Layoffs are looming at General Motors’ Oshawa assembly plant, where GM Canada plans to eliminate the midnight shift on Jan. 30, putting roughly 2,000 jobs at risk. The cuts come as the plant faces ongoing pressure from U.S. tariffs and broader trade tensions, adding to instability already gripping Canada’s auto sector.

Unifor Local 222 president Jeff Gray says the layoffs reflect a wider erosion of auto manufacturing jobs across the country, pointing to recent losses at GM’s CAMI plant in Ingersoll and Stellantis’ Brampton operations. Gray argues national union leadership must take stronger action, noting that past campaigns—such as the successful 2018 push to save Oshawa jobs—mobilized public support and forced political and corporate responses.

The uncertainty extends beyond unions to government. Gray expressed concern about Prime Minister Mark Carney’s handling of trade negotiations and potential policy shifts on Chinese electric vehicle tariffs, which he says could further harm Canadian auto workers. Industry experts say suppliers across Ontario are anxious, as investment decisions remain frozen until trade disputes with the U.S. are resolved.

The situation underscores the fragile state of Canada’s manufacturing job market, where global trade policy increasingly determines whether long-standing industrial jobs survive or disappear.

Have you been laid off by Oshawa’s General Motors plant in Canada? Contact our employment lawyers today. Our legal team offers a free consultation and works on a contingency basis—there are no fees unless you win your case.

Ethan Lang’s original article, “Ontario local union head says national leadership not stepping up for auto workers” was published in CBC News on January 6, 2026. Read the Full CBC News story.

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