GM to cut Oshawa third shift Friday, at least 1,000 jobs affected
General Motors will end the overnight third shift at its Oshawa assembly plant by the end of Friday, a move Unifor says will cost at least 1,000 jobs, including supply-chain roles.
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By Torontoer Staff
General Motors will eliminate the overnight third shift at its Oshawa assembly plant by the end of day Friday, the union representing plant workers said. Unifor says about 700 assembly-line positions and at least 300 roles in the supply chain will be cut, leaving a minimum of 1,000 people out of work.
The layoffs had been expected in November, but GM delayed the action until late January. The plant produces Chevrolet Silverado trucks.
Who is affected
Unifor Local 222 convened an information meeting for members on Thursday to outline the scope of the cuts. The union had previously estimated up to 2,000 layoffs when GM first announced production changes last year, but that figure was reduced after talks between the company and the union.
- About 700 workers on the assembly third shift will be laid off.
- At least 300 supply-chain and supplier-related roles will be eliminated.
- GM says it will add at least 225 temporary workers at its Fort Wayne, Indiana, plant, which also builds the Silverado.
Union response and strategy
Local 222 leaders framed the layoffs as the product of broader trade tensions between Canada and the United States and said the union will press for a response. Unifor National President Lana Payne linked the cuts to U.S. tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles and to corporate decisions she says prioritise access to the U.S. market over Canadian jobs.
We’re here in Oshawa in response to Trump, and in response to the tariffs. They could have made different decisions. But they didn’t. They made decisions to appease Donald Trump with our jobs. That’s what’s happening right now.
Unifor National President Lana Payne
Plant chair Chris Waugh told workers the union intends to push back through public pressure and collective action.
We’re here to confront the company’s decision to cut the third shift, the ongoing U.S. trade war against Canada and the impact of tariffs, and most importantly, our fight back strategy. This union was not built staying silent. It was built by standing up, pushing back and demanding respect.
Chris Waugh, Unifor Local 222 Plant Chair
Trade context and industry concerns
The union points to a 25 percent tariff the United States imposed last spring on Canadian-made vehicles as a central factor in GM’s production decisions. Unifor also raised concerns about the import of tariff-free electric vehicles and the effect of broader trade arrangements on domestic manufacturing.
Unifor has highlighted GM’s recent North American profits. The union says the company reported roughly US$10 billion in North American profits even after taking tariff-related losses into account, and uses that figure to argue that corporate choices, not market necessity, are driving plant-scale changes.
Company actions and next steps
GM has not disputed the basic contours of the production adjustment, and it has indicated a shift in some work to its Fort Wayne, Indiana, facility with at least 225 temporary hires. The company has not released detailed public statements about staffing levels at Oshawa beyond confirmations tied to production plans.
Unifor will continue consultations with members and has signalled it will seek government engagement on auto-sector policy. The union has urged a principle it describes as central to any future auto policy: if manufacturers want to sell vehicles in Canada, they must also build them here.
Local impact and broader implications
The cuts will have immediate effects on Oshawa households and on suppliers that rely on the plant. Auto manufacturing remains a significant employer in the region, and the loss of night-shift work reduces hours and incomes for many families.
Provincial and federal officials may face pressure to respond with policy measures or targeted support for affected workers. Unifor says roughly 80 percent of Canadians understand the importance of manufacturing jobs to communities, and the union will use that sentiment in its campaigns.
Local leaders and labour groups are likely to focus on retraining, employment supports and efforts to preserve remaining production at the plant. The union has not outlined specific dates for public actions beyond ongoing member meetings and advocacy.
For affected workers, the next days will involve meetings with union representatives and information on severance, benefits and recall rights where applicable. Suppliers and contractors are expected to make parallel staffing adjustments.
The decision to end the third shift highlights the uncertainty facing Canada’s auto sector as manufacturers balance global supply chains, profit targets and government trade policies. Unifor has signalled the issue will remain a central point in its discussions with both employers and government.
The union and company will continue to negotiate and communicate details to workers. Unifor officials say they will keep pressing for a policy framework that protects jobs and supports local manufacturing.
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