Canada's Ford autoworkers in line for minimum 15% pay raise over 3 years, union says

The Ford Motor Co. of Canadaoffered a 10 per centwage increase inthe first year of its tentative agreement with Unifor, followed by increases of two per cent and three per cent forthe second and third years, the Canadian union said on Saturday.

The agreement also includes a $10,000 Cdn productivity and quality bonus to all employees on the active roll of the company, as well asan increase in the monthly basic benefit and special allowance in all class codes across defined benefit and hybrid pension plans.

Fordworkers in Canada arevoting on the weekend on the labour agreement reached Tuesday night. The company has about 5,600unionized employees in Canada, mainly in Oakville, Ont., and Windsor, Ont.Results of the ratification vote areexpected on Sunday.

For some senior employees, the wage increases over the life of the contract vary from 19 per centto 25 per cent, depending on the type of job, according to the details of the contract released by Unifor.

Unifor on Friday said its Ford leadership group has voted unanimously to support the tentative agreement.

Ford is also facing labour problems in the United Stateswith a strike launched Sept. 15 by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, which on Fridayexpanded strike action againstGeneral Motors and Stellantisto include their spare-parts distribution centres.

'Serious issues' remain inU.S.

UAWpresident Shawn Fain said on Friday that Ford had improved its contract offer, including boosting profit-sharing and agreeing to let workers strike over plant closures, but that the union still has "serious issues" with the company,and its workers would remain on strike at the automaker's Wayne, Mich., assembly plant.

Fain said he expected talks to continue throughthe weekend.

Unlike the UAW, Unifor chose one of the Detroit Three as a "target" to negotiate with first in this case, Ford in a pattern-bargaining tactic used to set the tone for subsequent deals with other companies.

Unifor had sought improved wages and pensions, support in the transition to electric vehicles and additional investment commitments from Ford. The union is yet to reach a deal with Stellantis and General Motors to avoid walkouts at their Canadian facilities.

The UAW began strikes on Friday against 38 parts distribution centresacross the U.S.at GM and Stellantis, extending its unprecedented, simultaneous strikes that began with one assembly plant ineach of the Detroit Three. The additional facilities added about 5,600 workers to the 12,700 already on picket lines.