An old Chevy Truck at the home of someone trying to preserve the past. Oshawa, ON, May, 2009
...relocating to Mexico where labour costs are apparently less. As well, many workers in the car plant may be redundant shortly. Cost cutting measures. A sign of our times. Recession. I am shocked at what has been happening in the auto industry. I would never have imagined the supposed "secure-even-in-retirement" livelihood of the majority of the people in my hometown, including my family and friends, would be rocked to the core. 
Parkwood Estate blanketed in snow, home of Robert Samuel McLaughlin, founder of General Motors Canada,Oshawa, ON, Winter 2009
I am shocked the truck plant is closed. It holds a special place in my heart. I spent the summer of '89 working in the Truck Plant, which wonderfully paid my way to university. GM hired many summer students in order to help them with tuition costs. I did have an "in" as my father worked in the computer division in the main office until his retirement. I was grateful.
My summer experience was like no other! Working on an assembly line was eye-opening for this naive 19-year old! However, the guys were wonderful and not as crude as the rumour mill portrayed them to be. They were good "craic," even though they whistled at me every time I ran up the stairs to the washroom! (by the end of the summer this naive girl finally figured out why!!!) I learned how to build a truck, which may come in handy one day...who knows!!
Whenever I spy a 1989/1990 GMC, Cheverolet, or Sierra model, I smile with pride because I helped build that truck!
My prayers go out to the thousands of men, women and families affected by the demise of the auto sector. Goodbye Oshawa Truck Assembly Centre.
3 comments:
So depressing. Our GM dealership has had the same 8 (yes, 8) cars for sale for months...
GM is down because it is an American company that the government took over without the legal right to do so and noone here is doing a damn thing. I'm watching my liberties being taken from me each day and people just roll over. I cannot believe I'm living in this era!
@ JDM very sad indeed. I see GM has launched new advertising which I do hope helps! They are well built trucks I might add!!! What kind of truck do you drive?
@ Lauren I can't believe I am living in this ERA too. Another GREAT Canadian company Eatons', went bankrupt a few years ago. It was almost 100 years old and the founder was from N. Ireland. Also our only other large Canadian department store chain, The Hudson's Bay Company, which began as a trading post, was sold to an American comglamarate! Go figure! Ugh! Our gov't is in shambles if you ask me...the new Liberal leader is seeking another election to try again to overthrow our Conservative gov't ...it is crazy and just an ego thing. He thinks he can do a better job in this recession- he thinks this gov't should have worked miracles with finances in 4 months. Crazy. I am hoping for no election..a waste of our money. Okay, I'm off my soapbox!
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