UE General President Peter Knowlton traveled to Windsor today to express UE’s solidarity with thousands of GM workers facing layoffs.

“When any group of workers is ready to fight to keep their jobs and preserve strong communities, they deserve UE support and solidarity,” says Knowlton. “UE has a long tradition of fighting plant closings and doing whatever is necessary to keep our members’ jobs.”

Thousands of Unifor members and allies rallied across the river from GM headquarters as GM held an investor event on its future plans. In November, GM announced that it was planning to close five plants and lay off 14,000 workers in 2019.

“Thousands of us stood today to oppose GM’s callous decision to devastate workers and their families, the community of Oshawa and the Canadian economy – not because they have to but because they choose to,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “General Motors has gone too far. The investors need to understand the terrible consequences of what GM is doing on their behalf.”

Dias emphasized that Unifor was not going to accept GM’s decision. Earlier this week, he told Canadian television network CTV “they are going to keep our plant open, they just don't understand that yet.”

“We welcome Unifor stepping up to this fight, and will stand with them,” said Knowlton.