GM Canada's Unionized Workers Put Strike on Hold After Tentative Deal

General Motors Canada has reached a tentative agreement with Unifor hours after some 4,280 unionized workers went on strike early this morning at three GM facilities in Ontario. No details of the agreement were provided, and the timetable for a ratification vote is not immediately known. 

“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. “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.” 

• Also: U.S. Auto Strike Expands With 7,000 More Workers Joining
• Also: Canada Auto Workers Approve Ford's Offer, U.S. Strike Goes On

The tentative agreement with General Motors follows the pattern agreement Unifor reached with Ford on September 24. Details of the agreement, including local and facility-specific information, will be made available to members prior to ratification votes. 

For now the strike has been put on hold at GM’s Oshawa assembly plant, which builds Chevrolet Silverado pickups, St. Catharines powertrain plant and Woodstock parts distribution centre—all in Ontario. The CAMI factory in Ingersoll, where GM makes BrightDrop electric vans, is unaffected as its 1,500 workers fall under a separate contract. 

Ford’s deal with Unifor includes 15-percent wage increases over three years (10 percent in the first year), a bonus of $10,000 for full-time workers and improved pensions, among others.

Meanwhile in the U.S.

South of the border, the head of the U.S. auto workers' union (UAW) said last Friday that the current strike would not expand to other plants following significant progress in talks.

UAW President Shawn Fain hailed a "breakthrough" concession from GM in response to another threatened expansion of the three-week partial stoppage. He said GM has "leapfrogged" Ford and Stellantis in agreeing "in writing" to include the automaker’s electric battery plants under the UAW's national agreement.