The Unifor union has reached an agreement with General Motors to end the strike at the automaker’s two factories and distribution center in Canada. AP Photo/Carlos Osorio
The American automaker General Motors agreed to a new collective contract with the Unifor union that represents its workers in Canada, to end a strike that began shortly before midnight on Monday at two of the company’s factories and a distribution center.
The three-year agreement will increase the basic hourly wage by about 20% for production line workers and 25% for skilled employees, Unifor said in a statement. It also increases the starting salary for part-time temporary workers and raises pensions.
“Now that a preliminary agreement has been reached, work will resume at all GM facilities,” the union said. “Unifor members must report to their regularly scheduled shift at their factory starting at 2:30 p.m.” – Canada time.
The organization that represents 4,300 GM workers in Canada said the contract “literally” matches the terms Ford Motor Co. agreed to in negotiations with Unifor in September, although it has not yet been ratified by union members.
The agreement allowed workers to end their strike at an assembly plant in Oshawa and an engine plant in St. Catharines, Ontario, along with a distribution center in Woodstock.
GM and Ford, together with Stellantis, have not yet reached an agreement to end the strike that the United Auto Workers (UAW) union began in the United States on September 15, with the participation of 25 thousand striking workers, because although they have made some progress, these still do not match With union requirements.
UAW President Sean Fine said late last week that General Motors was ahead of its Detroit rivals by agreeing in writing to include electric battery plants in the union’s national contract.
Publication date: 10/10/2023
Tags: General Motors union workers strike in Canada
