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Unifor says it has suspended a media campaign against General Motors amid productive talks with the automaker on the future of the company’s assembly plant in Oshawa.

The union says the company has been clear it won’t extend vehicle manufacturing at the Oshawa plant beyond the end of the year, but that there is potential to transform operations to maintain some jobs.

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Union president Jerry Dias, who sat down Tuesday with senior GM officials in Detroit, said a deal could be reached within weeks while declining to offer details.

“It’s about maintaining a footprint, and it’s about being in a position to build for the future. So I’m feeling more optimistic now than I have in a long time.”

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He said it’s still unclear how the talks will end up, but that the plan is about more than maintaining empty buildings.

“We’re having very aggressive conversations with General Motors about a short-term fix and a long-term plan.”