Unionized workers at Fiat Chrysler have voted in favour of a new agreement with the automaker.
Unifor says that thousands of workers attended local ratification meetings Sunday. In Windsor workers voted 70.1 per cent in favour of the four year deal.
The deal was reached last Monday minutes before an official strike deadline.
"Negotiations with FCA were tough, but I am proud that our union stood united and focused to push for the pattern Agreement that our union originally achieved with GM," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias in a release.
The deal with the Fiat Chrysler includes the following:
- A total of $331 million in investment. $325 million dollars for a rebuild of the Brampton Assembly Plant paint shop, as well as $6.4 million dollars investment for the purpose of upgrades and refreshing die-cast machinery and equipment at the Etobicoke Casting Plant;
- Two general wage increases of 2% each over the life of the contract;
- A signing bonus of $6,000 and a $2,000 lump sum in the second, third and fourth year of the contract, both of which total $12,000 over the next four years;
- Significant improvements to the in-progression wage grid that will provide thousands of dollars of new money in income earnings and higher pay to new members (under ten years of service); and
- Benefit improvements.
The ratification of the deal with Fiat Chrysler means that Unifor will now begin contract talks with Ford, the last of the big three automakers still without a deal.
A deal with GM was reached and ratified last month. Negotiations with Ford will begin Tuesday.
