The tentative contract also covers workers at the FCA Brampton plant, which assembles the Chrysler 300 sedan and Dodge Charger and Challenger muscle cars, as well as a casting plant in Toronto. The Brampton plant has been the subject of speculation in recent years due to the aging platform its muscle cars are built on, though the Charger and Challenger are believed to be highly profitable vehicles.
The agreement also covers fire and security workers at the Windsor plant and about 60 office and clerical workers, according to the union.
The deal follows the ratification of a new three-year contract with Ford Motor Co. in September. The Ford deal included a commitment from the company to invest about $1.5 billion in its Oakville, Ont., plant to build electric vehicles starting in 2026, along with various raises, bonuses and a reduction in the wage grow-in period for new hires.
It also included a new “alternative work schedule,” a concession from the union that Ford touted as a way to make production in Canada more flexible.
Should workers ratify the tentative contract with FCA, Unifor would then begin negotiations with General Motors.
The GM contract covers workers at an engine and transmission plant in St. Catharines, Ont., as well as the company’s new aftermarket parts operation at its former assembly plant in Oshawa, Ont. GM’s CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ont., operates with a separate contract that expires in 2021.
