Ford Motor Company and Unifor have come to a tentative three-year labor agreement, with details to follow at a later time. The union represents about 5,000 employees across five plants in southern Ontario and one in Alberta. Negotiations commenced at the end of the previous month, coinciding with the expiration of deals at major American automakers like Stellantis and General Motors.
Unifor chose to negotiate with Ford initially and is expected to engage with the other two automakers once the Ford deal is approved. Ford workers will have the opportunity to vote on the contract between July 17 and 19, with results to be disclosed post the final voting. Ford of Canada has stated that it will not disclose the specifics of the tentative agreement to honor the ratification process.
John D’Agnolo, the Unifor Ford Master Bargaining Chair from Windsor, Ontario, expressed enthusiasm about presenting the tentative agreement to members. Unifor initiated talks with Ford last month, aiming to secure improved pay, job security, and benefits for its nearly 19,000 members across Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis. The agreement is contingent on ratification by Ford-Unifor members, as the current collective agreements are set to expire on September 20.
The union kickstarted negotiations ahead of schedule due to deteriorating economic conditions, with thousands of workers laid off in plants operated by the three automakers amid production shifts and halts at various facilities.
