Unifor extends strike deadline by 24 hours as Ford talks continue

A tentative agreement between Unifor and Ford Motor Co. of Canada remained elusive Monday evening, but the union extended its strike deadline for a 24-hour period as the two sides planned to negotiate through the night after the automaker made what was called a "substantive offer."

The 2020 contract expired at 11:59 p.m. ET Monday and Unifor was in a position to strike at 12 a.m. Tuesday. At about 1:40 a.m. ET Tuesday, the union issued a statement.

"Unifor is extending negotiations with Ford Motor Company for a 24-hour period. The union received a substantive offer from the employer minutes before the deadline and bargaining is continuing throughout the night," the union said. "Unifor members should continue to maintain strike readiness."

President Lana Payne told members late Monday night, prior to the recent offer, that the likelihood of a strike was a "strong possibility."

"If there is a strike, this will be a total strike. Every single one of Unifor’s 5,600 members at Ford in Canada will be on picket lines. Our Oakville assembly plant, our Windsor powertrain operations, our parts distribution centres, our office and technical units, everyone together.”

Payne said a strike is not the union's desired outcome, but Unifor plans to use Ford's "small, but highly consequential" Canadian footprint as leverage to secure its demands. 

Ford builds engines for its F-Series pickups and several other vehicles in Windsor, while its Oakville assembly plant builds the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus. 

Unifor locals have been prepping members for a potential strike throughout the day. 

Local 707, which represents workers at Ford’s Oakville Assembly Complex, located southwest of Toronto, shared picketing instructions with members.

The local said it would establish picket lines at five locations around the assembly plant if a strike is called. Local leadership also called for volunteers to help set up the lines between midnight and 6 a.m. Tuesday morning.

A strike at Ford facilities in Canada would put auto workers on both sides of the border on the picket line.

Strikes by UAW members at three Detroit Three plants in the United States entered their fourth day Monday. Unifor sent a letter of support to its counterpart union Sept. 15, saying it stands in solidarity with the UAW as it fights for a fair collective agreement.

Unifor's bargaining committee secured an overwhelming strike mandate late last month, with 98.9 per cent of members at the automaker voting to strike, if necessary, when their current three-year contract expires.

Unifor workers at General Motors and Stellantis, meantime, will remain on the job regardless of the outcome at the bargaining table today. Over the weekend, the union took the customary step to extend its contracts at the two automakers to focus on reaching a deal with Ford.

The Unifor bargaining team pledged to remain at the table Monday to continue working toward a tentative agreement with Ford. From the outset of talks, the union has prioritized improved pensions and wages, as well as greater support for members during upcoming retooling periods. 

Unlike the UAW in the United States, which has publicly demanded wage gains of 46 per cent over four years, Unifor has kept its cards close to its chest. Throughout the bargaining process Payne has continually shied away from quantifying its demands, and she said last week that the union has no plans to publicize the details of company offers until the bargaining committee has a tentative agreement to take to members. 

Payne said late Monday that pensions and benefits remain sticking points at the bargaining table. 

Ford of Canada has not commented on the substance of talks, but Steven Majer, the company's vice-president of human resources, said early Tuesday morning that Ford has agreed to keep the dialogue going past the original midnight deadline. 

"We will continue to work collaboratively with Unifor to create a blueprint for the automotive industry that supports a vibrant and sustainable future in Canada," he said in an emailed statement. 

Unifor's most recent strike against Ford Canada was in 1990; it was known as the Canadian Auto Workers union at the time. 

Greg Layson contributed to this report.