Unifor and Stellantis Begin Contract Talks in Toronto

The labor union Unifor is scheduled to begin contract negotiations with Stellantis at 11 a.m. on September 1 in Toronto. The union seeks to establish a new collective agreement before the current one expires on September 20, using recent deals with Ford and General Motors—which included 3 percent annual wage increases—as a benchmark for pattern bargaining.

Unifor priorities center on securing the future of the Windsor Assembly Plant for over 6,000 workers, specifically ensuring the full utilization of its third shift. Local 444 President James Stewart warned that negotiations may be difficult because Stellantis intends to sell the idled Brampton Assembly Plant.

Stewart also noted that the union faces external pressures from a trade war with the United States. He stated that unlike previous bargaining rounds, the union cannot negotiate relief for government trade policies because they are not the party bargaining with the U.S. or Canadian governments.