Unifor meeting with skilled trade workers over issues with Ford deal
Unifor says deal with Ford was ratified with a 54% approval
Unifor leadership is meeting with skilled trade workers in Ontario to review issues the autoworkers have with the recently ratified Ford contract.
Workers have voiced their opposition to a deal that narrowly passed ratification with 54 per cent of people voting in favour, one of the lowest approvals in recent history.
"There's some real big questions out there and it turns out that a lot of the trades people between Windsor and Oakville have turned down the contract," said Anton Mesic, a Ford worker in Oakville.
Unifor has confirmed that skilled trades workers, which include electricians, welders and mechanics, rejected the deal.
What's in the deal
The majority of the 5,600 autoworkers approved a contract that includes a 15 per cent wage increase over three years, a $10,000 signing bonus, and cut the time it takes to reach the top of the pay scale for production workers in half.
Skilled trade workers will also get a 5.25 per cent raise split between year one and three of the deal, which brings their hourly wages from $44.77 to $51.97 in year one and up to $55.97 by the third year.
Production workers will see hourly wages rise from $37.33 to $42.39 in the first year and up to $44.52 in the third year.
The contract also includes a cost of living allowance capped at $2 an hour over three years and increases the employers contributions to the pension plan to seven per cent of an employees earnings, capped at 2,080 hours.
Some workers wanted more
On Monday, skilled trade workers were brought to an in-person meeting in Oakville to go over details of the agreement.
"Way back in 2008, right, we gave up everything. We gave up pension money, we gave up wages, we gave up benefits. Just to save the Ford Motor Company from going bankrupt," said Norman Little, a Ford worker in Oakville.
"But now, with the situation, we need something. We really need some money, some benefits back."
WATCH | Workers at Ford in Oakville, Windsor share thoughts on new contract
Workers have told CBC News that they believe there's language in the union's constitution that would see the deal rejected based on the majority of skilled trades voting against the contract.
Unifor's national president said that is not possible.
"There is no right by which skilled trades members can block a ratification by the whole bargaining unit," said Payne in a statement to CBC News.
"Unifor is meeting outside of the bargaining process with Skilled Trades members in both Oakville and Windsor this week to review issues."
Economic gains cover recent inflation pressures, say expert
Barry Eidlin is a labour professor at McGill University who has been watching the auto negotiations in Canada and the United States.
Thousands of United Auto Workers members have been on strike at General Motors, Stellantis and Ford since September 14th,
"As they repeatedly say, the big three have made a quarter trillion dollars in profits over the past 10 years while wages have decreased for autoworkers," said Eidlin.
"So there's a lot of catching up to do."
WATCH | Unifor's national president talks about the new Ford contract
Eidin said that the deal between Unifor and Ford, which both call historic, needs to be looked at in the context of inflation.
"If you're negotiating 15% wage increases, but inflation has eroded 10% of your wages over the past three years, you know, you're starting in a hole and you've got to dig yourself out," said Eidin.
Marvin Ryder is an associate professor at McMaster University's DeGroote School of Business also watching the auto contract negotiations and said that a boost in wages is needed because of inflation.
"The first year of this deal, which is a ten percent across the board increase, is really playing catch up," said Ryder.
"What's year two, what's year three? That's a three per cent and two per cent raise which are very much in line with what everyone would like to see if inflation is coming down to the two percent range."
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