CAMI employees facing another extensive layoff

Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

It’s another hit for the Oxford County labour force and employees at Ingersoll’s CAMI manufacturing plant.

General Motors has informed the union at its CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll that production will resume this fall — but at a much slower pace than originally planned.

Unifor Local 88 Chairperson Mike Van Boekel said the plant has been shut down since May, when the last round of layoffs was announced, and workers have been waiting for clarity on when operations would restart.

“Staff are coming back around Nov. 17 with one shift but at a slower line speed. Out of roughly 1050 production people, we have 400 coming back.”

Van Boekel added the hope was always to return to work with two full shifts or at least a single strong one, but the demand still isn’t there for the product.

“Sales are getting better every month, but they just aren’t there yet.”

CAMI manufactures two versions of the BrightDrop Zevo electric delivery vehicle. Production started in 2022 following a $1 billion retooling of the plant.

He explained there are several reasons for the product’s slow sales, including a lack of charging stations.

“Infrastructure for one needs to be expanded significantly across North America. Compared to Europe, we have a much bigger country, and that would be the number one driving force, but it’s got a long way to go.”

He added the shenanigans going on south of the border have also played a role in the auto industry’s slowdown in Canada.

“Trump is not helping the situation at all, especially with the tariffs. It’s tough enough trying to sell the vehicles, and now he’s slapping duty on them every time they cross the border, which is approximately 90 per cent of all vehicle sales. Taking away all the EV stuff and just the uncertainty is a killer.”

A recent report by an American consultant stated the 25 per cent tariffs imposed on Canadian vehicles sold south of the border will add more than US$15,000 to the price of a BrightDrop van. Currently, it sells for more than $70,000 in the U.S.

Van Boekel noted that both Ontario’s Premier and the Prime Minister have expressed full support for the CAMI plant and its BrightDrop electric vehicles.

“We met with Ford face-to-face and had a good talk with him. He’s fully supportive and I know our president has been talking to Carney. He can help us because Canada Post is looking for thousands of these vehicles, but our first order went to the States, which is ridiculous.”

The federal government provided some seed money to General Motors to get the plant up and running with the new delivery vehicles, something not lost on Van Boekel.

“That money came from taxpayers. I do believe the vehicles are extremely good, and they only need to be charged once a day. They can do the deliveries, go back, charge it, and be ready the next morning. They are a very good fit in the market. We just need more of them out there.”

Van Boekel explained there will be a negative effect on the local economy with 600 people remaining on the sidelines.

“It’s terrible for them, for their families. Laid-off people don’t spend money. There is a ripple effect everywhere, from Tim Hortons to gas stations to buying houses. Everything will slow right down. This is hundreds and hundreds of families, mostly from the Oxford and Middlesex areas.”

He added some of his members are partners or married, meaning each breadwinner will not be returning to work.

“That makes it really tough and they are worried. There are jobs out there, but not a lot of good-paying ones. We do have an action centre at our local hall for retraining and resume writing, stuff like that.”

Despite the bad news coming from the automaker, Van Boekel

“I can’t really fault them too much. They put huge dollars into the main plant and the battery plant, and they thought it would take off a lot faster than it has. Every month is better but not to the point we had hoped or needed. We would like another investment to try to get another vehicle in here.”

As of press time, GM Canada had not released a statement.