Unifor to Resume Contract Talks With GM in Big Three Bargaining

On Monday, Canadian autoworkers' union Unifor picks U.S. automaker General Motors (GM) as the next target company in its bargaining with the three major U.S. automakers.

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Talks with GM, which, together with Ford and Stellantis, is often referred to as the "Big Three," will resume on Tuesday, Unifor President Lana Payne said.

Unifor members at Ford ratified narrowly a new three-year contract by 54 percent on Sunday. The agreement with Ford includes the single largest negotiated general wage increase in the history of Unifor by 15 percent, ratification bonus for permanent and temporary employees, increases to retirement programs, and faster wage progression.

"We've got an incredibly strong pattern agreement at Ford that will serve us well over the coming years," Payne said.

"Our job now is to negotiate that pattern in the form of a renewal collective agreement with General Motors and Stellantis," she said, adding that the decision to tap GM next in bargaining is based on negotiation leverage, because of demand and the key position.

"Their Oshawa facility is working around the clock producing very lucrative pick-up trucks. The St. Catharines engine and transmission facility, like Ford's powertrain operations, is a lynchpin for GM's North American operations. Our Woodstock distribution center is also a key element of the company's parts network," Payne stated.

GM welcomes the resumption of negotiations to reach a tentative agreement, said a statement. "We look forward to working with our Unifor partners to build a competitive future that also recognizes our employees' contributions to our shared success."

Unifor's negotiations with GM cover approximately 4,300 workers in Canada. Unlike the United Auto Workers (UAW) which is striking against the Big Three U.S. automakers, Unifor opted to negotiate only with one company at a time. The UAW went on strike on Sept. 15 at select facilities of Ford, GM, and Stellantis.