The screenshot taken from the streaming of CP24, a Canadian English-language specialty news channel owned by Bell Media, shows Unifor members on strike on Oct. 10, 2023 at General Motors (GM) facilities in Canada after failing to reach a new contract with the U.S. automaker. (Xinhua)
Unifor GM Master Bargaining Chair Jason Gale said the dispute "can only end one way: with GM agreeing to the same terms in our pattern agreement with Ford."
OTTAWA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Unifor members kicked off a strike on Tuesday at General Motors (GM) facilities in Canada after failing to reach a new contract with the U.S. automaker.
According to Unifor, the strike includes approximately 4,280 autoworkers at the Oshawa Assembly Complex and CCA Stamped Products, St. Catharines Powertrain Plant and Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre.
The strike is about GM "stubbornly refusing to meet the pattern agreement," Unifor National President Lana Payne said in a news release.
"The company knows our members will never let GM break our pattern -- not today -- not ever," Payne said.
"The company continues to fall short on our pension demands, income supports for retired workers, and meaningful steps to transition temporary workers into permanent, full-time jobs," she said.
Unifor GM Master Bargaining Chair Jason Gale said the dispute "can only end one way: with GM agreeing to the same terms in our pattern agreement with Ford."
The union's pattern agreement was established in the ratified collective agreement with Ford of Canada last month that offered wage hikes of up to 25 percent to more than 5,600 workers at its Canadian facilities.
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy, including about 18,000 workers at the Canadian facilities of the Detroit Big Three, GM, Ford and Chrysler parent Stellantis. ■
