Ford Motor Company and Unifor have come to a preliminary agreement on a three-year labor contract, with specific terms to be disclosed at a later time. Unifor represents about 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 major American automakers like Stellantis and General Motors. The union chose to initiate talks with Ford first and plans to engage with the other two automakers once the Ford deal is approved.
Unifor has scheduled voting for Ford workers to take place between July 17 and 19, with the results to be announced post the final vote. Ford of Canada has stated that, out of respect for the ratification process, they will not disclose the specifics of the tentative agreement.
Unifor’s Ford Master Bargaining Chair, John D’Agnolo from Windsor, Ontario, expressed anticipation in presenting the agreement to their members, emphasizing the value of their daily contributions on the factory floor and the team’s efforts during negotiations. Unifor commenced negotiations with Ford the previous month, aiming to secure improved wages, job security, and benefits for its approximately 19,000 members across the Big Three automakers.
The agreement awaits ratification by Ford-Unifor members, as the existing collective agreements are set to expire on September 20. The union initiated discussions earlier than usual due to challenging economic circumstances, with thousands of workers facing layoffs across the automakers’ facilities due to production shifts and halts.
