To the Membership of Unifor Local 88,
At 8:15 a.m. this morning, I was pulled into a meeting with Bill Harkness and the heads of GM. I was informed that, effective immediately, General Motors will be ending the BrightDrop platform.
This news was devastating for all of us, especially for the membership of our Local.
We’ve shown up for every ask, every time. And now, to be met with this short-sighted decision is frustrating and disheartening.
Earlier this morning, our bargaining team was already in meetings with the National Union, discussing immediate next steps. At this moment, we are being inundated with phone calls, emails, and text messages. While we wish we could respond to each and every one of you personally, the truth is that we just don’t have all the answers yet.
We fully understand the anger, uncertainty, and anxiety many of you are feeling right now. We’re feeling it too.
Over the next couple of days we will be meeting with the company to begin working through these issues and to get clarity on what this means for all of us, for our jobs, our families, and our future.
I will be providing a video update to the membership sometime Friday with the latest information we have. I know it’s not enough right now, and I truly wish we had more to offer at this time, but please know that we are fighting for answers and we are not standing still.
We will keep you informed every step of the way.
In Solidarity,
Mike Van Boekel