UAW negotiations could affect Canadian bargaining efforts

United Auto Workers (UAW) president Shawn Fain made a bold move when negotiations with the Big Three opened.

“In a break with tradition. There won't be no public handshake ceremony with the companies.” Fain said in a video to members.

Instead of shaking hands with company officials, fain chose to open negotiations by shaking the hands of members.

“I’m not shaking hands with any CEO’s until they do right by our members and we fix the broken status quo with the Big Three,” he said. “The members have to come first.”

The move got the attention of Unifor Local 444 president Dave Cassidy.

“Shawn Fain's coming in guns a blazing and trying to take a different approach,” Cassidy said. “Kudos if he's successful.”

Fain's gesture also has auto journalist Greg Layson wondering what may happen.

“We've heard the UAW say they're preparing for war so it sets the table for strikes.” Layson warns. “That doesn't necessarily mean it's going to happen but that's what I'm keeping my eye on the most.”

For the first time in over 20 years unions on both sides of the border are negotiating contracts with the Big Three in the same year.

Layson feels a door could open for Canadian unions if things take a turn for the worse in the states.

“If they do strike that could be a benefit to us in Canada, Unifor, where they might be playing a little more nice that they are with UAW,” he said.

Layson isn't ruling out a strike on either side of the border but doesn't feel any of the companies will allow that to happen.

“They're still trying to catch up from the global microchip crisis.” Layson pointed out. “The automakers can't really afford a strike at this time because they're still millions and millions of vehicles behind when it comes to output.”

With the EV battery plant secured, Cassidy said bargaining for a new product is not the focus of these negotiations.

“Everyone knows pensions and wage packages are top priority,” he said.

Layson concurs, “wages are really front and centre on both sides of the border because inflation rates are essentially the same in North America in Canada and the United States and both unions want to make their members can pay their bills.”

On Labour Day, Unifor national president Lana Payne is expected to announce which company will lead. Cassidy says he wants Stellantis to be the lead company when negotiations open next month.

“Depending on who leads over here will set the pattern for us and we got to make sure that we get the right deal that is good for every single company.”