GM Recall of Oshawa Shift Good News, CAW President Ken Lewenza Says

TORONTO, March 26 /CNW/ - Today's announcement of the recall of more than 600 laid off auto workers by GM is great news for the hard-hit industrial communities of Oshawa and Ingersoll, Ontario, CAW National President Ken Lewenza says.

"The auto industry has been on a roller-coaster ride in recent years and it's the workers who have absorbed most of the shock," Lewenza said. Job losses, shift reductions and plant closures have hit autoworkers hard from all major automakers in Canada and around the world in recent years.

"It feels great to be talking about some good news in the auto sector, for a change," Lewenza said. He stressed that the recall of these laid off workers is also positive for auto parts manufacturers and others who supply GM's auto assembly operations.

The addition of a third shift of production at the Oshawa car plant and increased production at the GM (formerly CAMI) plant in Ingersoll, Ontario signals a big boost to GM's market woes.

"Through no fault of their own, laid off workers and those who have remained at work in auto assembly plants and parts manufacturing facilities have suffered from tremendous uncertainty and hardship during the recent economic crisis," Lewenza said. "Today's announcement is finally some long awaited good news for workers, their families and these communities which have been so hard hit."

For further information: CAW Communications, Shannon Devine, (cell) [phone] or John McClyment, (cell) [phone]