Unifor members at General Motors ratify pattern agreement

TORONTO, Oct. 15, 2023 /CNW/ - Unifor members at General Motors (GM) have voted to ratify the pattern agreement by 80.5%.

"I am proud of our members at General Motors for their solidarity throughout their brief but decisive strike action and for ratifying this contract that contains life-changing improvements," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "This agreement reflects true collective bargaining. Our goal was to bring more fairness and equity to auto workplaces and to lift everyone up. We did that." 

The newly ratified three-year collective agreement covers more than 4,300 workers at the Oshawa Assembly Plant, St. Catharines Powertrain Plant and Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre.

The ratified agreement with General Motors follows the pattern agreement first negotiated by Unifor with Ford of Canada. The contract cuts the wage progression grid from eight to four years, dramatically reducing the time it takes workers to reach the top rate of pay. This improvement is particularly significant for members at Oshawa Assembly Plant, where the majority of workers were hired since the plant reopened in 2021.  Members with one and two years seniority will see their hourly pay increase by between 63% to 73% over the life of the agreement.

Wages for top of scale workers will increase by nearly 20% for production workers and 25% for Skilled Trades. The pattern also includes the reinstatement of a Cost of Living Allowance for the first time since 2008 to help protect workers wages from rising inflation and will benefit retirees with a new quarterly Universal Health Allowance. 

Over the life of the agreement, hundreds of temporary part-time (TPT) workers across GM facilities in Oshawa, St. Catharines and Woodstock will also be converted to permanent full-time positions.

"On top of getting the pattern in place, we also needed to deal with our own unique challenges at GM. With this contract in place, hundreds of part-time workers will be converted to full-time status immediately and the abuse of the temporary worker program will come to an end," said Unifor GM Master Bargaining Chair Jason Gale.

The new contract expires on September 20, 2026. 

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

For media inquiries or to arrange interviews via FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype please contact Unifor Communications Director Kathleen O'Keefe at [email protected] or by cell at (416) 896-3303.

SOURCE Unifor