GM Closing Oshawa Consolidated Line, Equinox And Impala Production Moving To United States

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

General Motors will announce tomorrow that their consolidated line at Oshawa, currently building both the Chevrolet Equinox and Chevrolet Impala, will close. 2,000 of the 4,000 jobs at the Oshawa plant are located at the consolidated factory, and GM apparently won’t be re-investing in the facility.

Under the new plan, GM would move Chevrolet Impala production to the Detroit-Hamtramck plant, and any overflow production would not return to the Oshawa “flex line” because the 2014 Impala is a “different body style”. The Equinox will likely move to Spring Hill, TN

A report by a local media outlet quoted CAW Local 222 President Chris Buckley as stating that Impala production would be split between Michigan and a plant in Alabama, but no GM plants in the South come to mind. Buckley is also quoted as saying that the UAW agreed to be more flexible with their contract in a bid to bring more vehicle production to the USA.

Although TTAC often gets accused of anti-GM, anti-Union bias, its a sad day when 2,000 hard working GM employees get caught in the midst of corporate politics factors like an a favorable exchange rate (as the B&B have pointed out). One of GM’s best plans, which has won accolades for the high quality of its vehicles, will end up shuttered permanently. No official announcement has been made, but we’ll be keeping an eye out.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Rpol35 Rpol35 on Jun 01, 2012

    "Although TTAC often gets accused of anti-GM, anti-Union bias, its a sad day when 2,000 hard working GM employees get caught in the midst of corporate politics factors like an a favorable exchange rate (as the B&B have pointed out). " Certainly agree with the sentiment, I hate to see anyone, anywhere lose their job (especially having had it happen to me twice) but it is obviously an opportunity for new workers in Detroit and Spring Hill.

  • Amendment X Amendment X on Jun 01, 2012

    Yeah, proofreading is for chumps.

  • Wsn Wsn on Jun 01, 2012

    Great news! Making those at Ottawa who supported the bailout of a foreign company look so good! Canada is 10% of the size of US in terms of population, and yet contributed 20% to the bailout fund, to protect Canadian jobs. Now this. Go NDP Go! Show us, how you are going to protect Canadian jobs? Re "Although TTAC often gets accused of anti-GM, anti-Union bias, its a sad day when 2,000 hard working GM employees get caught in the midst of corporate politics factors like an a favorable exchange rate (as the B&B have pointed out). " As a Canadian tax payer who was forced to fund this bailout of a foreign company, this article made my day. Yay!

    • See 3 previous
    • Mikey Mikey on Jun 02, 2012

      @WSN....I got a deal for you. Come out to the Shwa.I will cover your travel expences.You can meet lots of families loosing thier income.Comunities are seeing hockey rinks and parks closing. I'll take you out to our favorite watering hole. My treat! You will have an excellent opportinity, to expand on your views ,why you hate GM so much,and are cheering a loss of 2000 jobs.

  • Potemkin Potemkin on Jun 01, 2012

    I was around when the Canadian UAW decided to go rogue and form the CAW. This was not a good move. When dealing with a US company in Canada it is best to be represented by the same union that represents the companys workers in the US, brotherhood and all that. A plants age matters less than hours to build a car and Oshawa was always in the lead. This is politics at the Obama, Ren Centre and union levels.

    • 28-Cars-Later 28-Cars-Later on Jun 02, 2012

      Agreed, I suggested in a post somewhere on TTAC Oshawa takes the fall in place of a less efficient American plant because of the election year. RenCen's hands are also tied in the Opel mess due to agreements with their union to not close plants until 2015, despite their successes or failures. Literally its the nice (and best) guy finishes last.

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