Unifor Detroit Three autoworkers vote for strike mandate, mirrors U.S. counterpart

Canadian and U.S. autoworkers are both negotiating with the Detroit Three carmakers simultaneously for the first time in 25 years, creating the potential for a co-ordinated strike against one of the major producers.

Canadian and U.S. autoworkers are both negotiating with the Detroit Three carmakers simultaneously for the first time in 25 years, creating the potential for a co-ordinated strike against one of the major producers.

Workers at the Canadian arms of Ford, General Motors and Stellantis this past weekend voted between 98 per cent and 99 per cent in favour of allowing Unifor to call a strike if bargaining committees fail to secure the collective agreements.

York University associate professor Steven Tufts says the strong strike mandate signals that the workers may not be happy with the current offers and are willing to strike and make gains.

"They do have a mandate that strong," he said of the union representing 18,000 autoworkers.

"(The workers) may push the employer a little bit harder, not only to expand the investments but also to secure wage gains that a lot of workers want now, especially in a period of high inflation and higher interest rates."

effort to improve pensions, increase wages, and secure good, union jobs in the EV future

Along with a wage boost and commitments for electric vehicle production, Unifor wants to improve workers' pensions. When automakers were on the brink of bankruptcy during the financial crisis of 2008-09, employees made significant pension concessions, including a shift toward defined contributions. Payne has said Unifor will be fighting to restore some of what was lost.