Unifor and General Motors have commenced discussions for a new labor agreement, initiating talks in downtown Toronto on Monday. The union represents over 4,600 members at various Ontario GM facilities, including the Oshawa assembly plant, the CAMI facility in Ingersoll, and operations in St. Catharines and Woodstock. Unifor national president Lana Payne and Jack Uppal, president and managing director at GM Canada, officially started negotiations by shaking hands.
The negotiation setting featured chairs placed in a conference room where officials sat at opposite ends, with Payne positioned in the middle and Uppal sitting directly across. Expressing optimism, Payne stated in a news release that they are building on the foundation set by the pattern agreement with Ford and are focused on discussing company operations and the future of auto jobs at GM in Canada. Unifor has set a target deadline of August 21 to reach a tentative agreement with GM.
Uppal, in a news release, conveyed the company’s respect for the collective bargaining process and the essential role of employees in its success. He highlighted significant investments made in Canadian manufacturing plants since 2020, amounting to $3.3 billion, to ensure the creation of advanced products securing numerous Canadian jobs for the long term. The goal is to achieve a mutually beneficial agreement supporting employees while keeping GM Canada competitive.
Earlier in July, Unifor members approved a new three-year contract with Ford, which included annual pay increases of three percent. The agreement, effective from September 21, also included a no-closure commitment renewal and program commitments across Ford facilities, such as the introduction of a third shift at the engine plant in Essex, Ontario, scheduled for 2029.
Unifor and Ford additionally agreed on a program to facilitate laid-off workers from the Oakville assembly plant to achieve full employment by July 2027. This agreement was hailed as a successful pattern-setting negotiation by the union. In pattern bargaining, unions negotiate with one company to establish terms intended for replication with other companies in the same industry. The agreement with Ford received strong support from workers, with the majority voting in favor of the deal.
Looking ahead, Payne acknowledged potential complexities in negotiations with General Motors and Stellantis, citing differences in decision-making compared to Ford amid trade uncertainties faced by Canada. With General Motors’ Ingersoll assembly plant and Stellantis’ Brampton assembly plant currently inactive and workers laid off, upcoming talks are expected to be challenging. The ongoing negotiations between Unifor and the Detroit Three automakers happen amidst industry challenges, including U.S. tariffs, trade agreements, and the rise of Chinese electric vehicles in Canada.