Canadian auto union calls for federal help

OSHAWA, Ontario, June 9 (UPI) -- The Canadian Auto Workers union is seeking federal help to keep operations going at a General Motors plant in Oshawa, Ontario, slated for closure.

Sunday at a rally where about 1,000 union members were blockading the corporate offices east of Toronto, union President Buzz Hargrove said he had petitioned opposition parties to the Conservative government to push GM into abiding by a 1965 pact that was struck down by the World Trade Organization.

"They would have to build a truck in Canada for every one they sold here. That would keep the truck plant open," Hargrove said.

However, the WTO ruled in 2001 some of the Canada-U.S. Auto Pact's provisions broke global regulations for the fair movement of goods between all countries, the Toronto Star reported.

GM announced last week the closure of the Oshawa plant, along with two in the United States and one in Mexico.

The Canadian union claims some 2,500 jobs will disappear. It also said GM bargained in bad faith recently when workers agreed to wage freezes, although Canadian officials said they weren't aware GM in Detroit was planning closures.