Unifor workers are on strike at GM Canada after the union and the US automaker have failed to come to terms on a new contract. According to a statement released by Unifor on Tuesday, GM has “refused to honour the pattern agreement that was agreed upon between Unifor and Ford of Canada.” “GM knows that our members will not let them break our pattern, not today, not ever,” said Unifor. “GM continues to fail to meet our pension requirements, income support for retired workers and to take meaningful steps to move temporary workers into full-time positions.”
The union says its members will continue to strike until the union’s pattern agreement, which was agreed upon in the ratified Ford collective agreement, is fulfilled. About 4,280 members of Unifor’s Local 220, 2202, 2203, 2204, 2205, 2206, 2207, 2208, 2209, 2209 and 22010 are involved in the strike. GM members are unionized at Oshawa’s Assembly Complex, CCA Stamp Products, Powertrain Plant, Woodstock’s Parts Distribution Centre, and CAMI’s Ingersoll Plant.
It noted that while it had made progress on a number of key objectives over the past few weeks, it was disappointed that it had not yet been able to secure a new collective bargaining agreement from Unifor.
