Up To 100,000 Canada Layoffs Seen From GM Strike [View All]

Source: Bloomberg News

Up to 100,000 Canadian autoworkers and parts makers could be out of work by the end of this week due to the UAW strike against General Motors in the U.S., Buzz Hargrove predicted Monday.

That's how many Canadians are employed supplying GM plants in the U.S. with transmissions, engines, pistons, and myriad other automotive parts.

"It is not inconceivable that by the end of this week, we could have anywhere between 80,000 and 100,000 people unemployed, mostly in Ontario, but some in Quebec," said Hargrove, president of the CAW, the Canadian auto workers union.

GM Canada Ltd. has 15,563 hourly employees in Canada, most of whom will probably end up being affected by the strike. They will be paid, in accordance with their labour agreements. But the fate of parts workers, particularly those in the third and fourth-tier roles, will not be as comfortable.

Many are non-union, and even those who are covered by union contracts may not be paid for the work they lose, although they will be eligible for unemployment if the strike drags on.



Read more: http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=b12c39b5-ae43-4067-8194-46be6dd7da40&k=36736