On the Dash:
- Unifor opened Detroit Three bargaining with Ford on Monday, setting a July 10 deadline for a deal.
- A Ford pattern agreement becomes the template for later talks with GM and Stellantis.
- Talks open amid U.S. tariffs, the CUSMA review and nearly 6,500 lost auto jobs.
The Canadian Auto Workers (Unifor) began contract negotiations with Ford on Monday in Toronto. The talks open this year’s bargaining with the Detroit Three: Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.
The union represents nearly 19,000 members across the three automakers and is pushing for better pay, job security and benefits. Current collective agreements expire Sept. 20.
Unifor chose Ford to start negotiations, as a deal with Ford would serve as the template for later talks with GM and Stellantis. The union picked Ford because the automaker has stayed committed to its Canadian operations, where it employs 5,150 union members. However, Unifor set a July 10 deadline to reach a tentative agreement.
“This will be one of the most consequential rounds of Detroit Three bargaining in decades. Workers are living with the effects of Trump’s trade and investment war at work, in their homes and in their communities,” said Lana Payne, National President at Unifor, in the union’s June 22 news release.
Unifor signaled its hard line weeks before the talks began, rejecting concessions ahead of bargaining earlier this month. Its priorities include wage increases, retirement security, income protection and returning laid-off workers.
It’s important to note that Canada faces significant U.S. tariffs tied to the future of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico (USMCA) trade agreement, with a 25% tariff applied to cars and trucks not built in the U.S.
According to Statistics Canada, the auto manufacturing sector has lost nearly 6,500 jobs since February 2025.
Despite the Detroit three automakers shifting or pausing production at several plants, Unifor initiated discussions earlier than usual. The dates for GM and Stellantis negotiations are still pending.
