The new standard gives employees the flexibility to work from anywhere and gives GM access to a broader talent pool.

The hybrid schedule that the automaker is making permanent for many employees is a drastic paradigm shift for a traditional manufacturer and could prompt a larger modernization for an industry accustomed to 20th century cubicle farms and conference rooms.

The EV600 is a vastly different product than GM’s popular crossover, and it will compete in a market that holds promise but is unchartered territory for the Detroit automaker.

Unifor members ratified a three-year contract with General Motors that includes a $1-billion investment commitment at CAMI Assembly in Ingersoll, Ont., to begin building all-electric delivery vans later this year.