Oshawa Assembly Plant Transformation Overview
2019-07-17
Following GM’s Global Accelerated Transformation announcement in November 2018, GM Canada and Unifor reached an Oshawa Transformation Agreement in May 2019 that includes an investment at the Oshawa Assembly Plant in a new auto parts operation, a 55-acre test track and a Jobs Action Centre that will support impacted GM employees who wish to retrain for a new opportunity. Many affected employees have already elected to retire and collect their GM pension. GM is also donating 87 acres of waterfront parkland for the benefit of all Oshawa citizens and will remain one of Oshawa’s largest private sector employers.
NEW INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF OSHAWA
Part of GM’s more than C$170 million investment will transition operations at the Oshawa Plant from vehicle assembly to stamping, related sub-assembly and miscellaneous activities for General Motors and other auto industry customers.
Plans are in place for 300 Oshawa jobs in the new operation with the potential to generate more in the coming years contingent on new customer development. GM and Unifor have agreed to work together to grow this new business.
GM’s investment also includes the development of a 55-acre Oshawa Test Track at the southern end of the current Oshawa Assembly Plant site, which will support GM’s Canadian Technical Centre (CTC) Oshawa and Markham campuses. Engineers at these facilities develop software and hardware for autonomous vehicle systems, embedded controls, active safety systems and infotainment. These work streams all require extensive in-vehicle testing in a safe, effective and controlled environment. Oshawa will remain a key technology centre in Canada’s auto sector.
OSHAWA EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCENTIVES
Over half of Oshawa’s hourly employees are expected to retire on their GM defined benefit pension.
In June 2019, 1,300 retirement-eligible Oshawa hourly employees were canvassed for retirement incentives that include a significant lump sum payment, a new vehicle voucher and paid training support. Some employees will also receive a bridge to enable them to earn eligibility for a larger pension.
RELOCATION OPPORTUNITIES
In addition to employees retained in the new Oshawa parts business, some other employees will have relocation opportunities to GM facilities in St. Catharines and Woodstock Ontario. Details will be communicated to eligible employees beginning in August 2019.
RETRAINING FUND
In December 2018, GM announced its commitment of millions of dollars to provide both hourly and salaried employees’ access to a retraining program.
The program is available to affected employees who wish to pursue further education for job placement. Employees choosing to retire are also eligible for retraining funds.
MCLAUGHLIN BAY DONATION – SUPPORTING THE OSHAWA COMMUNITY
As a symbol of GM’s longstanding sustainability partnership with the Oshawa community, GM Canada plans to donate 87-acres of parkland and three acres of Fenelon Park to the City, including the Lake Ontario waterfront “McLaughlin Bay Reserve,” located in south Oshawa, east of the GM plant.
Oshawa employees who are not retiring or being retained in other GM operations will be helped to transition to approximately 5,000 available jobs that have been identified by over 45 employers in the GTA who have approached GM expressing interest in hiring GM Oshawa’s high-quality workers.
For these employees, GM Canada, Unifor and the Ontario government will launch an onsite “Jobs Action Centre” at Oshawa Assembly in August 2019.
The Oshawa Jobs Action Centre will help eligible GM employees and their families plan now for the transition to new work opportunities following the end of Oshawa Assembly vehicle production at the end of 2019. It will:
Durham College, Centennial College and Trent University Durham GTA will work together as educational partners to offer training tailored to regional and GTA-based partner employers, matching GM worker skills with open job needs.
Durham College will support the Jobs Action Centre with a dedicated jobs portal and database that will help match employee skills against employer requirements.
New career opportunities at GTA employers range from apprenticeship-supported auto technician roles at GM dealerships, to new careers in energy, manufacturing, services and other sectors.
Job fairs with numerous GTA employers are tentatively planned for October 2019 and March 2020.
MATCHING SKILLS, TRAINING AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES
A unique benefit of the Jobs Action Centre is the ability to match employee skills with the employment needs of GTA employers who have identified 5,000 job potential job opportunities for GM workers to investigate.
GM will host a weekly series of new employer information sessions at Oshawa Assembly from August – November 2019 that will allow external employers to come onsite and promote their organizations to help educate employees on potential job opportunities.
Employees can meet with new employer representatives and recruiters first-hand to evaluate their skills for future job opportunities.
Oshawa Stamping Plant