Ford, Unifor reach tentative deal on labour contract

Ford Motor said on Saturday it has reached a tentative agreement with Canadian ​auto union Unifor on a three-year ‌national labor contract.

The contract covers more than 5,000 unionised employees in Canada, the company said.

Ford and Unifor did​not immediately respond outside regular business hours ⁠to a Reuters request for comment ​on details of the agreement.

Unifor began negotiations with ​Ford last month, commencing talks on new contracts with Detroit's Big Three automakers: Ford, General Motors and ​Stellantis, seeking better pay, job security and ​benefits for its nearly 19,000 members at those companies.

The ‌union ⁠said last month it had started with Ford because the automaker has been most committed to continuing its operations in Canada.

The ​agreement is ​subject to ⁠ratification by Ford-Unifor members.

Existing collective agreements between Unifor and the ​automakers expire on September 20.

The union ​began ⁠talks earlier than usual, citing worsening economic conditions.

Some 6,000 workers have been laid off across ⁠plants ​owned by the three ​automakers as the companies have shifted or paused production ​at several facilities.

-Reuters