The Ford Motor Company and Unifor have announced that a new three-year contract has been ratified.
According to a tweet from Unifor Monday afternoon, 81 per cent of the employees voted in favour of the new collective bargaining agreement.
Voting started Sunday for the company's 6,300 unionized workers, including 1,200 in Windsor.
The deal received the unanimous endorsement of the leadership at all of Ford's locals last week.
Unifor National President Jerry Dias called it "what the membership needs now and in the future."
https://twitter.com/UniforTheUnion/status/1310620087964098562
The deal includes almost $1.95 billion in investment to retool the plant in Oakville. Ford plans to build five new electrical vehicle models there. It also awarded the new 6X engine to the Windsor Engine Plant; an addition Unifor said could mean a third shift in the future.
The contract calls for a 2.5 per cent wage increase twice over the life of the agreement, a $7,250 ratification bonus for full-time permanent employees, with $500 for temporary employees, and a reduced grow-in period for new hires from 11 years to eight years.
Dean Stoneley, president and CEO of Ford Canada, praised Unifor for its professionalism during talks and the eagerness on both sides to bring in production of electric vehicles.
"Working collaboratively with Unifor, and as discussions continue with both the federal and provincial governments, this agreement is an important step toward building a stronger future for our employees, our customers and our communities," said Stoneley. "By introducing battery electric vehicle production at Oakville Assembly Complex, we are cementing our Canadian operations as a leader in advanced automotive manufacturing."
Unifor is expected to start contract talks on Monday with Fiat-Chrysler, which operates the Windsor Assembly Plant.
-With files from Mark Brown
