Canadian autoworkers union ends strike after tentative deal with GM

Unifor, the largest private-sector union in Canada, reached a tentative deal with General Motors on Tuesday, ending a brief strike that began at three GM plants just after midnight. Over 4,200 workers joined the strike after parties failed to reach an agreement Monday night. Still, by 3 p.m. Tuesday, GM said a deal had been brokered that involved significant pay raises, benefit increases, and additional job security for employees. A spokeswoman for the union said union members must still ratify the tentative deal. Last month, Unifor successfully negotiated a deal with Ford. Thousands of auto workers in the United States are also on strike against Ford, GM, and Stellantis.

What’s next for the union? If the tentative agreement with GM is ratified, Unifor will shift its attention to Jeep maker Stellantis, which currently does not have a contract with the union. A spokeswoman for Unifor said she expects talks to begin soon with the company. Stellantis has the largest footprint in Canada of all the Detroit automakers. 

Dig deeper: Listen to Nick Eicher and David Bahnsen’s conversation on The World and Everything in It podcast about the ongoing United Auto Workers strike in America.