Canadian Strike Yields U.S. Layoffs

The Canadian Auto Workers strike against General Motors Canada is beginning to have U.S. ripple effects.

GM officials said at least 1,850 U.S. workers would be laid off today because the parts they make for Canadian plants aren’t needed.

At a GM Powertrain plant in Tonawanda, N.Y., near Buffalo, 1,050 workers were off the job today, GM spokeswoman Darla Park said from Detroit.

Park said another 800 workers would be laid off by Monday night at a transmission plant in Ypsilanti, west of Detroit.

The New York workers make six-cylinder engines for Chevrolet Luminas and Monte Carlos. Those are used at GM’s Oshawa, Ontario, plant. The Willow Run workers make a variety of transmissions used in vehicles made in Canada.