Unifor wants in at GM’s future Ultium CAM Plant in Quebec. The Canadian union, the biggest private-sector union in the country, plans to unionize workers at the plant, and it’s taking steps to that end two years before it begins operations.
As reported by GM Authority, on October 5th the union inaugurated an office in Bécancour, Quebec, near the site of the plant. Said Unifor, the office is there to “reinforce Unifor’s presence close to the future GM-POSCO and Ford battery production plants, which will be built in the Bécancour industrial park and is anticipated to start production in 2025.”
Added Unifor’s Quebec Director, Daniel Cloutier, “With government subsidies dedicated to the battery sector, it is essential that the spin-offs for Bécancour translate into good jobs and fair wages for the region’s residents.” The union’s Quebec chapter is in fact already present within Bécancour’s industrial zone, representing some 1,000 workers there.
It’s worth noting that other unions could conceivably organize workers at the plant, so Unifor is likely moving early in part to establish its presence vis-à-vis those potential rivals. Cloutier downplayed the chance of any competitors moving in, however: “We’re almost the only union involved in the automobile industry in Canada.”
Recall that GM has committed, with investment help from the Canadian government, to build a new EV battery plant in Quebec. It will manufacture cathode active material (thus the CAM) destined for General Motors’ Ultium EV batteries. The plant will create 200 jobs in the region, with production set to begin at some point in 2025.