Stellantis workers to vote on new tentative deal

Unifor Local 444 held a meeting at Caesars Windsor to go over the terms of the new tentative agreement in Windsor, Ont. on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. (Melanie Kentner/CTV News Windsor)

Stellantis workers from Windsor Assembly Plant are voting on a new tentative deal Saturday.

Unifor Local 444 held a three hour meeting at Caesars Windsor Saturday morning to go over the terms of the new tentative agreement and take questions from the workers.

“I heard my membership loud and clear,” said Unifor Local 444 President Dave Cassidy. “In this meeting, I heard my membership loud and clear in the meeting prior to bargaining with me, and I brought everything that they asked to the table.”

“Were we successful? No we weren't successful at everything. But we brought by an agreement that I hope that our members ratify, and I hope that it sets us up in Windsor and Essex County for the future.”

About 3,500 assembly plant workers were on strike for about eight hours on Monday until the deal was reached.

It follows the pattern agreement the union reached with Ford Motor Company and General Motors.

The deal includes base hourly wage increases of nearly 20 per cent for production and 25 per cent for skilled trades over the lifetime of the agreement.

Skilled trades workers held a separate meeting Saturday afternoon at the union hall.

The results of the ratification vote are expected by Tuesday.

Cassidy says they are still making up for what they lost in previous years.

“So they feel that we're just catching up now. And based on what the economy's like, and you know, cost living and everything else that you know, we need to do more,” said Cassidy. “So, we'll see I mean, I know that we put our heart and soul in and we didn't leave anything on the table.”