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UPDATE: Woodstock GM Strike Ends

Tuesday, 10 October 2023 10:43

By Marcie Culbert X @marcieculbert

A picket line was set up outside the General Motors Parts Distribution Centre on Parkinson Road in Woodstock.

UPDATE: The strike had ended after a tentative deal was reached between Unifor and General Motors.

You can find more information online here.

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WOODSTOCK - The General Motors strike hits close to home with workers on the picket line outside the Parts Distribution Centre in Woodstock.

It's located on Parkinson Road and Plant Chair Craig Warnock says they have 64 full-time members working there.

He says GM failed to reach the pattern agreement that Unifor reached with Ford a few weeks ago.

"All we're asking is General Motors to follow pattern. That's the course of these events because Ford established it and the expectation is that General Motors and Stellantis follow suit."

Warnock says they have temporary part-time workers who have been working full-time hours without any of the full-time benefits. This includes health benefits, pension, and being able to get paid the top rate.

He says the union is also fighting for pension and income support for retirees.

"General Motors has a lot of retirees. I would say 85 percent of GM Canada would be considered new hires or in progress. So there are a lot of General Motors employees out there who haven't seen an increase in their pension in at least 15 years."

The strike action began at midnight and Warnock says it will continue until a tentative agreement is reached. With the colder weather now upon us, he says they're hoping to split it up into four-hour shifts.

In a statement released early this morning, GM Canada said it was disappointed with the strike action but it will remain at the bargaining table.

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