GM and Unifor, the Canadian union that includes former UAW workers, have agreed on a deal with increases of around 20% over three years. Over 80% of the union members voted to approve the deal, which also moves newer workers up to maximum wages faster and includes one-time bonuses of up to around $7,320 (USD) for full-time employees.
This Chevrolet was made in Bowling Green, Kentucky, but parent company GM does make vehicles in Canada, too.
The deal came after GM Canada’s first strike since 1996. Unifor is seeking three-year contracts while the UAW is looking at five-year contracts, so a 20% gain for Unifor is a much better deal than a 20% gain for the UAW. The deal, like GM’s offer in the US, includes a 10% first-year increase, followed by smaller ones in the next two years; and a cost-of-living allowance starting at the end of 2024.
Stellantis, which has the largest number of union workers of any automaker in Canada (8,200), does not have the concerns of plant closings that the UAW does; but it does want to unionize the battery plant being built in Windsor. This is likely a major sticking point with Stellantis.
