Unifor turns attention to Stellantis, General Motors after Ford members ratify deal

TORONTO — The head of the union representing nearly 19,000 Canadian auto workers says she anticipates “challenging” talks ahead with Stellantis and General Motors after securing a deal with Ford Motor Co.

Unifor national president Lana Payne said the new three-year agreement with Ford, which members officially ratified Sunday, marks a precedent with key gains around wage increases and job security.

Ford workers covered by the master agreement voted 74 per cent for the deal, while members at two locals voted 97 per cent and 100 per cent in favour.

“We’re facing a lot of headwinds in the auto sector in Canada, in the auto sector in North America,” Payne said in an interview Monday.

“The reality is that this would be a very strong agreement in good times and these are anything but good or normal times right now.”

This edition of bargaining with the Detroit Three takes place against a backdrop of difficult conditions for the sector.

The union has highlighted challenges such as U.S. tariffs, the Trump administration’s decision not to extend the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, and the introduction of Chinese electric vehicles into Canada.

The deal with Ford, which takes effect Sept. 21, includes three per cent wage gains each year until it expires in 2029, along with a renewal of cost-of-living allowance adjustments. Eligible full-time, permanent employees will also receive a $10,000 ratification bonus and temporary employees will get a $2,000 bonus in the first year of the agreement.

Other elements include benefit improvements and boosts to retirement programs, such as higher pension benefit rates.

The pact renews a no-closure agreement and program commitments at all Ford facilities, including a third shift at its engine plant in Essex, Ont., forecasted for 2029. Unifor and Ford also agreed to introduce a program that provides laid off workers from the company’s Oakville, Ont., assembly plant a pathway to full employment by July 2027.

Along with the deal, Ford announced $1.25 billion in planned spending, which encompasses an additional $700 million toward 5.0-litre and 7.3-litre engine production at its Essex plant.

“This agreement recognizes the skill, dedication and contributions of our employees, while reinforcing our shared commitment to Ford’s future in Canada,” said Bev Goodman, president and CEO of Ford of Canada, in a news release.

Payne said the deal puts workers in a favourable position should the sector encounter further “bumps in the road” in the years ahead. She said it also serves as a strong pattern agreement that it can build from in its upcoming talks with Stellantis and General Motors.

The union plans to announce which of those two companies will be its next target for contract negotiations later this week.

“I have confidence in what we’ve negotiated here because history shows us if we do hit a rough patch that there’s a way to work our way through that,” Payne said.

“Obviously, I don’t have a crystal ball here, but we have done everything we can to show that this auto industry is incredibly important and that our union is going to continue to fight for it.”

But she acknowledged differences between Ford and the other two auto companies could make the talks ahead more complicated. That includes the fact that General Motors’ Ingersoll assembly plant and Stellantis’ Brampton assembly plant both currently sit idle with thousands of workers laid off.

“The difference is that they have taken decisions that were different than Ford Motor Co. throughout the last 18 months,” said Payne, referring to the period of trade uncertainty that Canada has faced following the introduction of auto tariffs.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that those contract talks will also be tough and quite frustrating. But we have to fight for this industry here, and this is one of the ways that we can do it.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2026.

Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press