Union drops GM Canada HQ blockade

OSHAWA, Ontario, June 16 (UPI) -- By court order, the Canadian Auto Workers union ended a 12-day blockade of General Motors Canada's head office Monday in Oshawa, Ontario.

Justice David Salmers of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled late Friday the union was hurting the company's ability to function with the protest, which was launched a day after GM in Detroit announced the truck plant would be closed along with two plants in the United States and one in Mexico.

Local union President Chris Buckley told the Toronto Star the protest would continue but didn't say how or where.

Hundreds of corporate staff members were forced to work from home because of the blockade, the report said.

The union claims 2,600 jobs in the city will be lost by the closure and accuses the company of bargaining in bad faith recently when workers agreed to pay freezes. GM Canada said it was unaware of Detroit's decision to close the plants.