Six Canadian GM Workers Strike a Tentative Human Rights Deal after a Fight over Dual Citizenship

On August 19, 2002, 279 workers from the GM Defense Plant in London, Ontario were escorted away from their jobs. Thirty-year employee Roland Craig said he was humiliated as he was suddenly taken away and even patted down on the way out by security. The crime of these men was the simple fact they all held dual citizenships of Canadian and ITAR restricted nationalities. The plant had recently landed a contract to supply armored vehicles to the US army and the US State Department demanded that no such dual citizens be allowed to work in a plant that supplies the US military. The workers were told that if they renounced their citizenship they could keep their jobs and although many did so, others were very upset by this request.

Over 25 of the workers decided to take their complaints to the human rights commission. Finally, 5 years later, six of the area men attended an Ontario Human Rights Commission hearing. Here they argued that losing their jobs because of dual citizenship alone violated their rights and also complained of harassment and racist remarks on the job. The men were also concerned that GM had sent out personal information to the US State Department after a pledge of confidentiality. An agreement was reached that included an apology from GM, security clearance, and a monetary settlement for the men.