Oshawa autoworkers concerned over looming tariff threats

A 25 per cent tariff on Canadian auto imports to the United States has Oshawa autoworkers concerned about job security.

If the U.S. imposes that tariff, prices could go up which would likely lead to a drop in sales.

The union representing the autoworkers say the GM plant depends on sales.

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“We just added a second shift in the truck plant. We finish assembling bodies that are made in Indiana shipped here for paint and final assembly — this could be devastating for our operation here,” said Joel Smith, Unifor Local 222 Organizer.

While autoworkers and the rest of Canada watch to see if the tariffs will be implemented, the union says 25 per cent is unreasonably high.

“We have parts makers, we have shipping, we have trucking, we have a whole host of things that rely on the final assembly. It’s not just the assembly line itself, it’s all the secondary and tertiary industries that will be affected by any sort of negative tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles,” Smith said.

There has been an agreement on tariff-free trade in auto since the 1960s.