Unifor expects a response from GM in talks to end Cami plant strike

By Canadian Press

Published: September 29, 2017 at 1:54 PM

Detroit, MI, USA – July 31, 2014: People exit the General Motors World Headquarters building located in Detroit, Michigan. General Motors is an American multinational automobile corporation.iStock/wellesenterprises

The Unifor bargaining team representing striking workers at the GM CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll has been assured the company will respond to the unions latest proposal later today.

The Unifor bargaining team representing striking workers at the GM CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll has been assured the company will respond to the union's latest proposal later today.

Unifor Local 88 president Dan Borthwick says that the two sides met in Detroit yesterday and had ``constructive'' talks but he declined to discuss details.

Borthwick says the GM negotiators understood the union's position and committed to providing a response within 24 hours, which would be about 6 p.m. this evening.

The strike began when members of Unifor Local 88 walked out on Sept. 17 as negotiators worked to have General Motors designate the plant as the lead producer of the Equinox sport utility vehicle.

The Equinox is currently the only product built at the plant but it's also made at two GM plants in Mexico, heightening concerns about job security at the CAMI plant.

The strike has had a ripple effect on workers in Niagara's automotive industry.

255 workers at the GM plant in St. Catharines have been temporarily laid off, along with 180 workers at ARL Spencer in Niagara Falls.