Ford Motor Company and Unifor have come to a preliminary agreement on a three-year labor contract, with specific details to be disclosed at a later time. Unifor represents about 5,000 employees at five factories in southern Ontario and one in Alberta. Negotiations began at the end of the preceding month, coinciding with the expiration of agreements at major American automakers, including Stellantis and General Motors.
The decision to prioritize negotiations with Ford first was made by the union, with plans to engage with the other two automakers following the ratification of the Ford deal. Unifor has scheduled a voting period for Ford workers to express their opinion on the contract between July 17 and 19, with the final results to be announced post voting.
Ford of Canada has stated that they will not discuss the specifics of the tentative agreement to uphold the ratification process. Unifor Ford Master Bargaining Chair John D’Agnolo from Windsor, Ontario, expressed anticipation in presenting the agreement to the members, emphasizing the acknowledgment of their hard work both on the shop floor and at the negotiating table.
Unifor initiated negotiations with Ford last month, initiating talks with the three major automakers in Detroit: Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, aiming for improved compensation, job stability, and benefits for approximately 19,000 members across these companies. The union highlighted Ford’s commitment to maintaining operations in Canada as the reason for starting negotiations with the automaker first.
The agreement reached is subject to approval by Ford-Unifor members, as the current collective agreements between Unifor and the automakers are set to expire on September 20. The union took an early approach to negotiations this time due to challenging economic conditions, with around 6,000 workers being laid off across various plants owned by the three automakers due to production adjustments or halts.