GM unionized workers in Canada approve new three-year contract
· UPIAug. 30 (UPI) -- Members of the labor union representing 4,600 General Motors employees in Canada have ratified a new three-year deal that includes wage increases and 1.1 billion Canadian dollars (US$791 million) in investments in the country's auto industry.
Unifor said Sunday that 80.5% of members at GM's Oshawa, St. Catherines, and Woodstock plants in Ontario voted for the pact. Meanwhile, 96.5% of workers at GM's Woodstock, Ontario plant, who are covered by a separate contract, approved the deal.
As part of the agreement, GM is to spend C$144 million to add the next generation Heavy-Duty Sierra pickup truck to the Oshawa plant. It will direct C$215 million to assemble next-generation transmissions in St. Catherines, which is expected to start in late 2029, Unifor said.
The auto maker previously committed C$691 to support sixth generation V8 engine production in St. Catherines and $63 million into stamping and other upgrades in Oshawa.
"GM is making these investments in both its highly skilled Canadian workforce and facilities at a crucial time, as our domestic auto industry is under siege by the Trump Administration," Unifor National President Lana Payne said in a statement.
"The new agreements include meaningful improvements to wages, benefits and job security, and recognize the valuable contributions of our represented employees while helping sustain good-paying jobs that have long been a cornerstone of Canada's automotive industry," GM Canada President Jack Uppal said in a statement.