A fresh three-year collective agreement has been endorsed by an overwhelming majority of the workforce of General Motors Co. Notably, this ratification witnessed an 80.5 per cent approval rate, following the voting which was conducted both online and in-person, as per the announcement by Canada’s largest private-sector union.
This extensively negotiated contract blankets over 4,300 staff, working at Oshawa Assembly Plant, St. Catharines Powertrain Plant, and the Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre in Ontario.
Unifor national president, Lana Payne, lauded GM workers for their staunch solidarity during the strike action and the following ratification of the contract. Describing it as epitomizing true collective bargaining, Payne’s sentiments were reflected in a statement on Sunday, “Our intention was to usher in a greater sense of fairness and equity in automobile workplaces, and raise everyone’s prospects. We’ve accomplished that.”
Post twelve hours of Unifor members taking a strike action at GM’s Oshawa assembly plant, St. Catharines propulsion plant and Woodstock parts distribution centre, GM acceded to follow the terms set by the Ford contract.
This agreement mirrors the terms upheld in the contract agreed upon at Ford Motor Co. last month, which garnered approval from 54 per cent of the union population.
The stipulation trims down the wage progression grid from eight to four years, consequently reducing the time span for workers to attain the maximum pay rate. This condition was largely significant for employees at the Oshawa Assembly Plant, the majority of whom were employed when the facility reopened in 2021.
A substantial increment awaits the current workers, with top-scale workers in production anticipated to receive a 20 per cent increase while those in skilled trades will see a rise of 25 per cent. Concurrently, the reintroduction of cost-of-living allowance for the first time since 2008, aims to shield workers’ wages from inflationary stresses. Retirees also stand to benefit with a new quarterly universal health allowance.
This agreement further benefits numerous part-time GM staff, presenting them with opportunities to transition into permanent full-time roles.
Conclusively, Unifor now gears up to negotiate similar terms with Stellantis. This automaker, with a workforce exceeding 8,000 at two assembly points and a casting facility, has a wider footprint than both Ford or GM. Payne anticipates difficult negotiations ahead.
