A judge has ordered the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union to end the 10-day blockade outside General Motor's Canadian headquarters in Oshawa, Ontario, by Monday morning, according to local media.
Ontario Superior Court Judge David Salmers ruled on Friday evening that the CAW must vacate the area in front of GM Canada's headquarters by 7 a.m. Monday local time (1100 GMT).
But the judge also chastised the auto giant, saying it acted deceitfully in announcing the closure of a truck plant in Oshawa, just three weeks after reaching a collective bargaining agreement with the CAW.
Local CAW leader Chris Buckley said his members were satisfied with the ruling and would abide by the judge's decision to leave on Monday, but they would continue their protest over the weekend.
In a statement released on its website following the ruling, GM Canada said it was "pleased that our employees are to regain access to our headquarters building on Monday."
"With this we continue to encourage the CAW to sit down ... to discuss potential creative alternatives such as steps to assist impacted employees," the statement said. "We also wish to work together toward potential new product investments for the Oshawa car plant."
CAW members have been blocking GM's Canadian head office since last Wednesday, one day after the company announced that it was closing Oshawa and three other pickup truck and sport utility vehicle factories, as high gas prices have caused sales to tumble.
GM said the closure will eliminate 1,000 jobs in Canada. But union leaders said 2,600 people would be out of work.
GM filed an injunction request Thursday, arguing the protest is keeping 900 people away from work and hampering day-to-day operations.
Source: Xinhua
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