Payne: "Canadian autoworkers have sent a strong message."
Unifor members at Detroit Three automakers have delivered overwhelming strike mandates, authorizing job action, if the union and companies can’t agree on a new collective bargaining agreement.
Unifor’s current contracts with Ford, General Motors and Stellants expire at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sept. 18, 2023.
The two sides opened formal negotiations Aug. 10 in Toronto.
Ford 98.9% in favour
General Motors 99% in favour
Stellantis 98.1% in favour
Source: Unifor
Unifor paused negotiations to hold the strike votes over the course of the weekend. The results of the strike votes are tabulated and broken down by company below.
On Aug. 27, Unifor said it will continue to provide regular updates on the status of negotiations at the autotalks.ca website.
Union President Lana Payne previously said “members’ expectations are very high.”
“Canadian autoworkers have sent a strong message to [Detroit Three] automakers that they are united behind our bargaining committees in an effort to improve pensions, increase wages, and secure good, union jobs in the EV future,” Payne said in a statement Aug. 27. “Our bargaining teams are set to resume negotiations with the unwavering support of Unifor members across the auto sector.
“Make no mistake, our union is fully prepared to take any and all necessary action to achieve our collective bargaining objectives.”
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy, with 18,000 autoworkers covered by collective agreements.
