Unifor members at Stellantis ratify new agreements

TORONTO, Nov. 6, 2023 /CNW/ - Unifor auto members at Stellantis voted to ratify the Master Collective Agreement (covering the Windsor Assembly Plant, Brampton Assembly Plant and Etobicoke Casting Plant), along with agreements covering Unifor members working in the office, clerical and engineering unit, fire and security unit and PDC units in Mississauga and Red Deer.

"Unifor members at Stellantis will receive the same significant wage increases, pension improvements and electric vehicle (EV) transition income security measures as Unifor members at Ford and General Motors," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "This contract also confirms investment and product commitments for Windsor, Brampton and Etobicoke, including the retooling of Brampton Assembly to build future EVs."

The three-year collective agreements cover approximately 8,200 Unifor members.

The membership of locals 444, 1285, 1459, 195, 1498, and 815 ratified the agreements as follows:

• Master Production and Maintenance Agreement (WAP, BAP and ECP) ratified 60.0% overall (60.0% production and 60.3% skilled trades).
• Office, Clerical and Engineering Agreement ratified 86.5%.
• Fire and Security Agreement ratified 85.2%.
• Mississauga PDC Agreement ratified 86.1%.
• Red Deer PDC Agreement ratified 100%.

"I am proud of our members for their support and solidarity over the course of these negotiations, including their brief but necessary strike action that helped make this historic agreement possible," Payne added.

The agreements with Stellantis follow the core economic pattern set with Ford and followed by General Motors. Over the life of the three-year contract, base hourly wages for workers at top rate will increase by nearly 20% for production workers and 25% for Skilled Trades along with Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) adjustments beginning in December 2024 to help protect workers wages from rising inflation. The Master Agreement also includes special EV transition provisions, including enhanced income security protections, to help support Unifor members through the EV retooling period.

"Our bargaining team faced a unique set of challenges with so much uncertainty over the EV transition, the future of our facilities, and a growing affordability crisis. This contract needed to deliver in a big way that ensured none of our members were left behind," said Unifor Stellantis Master Bargaining Chair James Stewart. "I believe that we have accomplished our goals and we appreciate the support of our members throughout the bargaining process"

The new contract expires on September 20, 2026. This ratification result concludes the union's three month-long Auto Talks with Detroit Three automakers.

Negotiations for 1,500 Unifor General Motors members at the General Motors CAMI plant in Ingersoll are set to begin in September 2024.  

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

SOURCE Unifor