Unifor national president Lana Payne announced Unifor members began strike action at General Motors as the clock struck midnight. But later on Tuesday, the two parties reached a tentative agreement.

This follows strike action at the Oshawa Assembly Plant, St. Catharines Powertrain Plant and Woodstock Parts Distribution Center. The strikes are on hold to allow the membership to vote on the tentative agreement, a Unifor press release said.

“When faced with the shutdown of these key facilities General Motors had no choice but to get serious at the table and agree to the pattern,” said Unifor national president Lana Payne in an update on the Unifor website. “The solidarity of our members has led to a comprehensive tentative agreement that follows the pattern set at Ford Motor Company to the letter, including all items that company had initial fought us on such as pensions, retiree income supports and converting full-time temporary workers into permanent employees over the life of the agreement.”

This agreement pertains to almost 4,300 auto workers at Unifor locals 222, 199 and 636.

“All members will benefit now that the pattern is in place at GM, whether they’re temporary workers, new hires, or already at the top of the pay scale,” said Unifor Ford master bargaining chair Jason Gale. “This agreement delivers the kind of historic pay increases our members need and significant pension improvements that will protect their living standards in retirement.”

Strikes were avoided at Ford Canada in September. And the tentative agreement with General Motors follows the pattern of Ford and Unifor’s new contract.

The highlights of the program outlined by Unifor were many, covering a base hourly wage increase of nearly 20% for production and 25% for skilled trades over the lifetime of agreement.

Unifor offered this example to illustrate the raise structure: By the end of the three-year agreement, a production assembler will now be paid $44.52 per hour, in addition to a forecasted $1.61 cost of living allowance (a total of $46.13).

For general wage increases, the agreement covers 10% for year one, 2% for year two, and 3% in year three.

Wage progression has also been cut from eight to four years. Start rates also grew for temporary part-time and production workers. The agreement also covers the conversion of full-time temporary workers, with at least one year of seniority at ratification, to permanent status.

And at the Oshawa Assembly, the company has agreed to eliminate the use of the full-time temporary classification by Aug. 1, 2026.

Pension plans, bonuses, company contributions, payment structures and more were enhanced and updated, as well.

Stay tuned to Auto Remarketing Canada for updates on the GM/Unifor negotiations, and the impending negotiations with Stellantis, the last OEM to make up the Detroit 3.

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As the clock struck midnight, Unifor national president Lana Payne announced Unifor members began strike action at General Motors. Strikes were avoided at Ford Canada in September. But negotiations between General Motors and Canada’s Unifor ended quite differently on Monday night.

“This strike is about General Motors stubbornly refusing to meet the pattern agreement. The company knows our members will never let GM break our pattern — not today — not ever,” said Payne in a press release from the union. “The company continues to fall short on our pension demands, income support for retired workers, and meaningful steps to transition temporary workers into permanent, full-time jobs.”

This strike covers over 4,000 GM-employed auto workers at the Oshawa Assembly Complex and CCA Stamped Products, St. Catharines Powertrain Plant and Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre.

The agreement proposed by Unifor to GM was patterned after the ratified collective agreement made with Ford of Canada. After the agreement was complete with Ford, Unifor brought a similar plan to GM to a very different outcome.

“Our bargaining team was crystal clear with the company throughout these negotiations: our members are united and ready to strike, no exceptions,” Unifor GM master bargaining chair Jason Gale said in the press release. “Everything our members do, from the trucks we assemble, the stamping plant we run, the engines and transmissions we build and the parts we deliver, are all critical to GM’s bottom line. This dispute can only end one way: with GM agreeing to the same terms in our pattern agreement with Ford.”

According to Unifor, the members from Unifor Locals 222, 199 and 636 will remain on strike until the pattern is met through the new agreement with GM. Unifor Local 88 members at the CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Ontario are covered by a separate collective agreement and will continue operations, Unifor said.

In a letter to General Motors from Payne posted on Oct. 10, Unifor first announced the strike in a bargaining update posted to the Unifor website.

“Your bargaining team has announced strike action against General Motors. This strike includes all GM members at the Oshawa Assembly Complex and CCA Stamped Products, St. Catharines Powertrain Plant and Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre,” the letter reads.

“The decision to strike was not taken lightly. After working throughout the Thanksgiving weekend and into the final hours before the deadline, General Motors made it clear that they would not agree to meet the conditions of the pattern agreement. We cannot and we will not settle for less than pattern – not today – not ever,” Payne said in the letter.

She went on to outline that the strike is a result of the company’s “unwillingness” to agree to the following core pattern demands:

—Pension requirements

—Support for retirees

—Making sure full-time temporary part-time workers are given a clear path to permanent employment

—Plus “additional unresolved issues,” according to Payne’s letter

She instructed GM Canada employees to continue to report for their next scheduled shift to speak with their strike captain for picketing duties.

Stay tuned to Auto Remarketing Canada for updates on the GM/Unifor negotiations, and the impending negotiations with Stellantis, the last OEM to make up the Detroit 3.