Ford and Canadian Union Reach Tentative Deal
Ford Motor avoided labor strikes on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border as the automaker and Canadian union Unifor announced a tentative deal covering 5,600 autoworkers in Ontario.
The agreement was reached just hours before the deadline and still needs to be ratified by members. The talks were extended by 24 hours following Ford’s proposal to Unifor.
This agreement comes amidst targeted strikes initiated by the United Auto Workers union against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis.
If the strikes had continued, Ford’s Oakville Assembly Plant and two engine plants would have been impacted.
Details of the agreement have not been released yet, but Lana Payne, national president of Unifor, stated that it addresses all the concerns raised by members during collective bargaining preparations.
Unifor took a more traditional approach to negotiations compared to its U.S. counterpart. The union chose Ford as its “target” company and announced a national strike if necessary.
The agreement will be used as a pattern for negotiations with GM and Stellantis.
Meanwhile, Ford will now focus on its talks with the UAW, and additional strikes may be announced if progress is not made by the deadline.
Currently, UAW workers are on strike at several plants belonging to GM, Ford, and Stellantis.
