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 around 5,000 employees across five plants in southern Ontario and one in Alberta.
Negotiations commenced at the end of the previous month, coinciding with the expiration of agreements at the big American automakers, including Stellantis and General Motors. The union chose to initiate talks with Ford first and is anticipated to engage with the other two automakers post the ratification of the Ford deal.
Unifor stated that Ford workers will have the opportunity to vote on the contract between July 17 and 19, with the results announced subsequent to the final voting. Ford of Canada emphasized in a statement that it will not discuss the specifics of the tentative agreement to uphold the ratification process.
John D’Agnolo, Unifor Ford Master Bargaining Chair from Windsor, Ontario, expressed eagerness to present the tentative agreement to members, acknowledging their dedication on the factory floor and the negotiation team’s efforts to secure fair recognition. Unifor initiated negotiations with Ford last month, aiming to improve wages, job stability, and benefits for its nearly 19,000 members at the three major Detroit automakers.
The agreement is contingent upon ratification by Ford-Unifor members, as the current collective agreements between Unifor and the automakers are set to expire on September 20. The union initiated discussions earlier than usual due to deteriorating economic circumstances, with thousands of workers facing layoffs across various plant locations owned by the automakers amid production adjustments.
