General Motors Unifor Negotiations Begin Over CAMI Plant Jobs

General Motors and Unifor Begin Contract Talks

On August 10, General Motors and Unifor began negotiations in Toronto, Canada, covering two separate contracts scheduled to expire in September. One of the agreements could have significant consequences for more than 1,000 hourly employees who were laid off from the CAMI Assembly plant. The discussions come as the Ingersoll, Ontario, facility faces an uncertain future after production of BrightDrop electric vans ended there in 2025.

CAMI Plant Remains Central to Negotiations

Unifor represents more than 4,600 workers across General Motors facilities in Ontario. Its membership includes employees at the Oshawa assembly plant, the CAMI facility in Ingersoll, and GM operations in St. Catharines and Woodstock. The situation at CAMI is particularly important because the plant is currently not producing vehicles, leaving the employment outlook for previously laid-off hourly workers unresolved. The facility’s production halt has therefore become a major factor as the union and automaker negotiate the terms of their upcoming contracts.

Ford Agreement Sets Negotiation Pattern

Earlier in July, Unifor members approved a new three-year agreement with Ford, effective September 21. The deal provides 3% annual wage increases, renews a no-closure commitment, and includes program commitments across Ford facilities. It also includes a third shift at the company’s engine plant in Windsor, Ontario, forecast for 2029. In addition, Unifor and Ford agreed to establish a program giving workers laid off from Ford’s Oakville, Ontario, assembly plant a pathway toward full employment by July 2027.

GM and Stellantis Talks Face Greater Complexity

Unifor has described the Ford agreement as successful pattern-setting negotiations. However, discussions with both General Motors and Stellantis are expected to be more complicated because their affected facilities face significant operational challenges. GM’s CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll and Stellantis’ Brampton assembly plant are both currently idle, while thousands of workers remain laid off. The negotiations will therefore be closely watched for potential commitments affecting employment, plant operations, and the future of affected automotive manufacturing facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are General Motors and Unifor negotiating?
General Motors and Unifor are negotiating two separate contracts that are scheduled to expire in September. The discussions cover workers at several GM facilities in Ontario and include issues connected with employment at the CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll. More than 1,000 hourly employees laid off from CAMI could be affected by the outcome. The negotiations follow Unifor’s recently approved agreement with Ford, which established a pattern involving wage increases, no-closure provisions, and future program commitments across Ford facilities.

Why is the CAMI Assembly plant important?
The CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll is significant because it stopped producing BrightDrop electric vans in 2025 and its future remains uncertain. More than 1,000 hourly workers have been laid off from the facility, making employment commitments a major issue in the negotiations. Unifor represents workers at CAMI as well as other General Motors facilities across Ontario. The outcome of the talks could therefore influence the employment outlook for affected workers and the longer-term direction of the idle facility.