Oshawa, Ontario — An Action Centre is set to open in Oshawa, Ont. as a measure to support auto parts workers affected by the closure of the city’s General Motors plant.
Announced in October 2019, the Oshawa Action Centre aims to provide services to help with job retraining and future employment for the affected members of Unifor—the union representing GM Canada’s employees.
“Workers across Oshawa and the Durham region face a difficult job transition period,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor national president. “The Ontario government’s support comes at a vital time when auto parts workers’ needs are at their height.”
In conjunction with regional IPS employers, the Government of Ontario has made financial contributions to help establish this Action Centre, including more than $780,000 through the province’s Rapid Re-employment and Training Service.
“We are pleased that the location of the Action Centre will be easily accessible to our affected members at the Local 222 union hall,” said Colin James, Unifor Local 222 president. “Most importantly, this is a peer-led centre ensuring that the support our members receive comes from an authentic place, from people who all know each other’s individual needs and the assistance is that much more likely to be successful.”
The scheduled open date for the Oshawa Action Centre is set for “early January 2020.”
