TORONTO --
Canadian automotive workers are among those who have been temporarily laid off as a worldwide shortage of semiconductors, used in computer chips in vehicles, brings several industries to an abrupt halt.
The measure affects all shifts at General Motors’ CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ont., a town approximately 30 kilometres east London, Ont., until at least mid-March. GM confirmed about 1,500 affected hourly employees are eligible for layoff benefits.
Mike Van Boekel, Unifor’s chairman for the CAMI plant unit attributes the chip shortage to a disruption overseas, preventing further production.
"We were told that there's a semiconductor issue that mostly comes out of China or Taiwan. There's a couple of different plants they are way behind on production," Van Boekel told CTV News.