Jun 04, 2008 - 10:53 AM

By Jillian Follert

OSHAWA -- Hundreds of frustrated auto workers picketing outside General Motors head office today howled their disgust when it was announced the truck plant had just been awarded one of J.D. Power and Associates' top awards for best trucks.

The Chevrolet Silverado LD was named in the J.D. Power 2008 Initial Quality Study. Why, then, would General Motors shut down the truck plant, asked CAW Local 222 President Chris Buckley.

"When you get an award for the best pickup truck in the industry, why in your right mind would you close it (the plant?)" he said at the protest.

Hundreds of frustrated union members continue to barricade the road leading into the General Motors Canada headquarters Wednesday to protest the closing of Oshawa's truck plant.

Protesters checked people's identification and allowed workers at the nearby Minacs Canada offices to enter, but prevented General Motors office workers from passing through. GM office employees turned around and drove away.

On Tuesday General Motors Corporation, citing declining truck sales, announced it would close four truck plants in North America in 2009, including the Oshawa plant. The Oshawa facility employs 2,600 workers on two shifts as well as in skilled trades and management.

"Our ultimate goal is for GM to reverse their decision,"Mr. Buckley said.

"We'll stay here as long as it takes."

Mr. Buckley said he expected more workers to show up throughout the day. About 300 workers, some of whom assembled on Col. Sam Drive at 4 a.m., stood in the road waving CAW flags and wore red shirts that read Made in Canada Matters.

Jim Freeman, president of the Durham Region Labour Council and a truck plant employee, said he is outraged.

"General Motors lied to the workers," Mr. Freeman said. "We signed a contract. They expect us to live up to it, then they renege on it two weeks later."

On May 16, GM Canada workers ratified a three-year contract that included reduced benefits, a wage freeze and a week less of vacation. The contract guaranteed new product would be built at the truck plant, including hybrid models of some of GM's trucks, CAW president Buzz Hargrove said when details of the contract were released.

Bev McCloskey, 79 and a General Motors retiree, walked her first picket line with GM workers in 1949.

She said in all her years with the union, she has never seen General Motors go back on an agreement in this way.

"I don't even feel like our pensions are safe," Ms. McCloskey said. "If they can change one thing, they can change anything on us."

Mr. Buckley said he has tried to contact GM Canada president Arturo Elias but has had no response. Union officials hope to speak with General Motors officials later today.

GM spokesman Stew Low said the decision wasn't an easy one for the company to make.

"Nobody likes to have to make decisions to stop production at any of our plants," he said.

Mr. Low said the decision was made because the shift in demand for trucks seems to be a permanent one.

"We have to react, we can't build vehicles people aren't purchasing."

He said the company is willing to sit down with the union and hear what they have to say, but not in a protest environment.

Durham Regional Police Sergeant Jim Grimley said officers are on the scene to make sure things remain peaceful and as long as protesters are allowing workers to walk into their buildings "that is OK by me."

 

-- With files from Melissa Mancini and Stefanie Swinson