Ford on Tuesday night successfully averted a potential strike by Canadian auto workers by reaching a tentative agreement with the Canadian labor union Unifor. This development comes amidst ongoing labor strikes in the United States.
In a statement sent via email, Unifor announced that the tentative deal covers 5,600 workers located in the provinces of Ontario and Alberta, Canada. This agreement was revealed just hours before the extended negotiation deadline of 11:59 p.m. ET was set to expire, following a 24-hour extension granted on Monday night. Unifor indicated that the specific details of the agreement would be communicated to the union’s members in forthcoming ratification meetings.
“We believe that this tentative agreement, endorsed by the entire master bargaining committee, addresses all of the items raised by members in preparation for this round of collective bargaining,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We believe that this agreement will solidify the foundations on which we will continue to bargain gains for generations of autoworkers in Canada.”
Unifor’s Ford Master Bargaining Chair, John D’Agnolo, lauded the agreement, emphasizing that it would provide “greater financial security for the future” for the union’s members.
It was previously anticipated that the automaker would face a union strike in the country as their contract with Unifor was poised to expire Monday at midnight.
According to reports from CBC News, if the recently negotiated deal is ratified, it could serve as a model for similar agreements involving thousands of Canadian workers employed by the other two major U.S. automakers, General Motors and Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler.
Ford’s successful labor agreement in Canada comes in the midst of a continuing strike by the United Auto Workers (UAW) against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis in the United States. This strike was initiated after the union and the automakers failed to reach a consensus last week. The strike, on its 5th day, is anticipated to have a substantial impact on the automakers, with each of the Big Three potentially losing as much as $5.4 billion if the work stoppage persists for approximately six weeks.
A strike by Unifor would have had significant repercussions on Ford’s Oakville Assembly Plant, which manufactures the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus crossovers, in addition to two engine plants producing V8 engines used in key products like the Ford F-Series pickups and the Mustang muscle car.
Unifor, which represents 18,000 Canadian workers across the Detroit automakers, opted for a more traditional approach compared to its U.S. counterpart. Instead of following the UAW’s strategy of bargaining with all three automakers, the Canadian union selected Ford as its “target” company and prepared for a traditional national strike if necessary.
The union is expected to provide members with detailed information about the agreement in the coming days, followed by a vote.
Now, Ford will shift its focus to negotiations with the UAW. Shawn Fain, the union’s president, warned on Monday that additional strikes at U.S. plants would be announced if the Detroit automakers fail to make “serious progress” in negotiations by noon ET on Friday.
Currently, approximately 12,700 UAW workers are on strike at GM’s midsize truck and full-size van plant in Wentzville, Missouri; Ford’s Ranger midsize pickup and Bronco SUV plant in Wayne, Michigan; and Stellantis’ Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator plant in Toledo, Ohio.
Information for this briefing was found via Forbes, CNBC, and the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
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