Solidarity with the Oshawa plant workers in Canada!

Dear Chris, dear brothers and sisters of the GM Oshawa plant,

We are strongly oppose the decision of GM Management to close your plant. We think you are absolutely right that announcing the closure after you had concluded a settlement with GM Management two weeks ago is a terrible betrayal.

We stay in solidarity with you and we will for sure support you in every way we can. The European GM workers and the European unions represented at GM join your protest because what is happening in Oshawa is unique and affects every union which has to deal with GM. When contracts do not count anymore, if negotiations are concluded and just 2 weeks later a plant closure will be announced by GM Management affecting 2600 workers then times have clearly changed.

No union can accept this kind of behaviour and betrayal. This affects everybody everywhere. Who can then trust any contract negotiated by GM Management in the future. It is not only about a plant closure (we do not forget that also 2 US plants and one plant in Mexico will be closed by GM) it is also about trust in negotiated contracts.If contracts with GM do not count anymore why should any union believe there is a need for negotiations when betrayal is waiting behind the next door?

We wish you all the strength and luck what you need for your fight for the future of Oshawa. Starting on Monday we will talk with you about measures of support from Europe.

In solidarity

Klaus Franz
Chairman of the European Employee Forum of General Motors (EEF), IG Metall, Rüsselsheim, Germany

Rudi Kennes
Vice-Chairman of the EEF, ABVV Metaal, Antwerp, Belgium

Wolfgang Schäfer-Klug
Coordinator of the EEF, IG Metall, Rüsselsheim, Germany