Unifor and General Motors have reached a tentative agreement covering more than 4,600 unionized workers across four Ontario facilities. The deal, which received unanimous backing from Unifor’s bargaining committee on August 22, comes well ahead of the contract's late-September deadline. Ratification votes are scheduled for August 29 and 30.
The three-year agreement impacts members of Unifor Locals 222, 88, 199 and 636 working at the Oshawa Assembly Plant, the CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, the St. Catharines engine plant and the Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre.
Ford footprint
While we won’t know the full terms of the deal until it is ratified, we do know the agreement closely follows the benchmark pattern established with Ford earlier this summer. That deal delivered 3 percent annual wage increases, $10,000 signing bonuses and over $1 billion in Canadian production investments.
Unifor national president Lana Payne noted that negotiators worked to secure major wage, benefit and job security gains, adding that it came during one of the most challenging economic stretches the sector has faced in recent memory.
Tariff spectre
The negotiations have taken place amidst heightened industry uncertainty, driven by ongoing cross-border trade friction, shifting demand and potential tariff pressures.
For workers, assembly commitments remain a central focus. In Oshawa, where Chevrolet Silverado production faced night-shift cuts and rumours of volume reductions, Unifor publicly pushed during talks to secure GMC Sierra assembly to bolster long-term plant capacity. Meanwhile, the CAMI facility in Ingersoll seeks new direction following GM’s decision to end Chevrolet BrightDrop EV van production in late 2025.
“GM Canada has reached tentative agreements with Unifor covering approximately 4,600 represented employees at our St. Catharines Propulsion Plant, Oshawa Assembly & Operations, Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre, and CAMI Assembly. These agreements are subject to member ratification and recognize the many contributions of our represented team members with important increases in wages, benefits and job security while building on GM’s investments in Canadian manufacturing. To respect Unifor’s ratification process, more details will be shared at the appropriate time.”
- Jack Uppal, President and Managing Director of GM Canada
If ratified by GM workers later this month, Unifor will immediately turn its bargaining focus to Stellantis, the final member of the Detroit Three automakers operating in Canada.