General Motors Reaches Tentative Agreements With Unifor

General Motors and Unifor Reach Tentative Agreements

On August 22, General Motors and Canadian labor union Unifor reached tentative agreements covering workers at several Ontario facilities. Details of the agreements were not immediately released and are scheduled to be presented to members during ratification meetings on August 29 and 30. The current contracts with GM expire in September, making the tentative agreements an important step toward establishing new terms before the existing contracts reach their expiration date.

Two Contracts Cover Multiple Ontario Facilities

The tentative agreements apply to two separate contracts. One covers members employed at the Oshawa Assembly Plant, St. Catharines Propulsion Plant and Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre. The second covers employees working at the idled CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. Unifor National President Lana Payne said the bargaining committee worked diligently to reach the agreements and described them as delivering strong income and benefit gains during some of the most challenging times in the union’s history.

GM Talks Coincide With U.S.-Canada Trade Negotiations

The tentative deals between Unifor and General Motors were reached around the same time as the latest round of trade talks between the U.S. and Canada broke down. GM’s negotiations followed successful talks with Ford, which concluded on July 11 after negotiations began on June 22. The timing places the GM agreements within a broader period of labor and trade negotiations affecting the Canadian automotive sector, although the specific terms of the tentative agreements have not yet been released.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Unifor and General Motors agree to?
The two sides reached tentative agreements covering two contracts involving workers at several Ontario facilities. One contract covers employees at the Oshawa Assembly Plant, St. Catharines Propulsion Plant and Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre, while the other covers workers at the idled CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. The agreements’ specific details were not immediately released and will be presented to members during ratification meetings scheduled for August 29 and 30. The existing GM contracts are set to expire in September.