TORONTO — The head of the union representing nearly 19,000 Canadian auto workers says she anticipates “challenging” talks ahead with Stellantis and General Motors after securing a deal with Ford Motor Co.
Unifor national president Lana Payne says the new three-year agreement with Ford, which members officially ratified Sunday, marks a precedent with key gains around wage increases and job security.
Ford workers covered by the master agreement voted 74 per cent for the deal, while members at two locals voted 97 per cent and 100 per cent, respectively, in favour.
But Payne acknowledges differences between Ford and the other two companies that could make upcoming talks more complicated, with General Motors’ Ingersoll assembly plant and Stellantis’ Brampton assembly plant sitting idle and thousands of workers laid off.
She says the union will announce which of those two will be its next target for contract negotiations later this week.
This edition of bargaining with the Detroit Three takes place amid a backdrop of difficult conditions for the sector, which includes U.S. tariffs, the Trump administration’s decision not to extend the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, and the introduction of Chinese electric vehicles into Canada.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2026.
Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press
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