OEMs

Unifor Kicks Off Talks With Stellantis

October 19, 2023

Unifor, the union representing auto workers in Canada, has opened negotiations with automaker Stellantis.

Unifor has set a strike deadline for Sunday, Oct. 29, at 11:59 p.m., if no agreement is reached, the union said in a bargaining update on Tuesday. Negotiations began on Wednesday, Oct. 18.

“Your subcommittees have been hard work holding preliminary meetings with the company today on everything from health and safety demands to improved language on benefits, plant operations, and more,” Unifor said in Tuesday’s release.

When contacted on Thursday by SMU, a Unifor spokeswoman commented that the “negotiations are ongoing.”

Background

As part of its pattern bargaining arrangement, the union has already successfully concluded agreements with the other “Big Three” automakers Ford and General Motors.

Unifor members recently ratified a new three-year labor agreement with GM Canada.

The union and GM reached the agreement on Tuesday, Oct. 10. This was just hours after Unifor had announced a strike action at the automaker’s St. Catharines Propulsion Plant, Oshawa Assembly & Operations, and the Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre.

Ford of Canada union workers represented by Unifor ratified a new, three-year labor agreement late last month.

UAW Strike in US Ongoing

Unifor’s talks with Stellantis come as the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike against all of the Big Three automakers continues. The strike began on Sept. 15. In its “stand-up strike,” the UAW is targeting specific plants of all three automakers.

The union announced a new phase on Friday, Oct. 13, noting that it will be calling on workers to strike at certain facilities at will. To see all the UAW facilities currently under strike action, click here.

Ethan Bernard

Ethan Bernard is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in the New York office for two years starting in 2008. Later, he copy edited AMM’s monthly magazine on a freelance basis from 2015 until 2017. With experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing, he holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and an MFA. in Creative Writing from New York University. He can be reached at ethan@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7871.