Ford reaches Canadian labor deal as US auto strike enters 6th day

Ford reaches Canadian labor deal as US auto strike enters 6th day

A preliminary deal between Ford and the Canadian auto workers union has averted a strike as a US stoppage enters its sixth day
A preliminary deal between Ford and the Canadian auto workers union has averted a strike as a US stoppage enters its sixth day. Photo: BILL PUGLIANO / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP/File
Source: AFP

PAY ATTENTION: Watch the hottest celebrity stories on our YouTube channel 'Briefly TV'. Subscribe now!

The Canadian auto workers union has reached a tentative agreement with Ford, averting a strike as the labor group's US counterpart eyes expanding its ongoing stoppage to more plants.

Unifor, which represents Canadian auto workers, said late Tuesday the agreement pertained to more than 5,600 Canadian Ford workers who stood poised for a potential walkout.

"We believe that this tentative agreement, endorsed by the entire master bargaining committee, addresses all of the items raised by members in preparation for this round of collective bargaining," said Unifor National President Lana Payne.

"We believe that this agreement will solidify the foundations on which we will continue to bargain gains for generations of auto workers in Canada," Payne said in a statement.

Payne has pursued a quieter and less confrontational strategy than United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, who last week sent 13,000 UAW members out on strike at key Ford, General Motors and Stellantis plants in the United States after failing to reach a deal with the companies.

Read also

US government at rising risk of shutdown with Congress in deadlock

The collective agreement between Unifor and Ford had expired September 18 at 11:59 p.m. but Unifor agreed to a 24-hour extension to see if negotiators from both sides could finish off the tentative agreement.

Unifor said it was withholding details about the agreement, pending ratification meetings with union members. But Payne earlier this week said Unifor was looking for substantial increases in pensions and wages.

Ford confirmed the tentative settlement but declined to discuss specifics of the proposed contract "to respect the ratification process," a company spokesman said in an email.

Fain has warned the UAW could expand its strike beyond the three plants currently striking in Michigan, Ohio and Missouri if the current negotiations don’t yield any signs of progress by Friday morning.

Fain is seeking 40 percent wage hikes and other significant labor reforms, including the elimination of different pay tiers and the reinstatement of pensions for young employees.

Read also

US auto workers leave room to accelerate strike as talks continue

The UAW strike marks the first time the union has called stoppages at all of Detroit's "Big Three" auto manufacturers.

However, unlike recent auto strikes, the union this time is using a targeted stoppage that leaves the vast majority of workers on the job.

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.