GM Oshawa Workers End Final Shift Amid Layoffs

Hundreds of workers at the General Motors (GM) Oshawa Assembly Complex wrapped up their last shift early Friday morning, signaling the end of the plant’s third shift and the start of significant layoffs that will impact the region’s auto industry.

The final midnight shift concluded at 6:30 a. m. on Friday, marking a pivotal moment for over 700 GM employees and leading to additional job losses across the supply chain.

“At the end of our shift, you know, we said our goodbyes and wrapped it up,” one Oshawa GM worker shared with Breakfast Television outside the plant. “Some people are sad… People have to find new jobs, and, unfortunately, that sucks… It’s upsetting.”

While some senior workers will be able to “bump” into remaining shifts according to union rules, Unifor states that most affected employees won’t have that option.

Oshawa, Ontario, Canada – July 01, 2019: Sign of General Motors on the bridge at the GM Oshawa Car Assembly facility.

The cuts come during a time of great frustration for workers who feel they’re bearing the brunt of rising trade tensions between Canada and the United States. The U. S. administration’s 25 percent tariff on Canadian-built vehicles has changed production strategies across the industry – and many in Oshawa believe they are feeling those effects directly.

“They’re worried about how they’re going to pay their bills and provide for their families. It’s scary. It’s not good right now inside that plant,” GM Chairperson Chris Waugh said on Friday.

“We need a government right now to focus on the United States of America and not every other country. Ninety percent of our trucks… Ontario really trades with the United States of America. We need a trade deal with the United States of America, not China, not Korea.”

GM announced in May its decision to cut out the third shift, which coincided with plans to ramp up Silverado production at its Fort Wayne facility in Indiana. The Oshawa plant manufactures both light- and heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks.

The layoffs were also reported during a week when GM revealed over $12 billion in pre-tax earnings for 2025 along with intentions to increase shareholder returns through dividend hikes and a $6 billion stock buyback – news that has heightened dissatisfaction among workers facing job loss.

In a statement, GM mentioned it has collaborated with Unifor to assist employees “through this transition with comprehensive separation packages, retirement support and other benefits,” adding that impacted workers will receive Supplemental Unemployment Benefits which combined with Employment Insurance will equal 70 percent of regular weekly earnings.