Sting Takes A Stand For GM's Oshawa Workers

By External Source

Sting and the cast of his musical The Last Ship will travel from Toronto, where the musical is currently playing at the Princess of Wales Theatre, to Oshawa to perform in solidarity with GM workers at the city’s Tributes Communities Centre in a free show tomorrow, Feb. 14th.

The performance will include songs from the musical, written and performed by the UK singer. 

In a news release approved by Sting, he relays that the “new musical tells a similar story to what is threatening to happen in Oshawa, with the potential demise of the GM plants that employ thousands of people.”

The Last Ship is set in the UK shipbuilding community of Newcastle, Sting’s hometown, and tells the story of the shutdown of the local shipyard, around which the community has revolved for centuries. No one knows what will come next. With tensions flaring, a grassroots protest gains strength as people fight to hold their community together in the face of the impending storm by building “The Last Ship.” Sting wrote and stars in the Toronto production as the leader of the protest.

“With the departure of shipbuilding from his hometown, Sting witnessed first-hand what becomes of workers and their families when the core industry is ripped away,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.

“The tremendously powerful story … resonates deeply as it speaks to the dignity of work, how it shapes individuals and their communities, and the heavy personal toll that is paid when workers' livelihoods are taken from them. The Oshawa GM workers are incredibly grateful to Sting and the cast of this show for their support as they continue to fight for their jobs.”