Steel Products
Unifor, Ford Extend Negotiations for 24 Hours, Put Off Possible Strike
Written by Ethan Bernard
September 19, 2023
Unifor, which represents union auto workers in Canada, has extended negotiations with Ford, thus delaying a potential strike.
The deadline for contract talks – Monday, Sept. 18, at 11:59 pm — has passed. But Unifor said it was continuing discussions with Ford for another day.
“The union received a substantive offer from the employer minutes before the deadline and bargaining is continuing throughout the night,” Unifor said in a statement.
However, the union also noted that its members would remain ready to strike.
Separately, Ford issued a press release on Tuesday regarding the deadline extension.
“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,” Steven Majer, VP of human resources of Ford Motor Co, of Canada, said in the statement.
Unifor’s counterpart in the US, the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, is currently on strike against all “Detroit Three” automakers — Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis.
Unifor took a more traditional approached. It selected one automaker, Ford, as the targeted automaker in labor negotiations.
The Canadian union’s membership is smaller than that of the UAW. So is the number of workers that it could call on to go on strike.
Unifor represents approximately 5,680 auto workers at Ford in Canada. The UAW represents roughly 150,000 across the Big Three, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Ethan Bernard
Read more from Ethan BernardLatest in Steel Products

Final Thoughts
The difference: The spat with Turkey was a big deal for steel. This time, the 50% reciprocal tariff for Brazil – if it goes into effect as threatened on Aug.1 – hits everything from coffee and to pig iron. It seems almost custom-built to inflict as much pain as possible on Brazil.

CRU: US rebar and wire rod prices rise alongside S232 increase
CRU Senior Steel Analyst Alexandra Anderson discusses current market and pricing dynamics for long steel products in the US.
CRU: Excessive global supply could hit rebar mill investments in US
Following the onset of the war in Ukraine in March 2022, concerns about import availability and expectations of rising demand from President Biden’s Infrastructure Bill pushed US rebar prices to record highs. In response, a flurry of new mills and capacity expansions were announced to meet the rise in demand from growth in the construction […]

Steel buyer spirits tempered by soft spot market conditions
Steel sheet buyers report feeling bogged down by the ongoing stresses of stagnant demand, news fatigue, tariff negotiations or implementation timelines, and persistent macroeconomic uncertainty.

CRU: US stainless prices to rise on expanded S232 tariffs
Stainless prices in the US market will rise, following price increases by major US producers. Our base case scenario incorporates higher US prices in the near term, despite the initial negative reaction by the market. US stainless prices will go up in 2025 H2 and will stay elevated in 2026 as tariffs on stainless […]