Stellantis, Unifor begin contract negotiations in final round of auto sector talks

TORONTO - Canadian auto workers are about to begin contract negotiations with Stellantis, concluding their last round of bargaining with the Detroit Three automakers. Unifor, the union representing nearly 19,000 workers, had already settled new collective agreements with Ford Motor Co. and General Motors this summer. The current deals are set to expire on September 20.

Unifor often employs pattern bargaining strategies in auto sector negotiations, aiming to replicate the same terms with other companies. Recently, the union was informed that Stellantis might be considering the closure and sale of its Brampton, Ontario assembly plant, which had been idle since 2023. The plant was originally planned to be retooled for Jeep production before the company halted the plan in early 2025 and later announced it would relocate Jeep Compass production to the United States.

The contract talks are taking place amidst U.S. tariffs impacting Canadian automakers, as a 25 per cent levy on cars and trucks not built in the U.S. remains in effect, excluding those compliant with the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump recently threatened on social media to increase tariffs on all vehicles, auto parts, and steel from Canada to 50 per cent starting January 1.