Canadian auto workers are currently on strike against General Motors (GM), adding to the pressure faced by the car maker as it also deals with the ongoing United Auto Workers strike in the U.S. This strike involves around 4,280 auto workers across three GM sites in Canada, according to the Unifor union. The workers decided to walk out after failing to reach a temporary agreement by the deadline on Monday.
Unifor National President Lana Payne stated, "The company has not met our demands regarding pensions, income support for retired workers, and transitioning temporary employees into permanent, full-time positions." The strike will only come to an end when GM agrees to similar terms as what was reached with Ford last month. Ford's agreement included a 15% general wage increase over a three-year contract, in addition to other benefits.
The strike will have an impact on a Chevrolet Silverado pickup-truck assembly plant, an engine factory, and a parts-distribution center in Canada. The Silverado is GM's top-selling vehicle in the U.S., although it is also manufactured at two U.S. plants and one in Mexico.
In response to the strike, GM Canada issued a statement saying, "While we have made significant progress on several key priorities in recent weeks, we are disappointed that we were unable to reach a new collective agreement with Unifor at this time. We are committed to continuing negotiations with Unifor and working towards a fair and flexible agreement."
Meanwhile, in the U.S., the United Auto Workers (UAW) is taking a different approach by negotiating simultaneously with all three Detroit automakers, instead of targeting one company to establish a deal that can be used in negotiations with others. The UAW has now entered its fourth week of strikes against GM, Ford, and Stellantis (parent company of Chrysler).
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