Unifor workers ratify new three-year contract with General Motors

General Motors (GM) and Unifor have reached a deal after a strong majority of workers voted in favour of a new contract Sunday night.

On June 22, talks between Unifor and the Detroit Three started. Unifor began its negotiations with Ford Motor Company to lay the groundwork for its discussions with GM and Stellantis.

In July, Unifor members ratified a three-year agreement with Ford Motor Company that included three per cent annual pay increases.

On Aug. 22, Unifor and GM agreed on tentative labour contracts.

The three-year collective agreement includes annual wage increases of three per cent.

The contract increases wages for full-rate production members to $50.20 an hour and skilled trades workers to $62.71 an hour.

Over 4,600 Unifor members at GM Ontario facilities in Ottawa, St. Catharines and Woodstock (the GMCC Agreement) and the GM Assembly Plant in Ingersoll (the CAMI Agreement) are covered in the new contracts.

Unifor members covered by the GMCC Agreement voted 80.5 per cent in favour. Meanwhile, members covered by the GM CAMI agreement voted 96.5 per cent in support.

READ MORE: Unifor and GM reach tentative agreements for 4,600 autoworkers

Unifor said the deal also includes the renewal of a cost-of-living allowance, a $10,000 productivity and quality bonus for eligible members and a $2,000 December bonus for eligible members.

“I know what this union does with hard years. We turn them into organizing. We turn them into legislation. We turn them into contracts our members are proud of. And communities that are a little bit stronger for having us in their corner,” said Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi.

Effective Sept. 21, other elements of the deal also include a renewal of a no-closure agreement.

“These agreements commit more than one billion dollars in vital investments to Canadian GM facilities, with a new single source next-generation transmission at the St. Catharines Propulsion Plant and the return of next-generation Heavy-Duty GMC Sierra production to Oshawa,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.

“GM is making these investments in both its highly skilled Canadian workforce and facilities at a crucial time, as our domestic auto industry is under siege by the Trump Administration.”

Earlier this month, the Trump Administration placed a 50 per cent tariff on several Canadian industries, including the automotive sector, after trade talks broke down.

Currently, the CAMI plant in Ingersoll remains inactive. Workers there had been out of work with no scheduled return date.

The new contract between GM and Unifor does not include a deal to restart this specific factory right now. But the union says it will continue advocating for its restart.

On Tuesday, Unifor is set to begin contract negotiations with Stellantis at the Toronto Sheraton Centre.

With Files From The Canadian Press

READ MORE: Unifor begins talks with General Motors after deal with Ford