Talks underway between Ford and Unifor for Big Three auto contract

Talks between the union representing auto workers and Ford Motor Company launched Monday, with the negotiations to set the table for subsequent discussions with General Motors and Stellantis.

Unifor chose to begin contract negotiations with Ford to establish the Detroit Three pattern because of the company’s “continued commitment to its Canadian operations” and a long-established constructive working relationship, said Unifor President Lana Payne.

“This will be one of the most consequential rounds of Detroit Three bargaining in decades. Workers are living with the effects of Trump’s trade and investment war at work, in their homes and in their communities,” she said. “Unifor believes a fair pattern agreement at Ford creates the best opportunity to secure deals with GM and Stellantis”.

Negotiations between Unifor and Ford Motor Company are taking place at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto and the union has set a July 10 deadline to reach a tentative agreement with the company and its 5,150 unionized members across Canada.

Payne said the union is focusing on wages, income security, pensions, benefits, and key workplace advancements – while also helping to secure stable ground for Canada’s auto industry in an unstable industrial environment.

Negotiations with Ford Motor Company are taking place at a “pivotal moment” for Canada’s auto industry, she added. U.S. tariffs on Canada-made vehicles and parts have created significant uncertainty for autoworkers and automakers alike – rumours are already circulating that GM’s Oshawa plant will lose light-duty trucks later this year – raising questions about production and investment decisions that will shape the future of the industry for years to come.

“We cannot sit idly by and hope for the situation to get better. Our job is to get the best possible deal for our members now and hopefully provide some sense of stability for them and their families,” said John D’Agnolo, who chairs Unifor’s Ford Master Bargaining Committee.

Dates for subsequent negotiations with General Motors and Stellantis have not been set.

Meredith Keenan, vice-president of human resources at Ford of Canada and Lana Payne, Unifor’s National President