The union representing striking Cami autoworkers says General Motors is making plans to ramp up production of the Chevrolet Equinox SUV in Mexico.
About 2,800 Cami Unifor workers in Ingersoll have been on strike for three weeks. Job security is a main issue in the dispute.
Unifor National president Jerry Dias says GM has declared “war on Canada" by ramping up production of its Equinox to do more work currently done at the CAMI plant.
Dias says GM’s threat during labour negotiations is a `”slap in the face'' to Canada and the United States.
Diaz says as many as 30,000 workers in the auto parts sector will be negatively affected.
“If they think they can declare war on Canada and we are going to sit back and let it happen, they are drastically fooling themselves.”
Mike Van Boekel, Unfor’s plant chairperson at Cami says the union was notified Wednesday evening of the company’s plans. “They are already doing the logistics of moving it."
He says the union is still negotiating with the company. “We’re still in talks.”
Dias has said Unifor will not back any deals unless they're confident that more jobs won't be shifted to Mexican plants.
