It is reported that Hargrove received a call from a concerned Paul Martin. As of yet, it is not known what role the government
might play.
Announcing the Canadian GM job losses at a news conference in Oshawa Monday, Michael Grimaldi, president of GM Canada, said he hoped the job cuts would be achieved through attrition and early retirement.
The 30,000 North American job cuts represent about 9 percent of GM's global workforce of about 325,000 people.
Canadian auto industry analyst Dennis Desrosiers told CTV that "Canada did not get away lightly on this at all. The cutback of a shift is not entirely unexpected but the closure of the plant is a real shocker. General Motors has got serious problems and they needed to send a signal out to the financial community that they were treating them seriously."
Not all agree that closing the Oshawa facility is wise. Some believe that shutting down the Canadian plant was done just to please the United Auto
Workers, who have made large concessions lately. Analyst Bill Pochiluk told the Toronto star that "I think the facility and its credibility are so strong it will be hard to walk away." Talking to the Toronto Star, Hargrove asks, "Why would you kill your lead horse?"
South of the border, the reaction to the cuts were the same.
In Lansing, where 300 people stand to lose their jobs, the President of a local chapter of the United Automobile Workers, Mr. Fairbanks told the New York Times, "There are going to be some casualties, and we are one of them."
However, some say the Lansing Craft Center plant is an excellent example of why the cuts were needed. It is reported that the plant, which produces the Chevrolet SSR pickup truck, slowed production way down. So far down, in fact, that most employees don't bother reporting for work, but due to their union contracts GM must still pay them.
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| The 30,000 North American job cuts represent about 9 percent of GM's global workforce of about 325,000 people. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
Announcing the Canadian GM job losses at a news conference in Oshawa Monday, Michael Grimaldi, president of GM Canada, said he hoped the job cuts would be achieved through attrition and early retirement.
The 30,000 North American job cuts represent about 9 percent of GM's global workforce of about 325,000 people.
Canadian auto industry analyst Dennis Desrosiers told CTV that "Canada did not get away lightly on this at all. The cutback of a shift is not entirely unexpected but the closure of the plant is a real shocker. General Motors has got serious problems and they needed to send a signal out to the financial community that they were treating them seriously."
Not all agree that closing the Oshawa facility is wise. Some believe that shutting down the Canadian plant was done just to please the United Auto
 |
| Not all agree that closing the Oshawa facility is wise. Some believe that shutting down the Canadian plant was done just to please the United Auto Workers, who have made large concessions lately. (Photo: TrevorHofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
South of the border, the reaction to the cuts were the same.
In Lansing, where 300 people stand to lose their jobs, the President of a local chapter of the United Automobile Workers, Mr. Fairbanks told the New York Times, "There are going to be some casualties, and we are one of them."
However, some say the Lansing Craft Center plant is an excellent example of why the cuts were needed. It is reported that the plant, which produces the Chevrolet SSR pickup truck, slowed production way down. So far down, in fact, that most employees don't bother reporting for work, but due to their union contracts GM must still pay them.