28 temporary workers at General Dynamics Land Systems Canada are out of work following a review by the company.
In an emailed statement to 980 CFPL, Doug Wilson-Hodge Manager, Corporate Affairs for General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada wrote the company “reviews our volumes and planned work as a regular course of business. Positions affected are temporary contract agency positions.”
The layoffs, mostly the engineering area, happened on Tuesday.
GDLS-Canada has over 1,900 employees, including over 600 engineers, including about 500 Unifor workers.
Sources tell 980 CFPL the layoffs aren’t related to NAFTA talks between Canada and the U.S. or tariffs from the United States nor are they a result of the diplomatic argument between Canada and Saudi Arabia.
It’s been a year and a half since General Dynamics signed a new deal. The company scored a $400 million contract in February 2017 with the Canadian armed forces to upgrade light armoured vehicles.
One of it’s largest contracts was signed in 2014 when GDLS Canada secured a deal worth $15 billion to build armoured vehicles for Saudi Arabia. At the time it was believed that deal would supply work for the plant on Oxford Street for about 15 years.