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The union representing workers at General Motors says its members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of ratifying new contracts with the automaker.
Unifor and GM agreed Aug. 22 on tentative labour contracts for more than 4,600 autoworkers in Ontario, and union members voted on them over the weekend.
The union said in a news release Sunday the three-year collective agreements increase wages for full-rate production members to $50.20 an hour and skilled trades workers to $62.71 an hour.
It said members in Oshawa, St. Catharines and Woodstock voted 80.5 per cent in favour, while members in Ingersoll voted 96.5 per cent in support.
Talks between the union and automaker began earlier this month after Unifor reached an agreement with Ford, and the union says its agreements with GM mirror the three-per-cent annual wage increases with Ford.
Unifor National President Lana Payne said the agreements commit more than $1 billion in investments to Canadian GM facilities.
“GM is making these investments in both its highly skilled Canadian workforce and facilities at a crucial time, as our domestic auto industry is under siege by the Trump Administration,” Payne said in the union’s news release.
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Jack Uppal, GM Canada president and managing director, said in a statement that the ratification means the company “reached an outcome that supports our employees, strengthens our manufacturing operations and provides a solid foundation for GM’s future in Canada.”
Unifor said negotiations with GM took place under challenging circumstances, with production at the CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll idled and the majority of members there on indefinite layoff.
The union said it would continue to push for production to return at CAMI Assembly. It also said GM designated it as the plant of first consideration for Canadian Armed Forces defence work, if that work is awarded to GM.
Uppal said that in Oshawa, an additional $144-million investment will bring next-generation GMC Sierra Heavy-Duty production to the plant, building on a previously announced $343-million investment in next-generation truck production and manufacturing enhancements.
He said at St. Catharines Propulsion, a new $215-million investment establishes the plant as the sole source for a next-generation transmission. Combined with a previously announced $691 million for sixth-generation V8 engine production, he said total investment in St. Catharines exceeded $900 million.
“For our team at CAMI Assembly, we have extended layoff benefits to reflect our continued commitment to support employees while we take the necessary time to assess potential opportunities for the site,” Uppal said.
Unifor said other highlights of the deal include the renewal of a cost-of-living allowance, a $10,000 productivity and quality bonus for eligible members, and a $2,000 December bonus for eligible members.
Trevor Longpre, Unifor’s General Motors bargaining chairperson, said significant progress was made in “securing good, stable auto jobs and a stronger Canadian footprint.”
“But the work to bring production back to CAMI is not over. This agreement gives our Ingersoll members a bridge until we get CAMI workers back on the job,” Longpre said.
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