Strike Deadline Extended 24 Hours as Unifor, Ford Continue Talks

A likely strike by auto workers in Canada has been pushed back at least 24 hours after Unifor agreed to continue talks with Ford, the union’s main bargaining target.

The current deals were set to expire at 11:59 p.m. on Monday night, but Ford came out at the very last minute with what Unifor called a “substantive offer.”

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Wage increases are obviously a big part of the negotiations. However, Unifor president Lana Payne said that pensions and benefits remain sticking points.

Unifor has told Ford members that they should remain on shift unless they receive explicit instructions from the union indicating otherwise.

A strike at Ford would affect the automaker’s entire operations in Canada including the Oakville assembly plant (Ford Edge, Lincoln Nautilus) and Windsor powertrain plant, as well as parts distribution centres, technical units and head office.

Meanwhile, south of the border, the United Auto Workers (UAW) launched a targeted strike just after midnight last Friday, prompting Unifor to write a letter of support. The union and Detroit’s Big Three appear to be still far from reaching a deal. 

Three plants employing nearly 12,700 unionized workers are currently idled, namely Ford’s Wayne, Michigan plant (Ford Ranger and Bronco), GM’s Wentzville, Missouri plant (Chevrolet Colorado and Express, GMC Canyon and Savana), and Stellantis’ Toledo, Ohio plant (Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator).

UAW president Shawn Fain has made it clear that the strike will expand this Friday if talks fail, telling the 146,000 UAW members working for Ford, GM and Stellantis to stay ready for a strike.