General Motors Plant in Oshawa, Ontario

[David Dunlop]

There are a number of items circulating in the Canadian media this morning about the possible closing of the GM Oshawa Plant at the end of the next fiscal year.

Apparently, no production plans are on the books for this plant following December, 2019, which is unusual in its own right, and the Union representing the plant has been called in for meetings later today.

David

[chris vickery]

Yeah, really nice to know that as a taxpayer, the Federal government bailed these guys out with billions in loans forgiven only to have them turn around and close up shop. A sad day for the people of Oshawa and it's workforce.

[Peter Phillips]

Great timing GM, right before Christmas!
Funny how this has caught the attention of the Canadian people and the PM. Alberta lost jobs to the equivalent of 2.5 GM plants per month last year alone, and it hardly warrants a peep?
I feel that it's only in the spotlight due to the bailout and the attachment to organized labour, i.e. union employees.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by chris vickery

Yeah, really nice to know that as a taxpayer, the Federal government bailed these guys out with billions in loans forgiven only to have them turn around and close up shop. A sad day for the people of Oshawa and it's workforce.

Just as with Bombardier, why do people think that a bailout would make a broken business model viable. Markets and methods change....trying to keep doing the same things after a bailout as you were doing before a bailout is not going to work out any better.

Shame it had to come to this, but you change with the times or join the dinosaurs.

[chris vickery]

Peter, the plight of Alberta workers is well known out here in Ontario as well. Personally I feel for all Canadian workers regardless of who or where they work.
Rob, you are very right. As far as I'm concerned, major corporations use scare tactics no different than extortion when it comes to negotiations with the Feds. If a company cannot run a business profitably on their own dime then they should not be in business. Canadian Taxpayers deserve better.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by chris vickery

Rob, you are very right.

Words my wife will never utter!

[motto]

GM and Ford are doing the same thing in Australia. The knock on affect of plant closure is also enormous as the supporting industries shrivel up and die.
Just how do you compete with countries that have a work force based on a lower standard of living without devolving to a similar level? Throw into the mix AI and robots and the future of the working man doesn't look to bright.
I don't like to talk doom and gloom but I see no obvious answers to the problem.
It seems that industrialisation has run its course and we wait to see what technology can deliver.

David