GM Canada recalling 885 workers

General Motors of Canada says it will recall about 885 workers at Ontario plants this year to build more Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain crossover SUVs.

GM said Friday it will recall about 600 laid-off workers at its Oshawa assembly plant, moving to three shifts from two in October.

All 127 laid-off employees at the CAMI plant in Ingersoll will be recalled April 6 and the company will recall 158 employees laid off from plants at other plants in Windsor, St. Catharines and Woodstock, said Canadian Auto Workers national representative Ken Osborne. Those recalls will start in late April in groups of 50, he said. 

GM also said it expects to add 70 new jobs at CAMI by August.

The body shop at the CAMI plant will expand to produce more Equinox units, which will then be sent to Oshawa for paint and final assembly.

CAMI will also be able to increase production of the Terrain, GM said.

Combined sales of the Equinox and Terrain are up 100 per cent in Canada and 128 per cent in the United States over the last quarter, the company said.

The Equinox and Terrain vehicles look like SUVs but employ a car platform. 

Ken Lewenza, president of the Canadian Auto Workers union, welcomed the recall.  

Most of GM's laid-off workers are coming close to running out of employment insurance and other benefits, he said.