Talks have officially begun in the final installment of this year's Canadian auto industry bargaining.
Contract talks formally began Tuesday morning in Toronto between Stellantis and Unifor. The traditional pre-talk handshake kicked things off.
Unifor Local 444 President John Stewart, whose local represents 6,000 employees at the Windsor Assembly Plant, will act as the Master Bargaining Committee Chair.
Stewart told reporters at an early afternoon news conference that this round of talks is being conducted under a veil of uncertainty due to U.S. tariffs.
"We open talks with our members' needs in mind," said Stewart. "It should come as no surprise that they are very anxious. They are concerned about what the future holds for their jobs, for their workplaces, and for their families."
Among the issues to be discussed are the future of the Brampton Assembly Plant, where 2,200 workers have been idled after production of the Jeep Compass was shifted out of Canada.
Production volumes in Windsor and at the Etobicoke Casting Plant are also on the table. Unifor National President Lana Payne said she was pleased with the success of talks with Ford and General Motors, but the talks with Stellantis reflect a change in the game rules. The objective, she said, was to keep Canada an auto-making country.
"I've been calling the current economic situation exactly what it is, an existential crisis for our auto industry," said Payne. "After all, the most powerful leader in the world has said that he does not want us building cars, or trucks, or anything."
Stellantis Canada CEO Trevor Longley said that the automaker's bargaining team is ready for productive discussions, with a fair agreement the goal.
"As the automotive industry continues to navigate significant economic, trade, and competitive pressures, our goal is to reach an agreement that recognizes the contributions of our employees while helping ensure our Canadian operations remain competitive," said Longley in a statement. "We look forward to constructive discussions in the weeks ahead."
Longley added that the company has invested $8-billion across its Canadian operations, including Windsor Assembly and the NextStar battery plant in Windsor.
The union has set a deadline of Friday, September 11, though the contract with Stellantis expires on September 20. Payne said she was confident, though, that a deal could be reached before the 11th.
