Unifor urges feds to stop Stellantis’ possible sale of Brampton plant

The Canadian auto workers' union, Unifor, has called on the federal government to intervene in a potential sale of the Brampton, Ontario Stellantis assembly plant to Canadian armoured vehicle manufacturer Roshel. In a letter to Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, Unifor national president Lana Payne expressed concern that such a sale would effectively "abandon" vehicle production at the plant, leaving over 2,000 employees unemployed and adversely impacting suppliers and the broader economy.

The union has been engaged in collective bargaining negotiations with Stellantis since earlier this month, but the talks have stalled. The current collective agreement is set to expire on September 20, and workers at the Brampton plant were laid off in 2023 when production ceased. Stellantis had announced a memorandum of understanding with Roshel last Friday for the potential sale of the plant, but Payne stated that the plant's future should not have been considered as a sale to a non-automaker and urged the federal government to resist such a move.