The labor union representing employees at General Motors has announced that its members have overwhelmingly approved new contracts with the automaker. Unifor and GM reached a tentative agreement on August 22 for over 4,600 autoworkers in Ontario, with union members voting on the contracts over the weekend.
According to a news release on Sunday, the three-year collective agreements will raise wages for full-rate production workers to $50.20 per hour and skilled trades workers to $62.71 per hour. In Oshawa, St. Catharines, and Woodstock, 80.5% of members voted in favor, while in Ingersoll, the approval rate was 96.5%.
Negotiations between the union and GM commenced earlier this month following Unifor’s deal with Ford, with the agreements with GM aligning with the three-percent annual wage increases at Ford. Unifor National President Lana Payne highlighted that the agreements entail over $1 billion in investments in Canadian GM facilities.
GM Canada President and Managing Director Jack Uppal expressed in a statement that the ratified contracts will support employees, enhance manufacturing operations, and lay a solid groundwork for GM’s future in Canada. Despite challenges during negotiations, including idled production at the CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Unifor remains committed to advocating for the return of production at the facility.
The agreements also include provisions for a cost-of-living allowance renewal, a $10,000 productivity and quality bonus for eligible members, and a $2,000 December bonus for qualifying members. Trevor Longpre, Unifor’s General Motors bargaining chairperson, emphasized the progress made in securing stable auto jobs and strengthening Canada’s automotive industry.
Amidst a backdrop of trade tensions, Canada’s auto sector faces uncertainty due to potential tariff increases by the U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested raising tariffs on vehicles, which could impact Canadian auto plants. The fate of Canadian auto manufacturers has become a key issue in the ongoing U.S.-Canada trade negotiations, with unresolved matters such as duties on medium and heavy-duty vehicles posing challenges for the industry.
