Union blockades GM headquarters in Oshawa

[Uzzy]

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

What is shifting to Mexico? Tolouca is being closed and Silao builds SUVs, Oshawa builds Pick-ups.

[jkennedy293]

Is it the 1930's already? When do they start carrying baseball bats, and assaulting people and property? These people need to grow up. If they kept Oshawa open, then they would have to close another plant. People are going to be out of a job either way. It sucks for them, but I'm sure it wasn't personal.

[K-1]

Originally Posted by JackDye

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

That could be right, my bad if so (I've only seen Silao mentioned). Ft. Wayne is still open and higher output than Oshawa anyway, plus no currency pains.

[K-1]

Originally Posted by jkennedy293

Is it the 1930's already? When do they start carrying baseball bats, and assaulting people and property? These people need to grow up. If they kept Oshawa open, then they would have to close another plant. People are going to be out of a job either way. It sucks for them, but I'm sure it wasn't personal.

That's what I'm waiting for too... buncha degenerates.

[JT87]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

What is shifting to Mexico? Tolouca is being closed and Silao builds SUVs, Oshawa builds Pick-ups.

Silao is getting the Hybrid Pickups, and possibly the Diesel program as well.

[eaton53]

Maybe they should go blockade Buzz's driveway...

[Perian]

GM must tread lightly here. There is too much to lose.

Imagine what the CAW can do to Camaro production.

It may make the Malibu "production disruption" look like a cake-walk.

[Vladimir1978]

Not even 8 weeks ago the CAW and GM finished a new contract guaranteeing a floor level of employees at the Oshawa plant, which also included government subsidies from both the provincial and federal wings in order to keep the jobs where they were. GM took this money and signed a contract, not even 8 weeks ago I remind you, in good faith, and now they're backing out of a deal that they agreed to, and it's the unions that are being greedy?

Do you honestly believe that decisions like this happen overnight? GM bargained in bad faith and will now take it from all sides- the union, the media, and most importantly, the public.

[a_v_s]

Originally Posted by Vladimir1978

Do you honestly believe that decisions like this happen overnight? GM bargained in bad faith and will now take it from all sides- the union, the media, and most importantly, the public.

I suppose... But what were gas prices like 8 weeks ago? Around here it's been going up a few cents every day for a long time... Some days it goes up by 10 cents or more. A few times I've seen it go up by 20 cents in one day. Heck, I've even seen it go up in price twice on the same day.

A year ago we though $3/gallon was as high as it was going to go. Now people are saying $4.00... But it's already hovering around $4.50 around here. And diesel around here is $5.00.

[Vladimir1978]

Originally Posted by a_v_s

I suppose... But what were gas prices like 8 weeks ago? Around here it's been going up a few cents every day for a long time... Some days it goes up by 10 cents or more. A few times I've seen it go up by 20 cents in one day. Heck, I've even seen it go up in price twice on the same day.

A year ago we though $3/gallon was as high as it was going to go. Now people are saying $4.00... But it's already hovering around $4.50 around here. And diesel around here is $5.00.

If GM is making decisions based on 8 week swings in gas prices, they're in a lot more trouble than even the pessimists imagine.

And for the record, gas 8 weeks ago wasn't that much cheaper.

[TJ95GAGT]

How is this legal? Is that in the unions contract that they can block the entrances to the head quarters? Do they think its a right or something?

It sucks that jobs are going to be lost but atleast they are getting notice of a job loss, most folks don't get that.

[Gagarin]

Originally Posted by a_v_s

I suppose... But what were gas prices like 8 weeks ago? Around here it's been going up a few cents every day for a long time... Some days it goes up by 10 cents or more. A few times I've seen it go up by 20 cents in one day. Heck, I've even seen it go up in price twice on the same day.

A year ago we though $3/gallon was as high as it was going to go. Now people are saying $4.00... But it's already hovering around $4.50 around here. And diesel around here is $5.00.

It's NOT ABOUT gas prices. 8 weeks ago there were still 120+ days of inventory of GMT900s... nothing of substance has changed between the contract signing and now.

I don't like this move by GM. Yesterday had a ton of 'fail' for GM.

Here's how the labor contract / plant closing thing probably went:

1. There's a team formed looking into closing GMT 900 plants. They'll report back in early June.
2. But CAW needed to have a contract before then. American Axle problems too. Need to get the contracts signed before more things start happening. The GMT 900 investigating team hasn't reported back yet, so we'll proceed and see what happens.
3. Well, looks like the CAW GMT900 plant is going to close afterall.

(I don't like it, but I don't know if that's in AS bad faith, but it certainly wasn't in GOOD faith).

[paul8488]

If they did sign a contract guaranteeing future product then GM most certainly acted in bad faith. It doesn't matter if the Oshawa plant is of high quality or not... it doesn't matter if people 'really want' the plant to stay open... it's about GM going back on a deal that they and the CAW signed in good faith.

I think this is pretty shady on GM's behalf. As someone else said, if a few weeks ago they were planning new product for this plant and yesterday they changed their minds than the fundemental problems with GM are even more serious than we thought. If they can't plan 8 weeks out (and I thought that the contract was signed only a few weeks ago?!?) then there's no hope for them over the long term.

Watch GM sales tank next month even further. Canadians are going to take their furstrations out on GM for sure, and it's pretty well deserved.

If I were home right now I don't know how I could, in good faith, try to convince someone to buy a Cobalt over a Civic.

[GMC-70]

What do you guys expect the workers to do? Lay down and take it in the @ss?? These guys are losing their livelyhood and I am sure most of us would feel the same if something like this happened at your place of employment.

This gas crisis is really starting to bring down the economy big time! The ripples are starting to turn into full fledged waves and I really think we may be headed for big trouble shortly.

Everyone could bash GM all they want for not forecasting correctly, but when one of the last truly large American industries is being killed it's not the time for applause. It's time for someone to step up, take notice, and come up with a plan to straighten this ***** out.

Its not only the American auto manufacturers that are in trouble---we all are!

[TJ95GAGT]

When a union strikes, is that going back on a signed contract that was signed in good faith?