Unifor Calmly Opens Talks With GM, Ford And Stellantis - The Detroit Bureau

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For now, Ford Motor Co. is the top target of union negotiators representing auto workers in Canada as they prepare for the transition to electric vehicles.

Unifor President Lana Payne talks negotiations 2023 — Lana Payne, national president for Unifor, kicked off contract talks with Detroit’s three automakers.

Lana Payne, national president for Unifor, the union representing more than 18,000 Canadian workers employed by Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, said during a press conference after formally opening bargaining with all three companies, Ford is tentatively Unifor’s top target.

Ford top Unifor target.

“It’s a big strategic decision. And no final decision has been made,” Payne said, but Unifor is leaning toward setting the pattern for the 2023 contract with Ford. “That could change over the next month,” added Payne.

Unifor’s current agreements with Detroit’s automakers are set to expire Sept. 18 at 11:59 p.m., or shortly after the Sept. 14 deadline for expiration of the three auto companies’ contracts with the United Auto Workers in the U.S.

Unifor's Payne takes questions 2023 — Payne said that Ford would be the likely strike target in this year’s negotiations.

Payne said Unifor has what she described as “unfinished business” around Ford’s plans to begin building electric vehicles at the Ford plant in Oakville, Ontario. However, the existing agreement will serve as a “useful baseline” for new discussions with Ford’s management.

Ford also displayed greater transparency about its EV plans than GM and Stellantis and has shown a greater willingness to engage in a dialogue with Unifor’s representatives.

Payne, who began her career as union representative while working as a journalist, was not as blunt as the UAW’s Shawn Fain in the laying out her union’s demands. In contrast to Fain, she also indicated she preferred to keep part of the discussion with Detroit’s automaker’s private and behind closed doors to give sub-committees an opportunity to work out key details.

Like UAW, Unifor wants substantial raises

However, like Fain, she emphasized Unifor’s members expect a “substantial” pay increase, though she declined to say it would be as much as the 40% the UAW chief has laid on the table. Relatively low wages for workers in the skilled trades have made it more difficult to find qualified recruits.

Unifor trio talks 2023 — Payne emphasized Unifor’s members expect a “substantial” pay increase, though she declined to say it would be as much as the 40% the UAW wants.

“Workers are pretty clear about their expectations,” said Payne, adding workers are facing a rising cost of living at a time Detroit’s automaker are making record profits.

Unifor, like the UAW, also looking and significant improvements in pensions, and a much shorter period for new hires the top of the wage scale, echoing the UAW call for an end to tiered wages.

“We have a good relationship with the UAW. We’ve made a commitment to keep good communications, going forward. We want them to do well by their members,” Payne added.

Payne, however, noted, “This was a union born out of charting its own course.”

Specifically, during the negotiations, Unifor, which plans to hold strike votes in late August, will be looking for more income security for active workers temporarily idled during the transition to EVs.

“We expect a period of downtime for our members. Generally, we have provisions top we’ll be arguing this is a special transition, which means every we’re looking at improved income security provisions during the down time.

While it does not face the threat of plant closings, Unifor does want Detroit’s automakers to expand their footprint in Canada. “We think there are a lot of opportunities to expand along the supply chain in Canada,” Payne said.