Unifor is set to begin negotiations with Stellantis after union members at GM voted 80.5 per cent in favour of a tentative deal over the weekend. Signage for Unifor’s auto talks is shown in Toronto on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin
TORONTO – Unifor is set to begin negotiations with Stellantis after union members at GM voted 80.5 per cent in favour of a tentative deal over the weekend.
Dave Cassidy, president of Local 444 that covers the Stellantis plant in Windsor, says he expects to sit down with the Unifor national committee and the company on Tuesday.
While union members at GM voted overwhelmingly in favour of the deal, Cassidy says he’s heard from Stellantis members that they’re not happy with the proposed terms and so he’ll be looking to secure a deal that they will support.
Talk of seeking a better deal comes as Unifor national president Lana Payne has emphasized the importance of pattern bargaining, where the terms the union reaches with one automaker are then imposed on other companies.
Larry Savage, a labour studies professor at Brock University, says the talks ahead will be especially tricky for Payne since Stellantis is expected to be the most resistant to the contract terms, while she will also have to deal with pushback from the local level.
Cassidy says the negotiations aren’t about any individual, but about listening to members and making sure they get a deal that members will support.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2023.
