Following an intense wage dispute standoff, Ford Motors has offered Canadian worker’s union Unifor wage increases of up to 25% as part of a tentative agreement to bring an end to negotiations. Unifor confirmed that its Ford leadership unanimously voted to support the tentative agreement, bringing an end to the dispute.
The agreement includes a 10% wage increase for workers during the first year, followed by increases of 2% and 3% during the second and third year. In addition, a $10,000 productivity and quality bonus would be awarded to all employees on the active payroll of the company. Also included are increases to monthly basic benefits and special allowances in benefit and hybrid pension plans.
Representing approximately 5,600 Canadian auto workers, Unifor targeted Ford as part of a larger pattern bargaining tactic. By selecting one of the Detroit Three to negotiate with first, Unifor hoped to set the tone for subsequent deals with other companies.