DETROIT -- Unifor president Jerry Dias says the union has reached a tentative deal with Ford Motor Company of Canada,which includes security for Windsor.
Dias announced the tentative three-year agreement on Tuesday.
"I am pleased to announce investments as part of our settlement totalling $1.95 billion dollars to build electric vehicles in Canada, primarily in our workplaces in Oakville and Windsor," says Dias.
Dias says the 6.8 L engine in Windsor will stabilize employment and create new opportunities. The new engine will be derivatives for the Mustang and F150. He expects it to be introduced in 2022.
“There’s no question in our minds that the Windsor complexes will be secured,” says Dias.
Dias calls it “another homerun for the facilities.”
The tentative deal also includes the production of five electric vehicles in Oakville.
Dias says the Ford workers will vote on the deal this weekend.
Ryan Kantautas, vice president of human resources for Ford Canada, says the tentative deal covers nearly 5,400 unionized employees in Canada.
“The agreement is subject to ratification by Ford-Unifor members,” says Kantautas. “To respect the ratification process, Ford of Canada will not discuss the specifics of the tentative agreement.”
Talks between the union and the automaker came to a head on Monday ahead of a bargaining deadline of 11:59 p.m. eastern time.
Workers had previously voted to support a strike if a deal could not be reached by that deadline, with the future of the Oakville, Ont. plant potentially on the line.
Once agreed to by union members, Ford's deal on new products lines, shifts, wages, pensions and benefits will set the tone for upcoming talks with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and General Motors.
Dias announced the next target for negotiations will be Fiat Chrysler.
With files from a report by The Canadian Press that was first published Sept. 22, 2020.
