GM ends Oshawa third shift, more than 700 direct jobs cut
General Motors will close the overnight shift at its Oshawa assembly plant, eliminating over 700 direct jobs and prompting wider supply‑chain layoffs amid strong corporate profits.
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By Torontoer Staff
General Motors will run the final overnight, or third, shift at its Oshawa Assembly Complex starting Thursday night, a move that will eliminate more than 700 direct jobs and trigger further layoffs across the supply chain. The shift runs from 10:30 p.m. Thursday to 6:30 a.m. Friday, Unifor said.
Unifor confirmed some higher‑seniority employees may be able to bump into remaining shifts under union rules, but the majority of workers on the final shift will face layoffs. The decision follows GM’s May announcement that it would cut the midnight shift.
Union reaction and local concerns
Unifor national leadership and Local 222 representatives called the decision unjustified, pointing to GM’s robust 2025 financial results and a new plan to boost shareholder returns. The union said it offered a plan to keep the third shift operating until contract negotiations in fall 2026, but GM rejected that proposal.
General Motors has made a clear decision to cave to Donald Trump rather than stand up for its loyal Canadian workforce, making the workers in Oshawa pay for that appeasement with their jobs.
Unifor National President Lana Payne
Local leaders warned the cuts will deepen the strain on workers already coping with rising costs and trade uncertainty. Jeff Gray, president of Unifor Local 222, urged members to oppose policies he said would open the market to cheaper imports that threaten domestic manufacturing.
No way, no how, does Local 222 or Unifor National support the import of cheap, Chinese vehicles into our country.
Jeff Gray, Unifor Local 222 president
Political responses
Ontario’s premier and federal officials responded publicly as layoffs loomed. Premier Doug Ford said the provincial government has a plan to support affected workers and urged faster federal action to protect the auto sector’s competitiveness.
We have a plan. We are going to make sure [the workers] have opportunities, We’ll be there for them 24/7.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford
Another provincial official criticised GM for shrinking production in Canada while remaining a top vehicle seller in the country. That official called the decision misguided, warning it risks undermining consumer trust in Canadian manufacturing.
It is misguided for General Motors to think it can get away with consistently diminishing their production footprint in Canada and still be the number one seller of vehicles in the Canadian marketplace.
Layne
Business context: profits, buybacks and tariffs
GM reported more than US$12 billion in pre‑tax earnings for 2025 and announced plans to increase dividends and repurchase US$6 billion in shares. Those corporate moves have sharpened tensions with workers and politicians who point to strong company finances as a counterpoint to local job losses.
Trade policy and tariffs have factored into production shifts. After the United States imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian‑built vehicles, GM increased Chevrolet Silverado production in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Unifor says that shift in output contributed to the decision to eliminate Oshawa’s third shift.
Immediate impacts and what to expect next
- More than 700 direct jobs at the Oshawa plant will be cut as the third shift ends.
- Some senior GM employees may bump into other shifts under union rules, but most on the final shift will be laid off.
- Layoffs are expected to ripple through parts suppliers and the broader local economy.
- Unifor offered a plan to sustain the shift until fall 2026 contract talks, which GM declined.
A meeting at the Unifor Local 222 hall on Wednesday highlighted the immediate uncertainty for workers and suppliers. Union officials framed the cuts as a strategic choice by GM, one that prioritises production shifts to U.S. facilities and shareholder returns over jobs in Canada.
Longer‑term questions for the sector
Unifor and political leaders are pressing Ottawa and the provincial government to respond with measures to protect manufacturing jobs and to keep parts production in Canada. The dispute also raises broader questions about how trade measures and new rules for electric vehicle sourcing will shape production decisions.
Unifor leaders have argued that allowing a portion of the electric vehicle market to be filled by lower‑cost imports would further erode Canada’s manufacturing base. That concern is now joined by immediate worries over lost incomes and reduced demand in the Oshawa area.
For workers, the next steps include recall processes where applicable, bumping under union seniority rules, and provincial or federal supports for retraining and job placement. For the plant, the loss of the third shift reduces overall local capacity and shifts production priorities elsewhere.
GM said the plant’s midnight shift would be cut in May, and the company did not accept the union’s proposal to maintain the shift through next contract talks. That rejection leaves negotiators, elected officials and community leaders seeking options to limit further job erosion.
The final third shift at Oshawa begins Thursday night, and the immediate human and economic impacts will become clearer when workers leave the line Friday morning. Union officials and government representatives said they will continue pressing for supports and policy changes to protect Canadian auto jobs.
GMOshawaUniforAuto industryLayoffs
