Canadian judge ending GM blockade

OSHAWA, Ontario, June 14 (UPI) -- The union blockade of General Motors Canada's corporate offices in Oshawa, Ontario, was ordered shut down by Monday by a judge.

The Canadian Auto Workers began the blockade June 4, a day after GM announced it was closing the truck plant next year, along with two plants in the United States and one in Mexico.

Judge David Salmers Friday night ruled the blockade must be gone by 7 a.m., Monday morning, which CAW local leader Chris Buckley said was a "huge victory," the Toronto Sun reported Saturday..

"As of Monday, it will have been 12 days since General Motors has been out of their building," Buckley said. "They've been sent a very strong message and hopefully we can sit down with General Motors and work out a way to protect the jobs of our 2,600 members."

The union claims the shutdown announcement was a violation of the terms of the recent collective agreement with GM, although GM Canada said it wasn't aware of Detroit's closure plans, the report said.