Unifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union, is at a crossroads, as a midnight strike deadline looms, threatening to halt the nation’s automobile production. Meanwhile, south of the border, hundreds of American autoworkers are entering their fourth day of picketing, reminiscent of the lengthy Windsor Salt strike that is still fresh in the public memory.
This wave of labor unrest arrives concurrently with disquiet in various sectors. Ontario elementary school teachers have embarked on a phased strike voting process that will span weeks. Hollywood writers and actors remain out of work, their pens and scripts unattended. It seems that the terms “strike” and “union” are dominating headlines more than they have in years, a reality Professor Rafael Gomez, an employment relations expert at the University of Toronto, expected.
Gomez argues that the surge in strikes is not a coincidence, but rather a direct consequence of the prevailing high inflation rates. He claims that while the current frequency of strikes doesn’t eclipse past records set during economic downtimes, it certainly indicates an escalating pattern.
“Labor has not taken a proactive stance for some time with regard to strikes or demanding concessions from management,” Gomez notes, attributing this shift to the unprecedently high cost of living coupled with the socio-economic upheaval in the wake of the pandemic. During the peak of the pandemic, many unions found it challenging to negotiate, stirring an atmosphere of discontent.
Gomez also points to the supportive stance the Biden administration has extended towards unions, seen in their backing of the U.S. autoworkers’ movement. He remarks, “After a long absence, an increasingly supportive environment for unions, at least at the federal level, again exists; labor appears more confident and assertive than ever before.”
Demands from the United Automobile Workers (UAW) include a substantial 36% wage hike for its members over their four-year contracts, a request that car manufacturers such as Ford, GM, and Stellantis are countering with an approximate 20% increase.
Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, has publicly expressed his disapproval of the union’s expectations. Farley argues, “Negotiating isn’t demanding your entire wish list with an ultimatum of bankruptcy. A successful negotiation requires compromise.”
In Canada, Lana Payne, Unifor’s National President, insists that a new contract must acknowledge workers’ entitlement to a “fair share” of soaring profits. She underscores that Ford is the union’s first target, given its employment of 5,680 Unifor members, warning that as the strike deadline approaches, all possibilities, including a strike action, should be anticipated.
