Over the weekend, Unifor also secured an overwhelming strike mandate from members at all three automakers. The procedural step does not indicate a strike is imminent, but gives the union’s negotiators another card to play if talks reach an impasse as the contract expiry deadline approaches.
As with General Motors and Stellantis, Ford is currently transitioning its Canadian operations to electric vehicle production. It detailed plans this April for a $1.8 billion retool of its Oakville plant southwest of Toronto, which includes both vehicle and battery pack assembly areas.
The company also operates two engine plants in Windsor. However, it has not laid out what role those facilities will play as the industry shifts to EVs and products from each plant become obsolete.
As part of its patterned bargaining strategy, Unifor aims to lock in a benchmark contract with its initial target automaker. This typically sets a bar for wages and other key concessions with the other two automakers.
