Unifor's National President says she believes there were significant gains in the tentative agreement between Unifor and Ford Motor Company.
Speaking on AM800's The Shift, Lana Payne says that while the last two weeks of bargaining have been tiring, she believes that the gains for 5,600 members at Canadian Ford facilities were significant.
Unifor and Ford reached a preliminary contract agreement late Tuesday night after extending a previous strike deadline by 24 hours, which she says she felt was the right decision.
The three-year tentative deal covers more than 5,600 workers at Canadian Ford facilities. It includes members at Ford's Oakville assembly plant, Annex and Essex engine plants in Windsor, along with its parts distribution centres in Brampton, Paris and Casselman in Ontario and in Leduc, Alta.
Payne says they were close to a deal Monday night, and knew it was the right decision to extend the deadline.
"It wasn't all there at that point. And we made a decision to basically extend for 24-hours to see if we could get the kind of agreement, and work on the kind of agreement that we knew would meet our members expectations, while at the same time addressing the core priorities that we've been outlining."
She says the tentative deal offers significant gains.
"I believe that we have core objectives in the area of pensions, in the area of wages, the whole wage package, and in the area of the EV [electric vehicle] transition."
Payne adds that this agreement will have an impact on the entire Canadian auto sector, and even the United States.
"Even workers in non-union workplaces, I believe will benefit from this. And the reality is potentially our friends south of the border, at the UAW [United Auto Workers] will also be able to benefit and hopefully get a fair contract for their members right now."
A ratification vote at all Ford units will be taking place at their respective locations on Saturday, September 23, with exact times to be shared in the coming days.
Payne says within the next couple of days she will also decide who will begin bargaining next, either Stellantis or General Motors.
-with files from AM800's The Shift with Patty Handysides