Dive Brief:
- Unifor will target Ford Motor Company as it negotiates a new collective bargaining agreement with the Big Three on behalf of 18,000 autoworkers in Canada, the union said Tuesday.
- After the union negotiates a contract with Ford, it will use that agreement as a blueprint for renegotiating labor contracts with General Motors and Stellantis.
- Unifor National President Lana Payne said in a statement the union chose Ford because it believes the automaker is well-positioned to provide its members with favorable contract terms.
Dive Insight:
Unifor is following the same pattern bargaining strategy the United Auto Workers has used historically in its negotiations with the Big Three. The union’s decision to target Ford is noteworthy, as many analysts believe the UAW will target Stellantis instead, where most of its executive officers previously worked, including new UAW President Shawn Fain.
“These negotiations are about reaching an agreement that reflects the historic nature of the transition to electric vehicle manufacturing. That means setting the highest possible standards that protect the livelihoods and job security of all autoworkers now and in the future,” Payne said.
However, Fain has suggested the UAW could strike against all three automakers at the same time, a first for the union.
Over the weekend, Unifor members employed in Canada by GM, Ford and Stellantis voted to strike if the union can’t make a deal with the Big Three by Sept. 18, when its collective bargaining agreements with GM, Ford and Stellantis expire. The vote came days after 150,000 UAW members approved a potential strike next month in a near-unanimous vote.
Like the UAW, Unifor’s members want better wages, pension benefits and job security protections amid the auto industry’s transition to EVs. The union began negotiations with the Big Three on Aug. 10.
