GM to build hybrid trucks at Ont. plant.

It is hard to fathom what is behind this announcement. At first glance it seems to be simply a move to defuse some of the anger at closing the truck plant. However, since the truck plant is still to be closed next year it is hard to see why it is good news for the industry or why it will do much to defuse anger over the decision to close the truck plant. This is from the National Post.


Saturday, June 21, 2008
GM to build hybrid trucks at Ont. plant
Canwest News Service, National Post Published: Saturday, June 21, 2008
Canada's struggling auto industry received some good news Saturday, with General Motors announcing it will start building hybrid pickup trucks at its plant in Oshawa, Ont.
"GM has decided to launch the new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Hybrid production operations at the Oshawa truck plant," company spokesman Stew Low said in an e-mail to Canwest News Service.
The company had earlier said the hybrid pickup trucks would be assembled in Mexico.
Despite the new truck order, the company still plans to close the Oshawa plant in 2009 or sooner - a move that will put 2,600 employees out of work.
"It's anybody's guess how well these hybrids will sell," Chris Buckley, a spokesman for the Canadian Auto Workers, told Global News on Saturday.
"General Motors is not changing their position. Their position, still, is they're going to close the Oshawa truck plant."
The spokesman said the union plans to meet with the company again this week to discuss the future of the plant and its workers.
GM announced it would shut down the Oshawa plant in early June, just two weeks after signing a collective agreement with is unionized workers.
The announcement enraged employees, who quickly set up a blockade of General Motors of Canada's Oshawa headquarters. A court order eventually ended the blockade.
Global National
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