, 11:29 AM

All this is going to do is ensure the american truck plants less lay-offs and keep us working more(not much more) but any little ripple like this help

JackDye · 06-04-2008, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K-1

Shift to Mexico? Isn't Silao is being shut down too? I think everything is moving to U.S. production.

No, it was Toluca and only the medium duty trucks are being cut. That is next to nothing in terms of volume.

06-04-2008, 09:51 AM	#2 (permalink)
FenwickHockey65 7.0 Liter LS7 V8 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: West Chester, OH Drives: Chevrolet Malibu LS, GMC Envoy SLE, GMC Sonoma SLS Posts: 5,473	Re: Union blockades GM headquarters in Oshawa I knew crap like this was going to happen...yesterday was just a massive truckload of fail for GM... __________________ Proud to drive American. Proud to drive GM. Current Cars: 2007 Chevrolet Malibu LS: 2.2L ECOTEC I-4 2003 GMC Envoy SLE: 4.2L Vortec 4200 I-6 1998 GMC Sonoma SLS Ext. Cab: 4.3L Vortec 4300 V6 Former Cars: 1993 Saturn SW2 (1993-2006, 243,000 miles) 1989 GMC Safari SLT (1989-2003, 293,000 miles) Future Car: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro 2LT RS: 3.6L DI VVT V6

06-04-2008, 10:02 AM	#3 (permalink)
BurnOut 3.8 Liter V6 Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 371	Re: Union blockades GM headquarters in Oshawa Sounds to me like the folks that work in that building need to call the city and have those vehicles towed. Behavior like this further illustrates that the CAW is a leach that GM needs to get rid of for good. __________________ There seem to be 3 standard union responses to any criticism of the UAW: 1) You're just jealous 2) If the unions go away, the middle class will disappear 3) If the unions go away, everyone will become a company slave None of them are true.

06-04-2008, 10:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
ChevyOptra5 2.0 Liter Supercharged ECOTEC Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Drives: 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT 2004 Chevrolet Optra5 Posts: 131	Re: Union blockades GM headquarters in Oshawa That article says that they are letting people in on foot but the news just said that nobody is being allowed in. They are actually checking people's IDs to see where they work. I can understand the workers frustration and disappointment at the closing of the plant. But, they must see and realize that GM has been losing billions of dollars over the past few years. To continue building vehicles that are no longer in demand just to appease a few thousand workers will only weaken GM further. What will these workers say if GM went bankrupt? "We saw it coming?" On the other hand, I am opposed to shifting production from Canada/U.S to Mexico, even if it is cost beneficial. Its one thing to close plants because of lack of demand, its another thing to close plants and shift production elsewhere. Building the VUE and soon the Astra in Mexico, while cheaper, there are plenty of plants in Canada and the U.S. that could have been re-tooled to produce these vehicles. __________________ Current Ride: 2004 Chevrolet Optra5 (119 Hp 2.0L 4 cyl.) Past Rides: 1992 Geo Storm GSi (140 Hp 1.8L 4 cyl.) Last edited by ChevyOptra5 : 06-04-2008 at 10:52 AM.

06-04-2008, 10:25 AM	#5 (permalink)
K-1 5.3 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Drives: 2008 Saturn ASTRA 5dr XR 2005 Chevrolet Equinox Posts: 1,413	Re: Union blockades GM headquarters in Oshawa Such hard-working and loyal employees those CAW folks are... __________________ 2005 Chevrolet Equinox LT FWD - Silver - Mine 2008 Saturn ASTRA 5-door XR - Sandstone - Hers

06-04-2008, 10:28 AM	#6 (permalink)
smokyn454 3.5 Liter V6 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Big Sky Country Drives: 1999 Tahoe, 13 mpg!!!! Posts: 277	Re: Union blockades GM headquarters in Oshawa Geez, the company is going bankrupt. Is losing millions of dollars every month. It needs to make cuts somewhere ( any company would ) and its still gimme gimme gimme with the unions. Why do they feel they are so entitled? I am in the building business ( engineer ) and I know when the market slows down, I may not have any work. I don't feel entitled and feel I can't lose my job or I can get paid even though I don't work. Leech is a great term. Get rid of them. __________________ Current Whips: 1979 Chevy K10 Stepside (350 4-spd, waiting to be restored) 1999 Chevy Tahoe (good ol' 5.7) 2000 Kawasaki KE 100 Dirt bike (street legal, loud and 90 mpg, woo hoo!) 2006 Pontiac G6 (3.5 daily driver) UPDATE Car took on a deer and suffered some injuries, out of commission until further notice

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06-04-2008, 10:45 AM	#7 (permalink)
Uzzy 5.3 Liter LS4 V8 Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Windsor Ontario, Canada Drives: 2004 Chevy Silverado Z71; 1987 Plymouth Reliant Posts: 3,822	Re: Union blockades GM headquarters in Oshawa **ing Retards! __________________ eXcelon inside ... Aut viam inveniam aut faciam Always Part of the Solution** If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find him, maybe you can hire Uzzy.

06-04-2008, 10:57 AM	#8 (permalink)
shabodah 3.5 Liter V6 Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 280	Re: Union blockades GM headquarters in Oshawa I honestly don't understand how people were unprepared for any of this, nor how unskilled laborers who were making more than twice the normal wage found it so impossible to budget.

06-04-2008, 11:04 AM	#10 (permalink)
GMfan1111 6.0 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: in a undisclosed location somewhere in the metro detroit area Drives: 2001 Chevy Malibu LS Posts: 1,605	Re: Union blockades GM headquarters in Oshawa The CAW also claimed that they were "betrayed". Give me a break GM is currently losing millions of dollars and they had to cut corners somewhere. The sale of trucks and especially SUV's are sharply decreasing so why continue to build a vehicle that no one will buy with the way current fuel prices are now. However the shift of production to Mexico is a questionable move when there are dozens of plants in the U.S and Canada plants that could have been retooled for this purpose __________________ The 100 Mpg Prius is Vaporware “The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair” "A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools". - Douglas Adams - Current ride: 2001 Chevy Malibu LS (happy 95,000 miles )

06-04-2008, 11:11 AM	#12 (permalink)
SV6 2.2 Liter ECOTEC Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Port Hope Ont Canada Drives: 08 Accord EX 91 Si 84 Regal 85 Yamaha FZ750 Posts: 79	Re: Union blockades GM headquarters in Oshawa Gas 1.30 a litre and over priced trucks=plant closure..30 dollars a hour labour doesn't help. __________________ 2008 Accord EX 4dr 5spd(USA made) 1991 Civic Si (made in Canada) 1984 Regal 4dr winter beater Nascar should change its name to IROC http://www.passchendaelethemovie.com/movie/flash.html

06-04-2008, 11:29 AM	#14 (permalink)
2003tsport Walking Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: "Rust Belt" Drives: 2003 Taurus SE Posts: 11	Re: Union blockades GM headquarters in Oshawa All this is going to do is ensure the american truck plants less lay-offs and keep us working more(not much more) but any little ripple like this help

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