Officials from General Motors and Unifor have announced plans to transform its Oshawa operations into a new stamping and light assembly plant.
The company plans to invest $170 million into the facility to fund the transition out of vehicle assembly.
That will save 300 jobs out of the 2,600 at the plant east of Toronto now.
"Though it may not have a lot of jobs as we sit here today in May, there's going to be a heck of a lot more in December, there will be more next year, there will be more the year after as we continue to attract work," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
Jerry Dias, Unifor national president, speaks at the solidarity rally for GM Oshawa workers at Dieppe Gardens, Windsor, January 11, 2019. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.
"Do I believe this is perfect? The answer is no," said Dias. "Am I upset about the thousands of families that have lost sleep over the last five months? The answer is yes -- but what I do know is you play the cards you're dealt, and you make the best out of a bad situation."
President and Managing Director, Travis Hester said 55-acres at the Oshawa plant will also be converted into a test track for autonomous vehicles.
Hester told reporters company, and union officials have been working for the past four to six weeks on a transition plan for the remaining workers.
About one half are eligible for retirement, and the company will offer a special package, and remaining workers will have opportunities to relocate to other General Motors operations in Ontario. Others will find help finding new work through a new job action centre connecting them to some 40 employers in the Toronto area.
Ontario's Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Todd Smith issued a statement on behalf of the Ford government soon after Wednesday's announcement.
"While this agreement is a positive development, many workers still face an uncertain future as the plant scales down. Our government will be there for those workers and their families," it read. "Our government is working with GM and Unifor to support affected GM employees and their families through its Rapid Re-employment Training Service, with plans for an action centre to open in June."
Dias said he will also meet with Premier Doug Ford on Monday to discuss the transition.
The union head also had words of praise for the federal government.
"I want to thank Justin Trudeau for reaching out on a few occasions to Mary Barra [General Motors CEO] saying 'listen; we're here. Tell us what needs to be done'," Dias said.
Part of the large crowd at Dieppe Gardens for the Unifor rally in support of GM Oshawa workers, January 11, 2019. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.
In November, the company announced it was closing five North American plants as part of global restructuring plans. Aside from the one in Oshawa, it said the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant in Detroit, Lordstown Assembly and Warren Transmission in Warren, Ohio, and Baltimore Operations in White Marsh, Maryland would also close.
However, in February, General Motors decided to extend production by seven months at the Hamtramck Plant under intense political pressure.
Unifor has embarked on measures in a bid to convince the company to change its mind and keep Oshawa plant open including rallies in Windsor and a boycott on GM vehicles made in Mexico.
"This doesn't help without the incredible support that we've gotten from Canadians, the emails, the people that approach us on the street wishing us good luck," said Dias.