General Motors has added 250 temporary jobs to its plant in Fort Wayne, Ind., as it prepares to cut hundreds of jobs in Oshawa in the new year. CBC's Christian D'Avino visited Fort Wayne to learn more about where these jobs are going.
GM increasing production in Indiana as it cuts hundreds of jobs in Oshawa
Rich LeTourneau is blunt as he sets down his beer on the union hall bar, located just a stone's throw away from the General Motors plant in Fort Wayne, Ind., where he's put in 38 years.
"I respect Canadian unions, I respect the Mexican union. We didn't raise our hand and say … 'I'll take what you guys got.' That decision was made way above our head," he told CBC News.
"But when the company comes to me to increase volume, I'm not gonna tell them no, either, because it's job security for my people, and hell, if I can corner the market, I will."
LeTourneau is the bargaining chairman at United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2209, which represents GM workers in Fort Wayne. This is where GM is adding 250 temporary jobs to build Chevrolet Silverados — work that has also been happening in Oshawa, Ont. but is being scaled back.
A view inside UAW 2209 Local's bar, located at their union hall in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Continue Reading on CBC News
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.