Unifor has announced it's calling for a boycott on sales of GM vehicles made in Mexico.
At a news conference Friday morning Unifor National President Jerry Dias issued the call. He says the Ingersoll built Chevy Equinox has a unique Vehicle Identification Number.
"The vehicles that we are urging the boycott are vehicles that are built in Mexico," he says. "For example, we are strongly suggesting that people buy the Chevy Equinox that our members build in Ingersoll. But you'll know that our members are building it if the VIN number does not start with a three."
He says Unifor members have nothing to lose.
"I don't see it as a dangerous game, why? ... It's already happening. GM sales in Canada were down 30% in December 2018 from December 2017. All along we've been saying to GM, 'don't do this, Canadian consumers are punishing you,'" Dias says.
Canadians have not forgotten the bailout, according to Dias.
"If they say our boycott is successful, that it will punish them, that's why our boycott will be successful, because Canadians are going to punish [GM] and frankly we've had enough of their lies over the years," says Dias, who added GM ships over 600,000 Mexican-made vehicles to North America valued at around $22-billion.
He is scheduled to meet with United Auto Workers leadership next month to discuss ways to halt the shutdown of all the plants.
Dias pledged if GM says it will keep Oshawa open, he will rescind the boycott and go to buy a Chevy Impala the next day.