Unifor which represents about 23,000 auto workers in Canada has selected General Motors as its target Company in the opening round of contract talks.
At a Toronto news conference on Tuesday morning Unifor’s President says GM was chosen because it represents the biggest challenge with respect to getting new product investment.
Jerry Dias is worried about the long term viability for the plants in Oshawa and St. Catharines and added he won’t sign a contract until GM agrees to new product investment for both factories.
The current contract expires on September 19th.
This is the first time since 2005 the union has chosen a “target” company, meaning they are going back to pattern bargaining – settling with one automaker and asking the other two car companies, this time Ford and FCA, to follow suit.
GM Canada spokesperson, Jennifer Wright says the automaker remains focused on working with Unifor to reach a mutually beneficial and competitive new agreement.
Last month, members of the union voted in favour of strike action to back their contract demands, which include wage increases and securing more work to build vehicles.
