Canadian auto workers are striking against
General Motors,
raising the pressure on the car maker as it also copes with the United Auto Workers strike in the U.S.
The strike includes approximately 4,280 auto workers at three
GM
(ticker: GM) sites in Canada, according to the Unifor union. The workers walked out after failing to reach a temporary agreement ahead of a deadline at the end of Monday.
“The company continues to fall short on our pension demands, income supports for retired workers, and meaningful steps to transition temporary workers into permanent, full-time jobs,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
The Unifor union said the strike would only end when GM agreed to similar terms as it reached with Ford (F) last month. That deal included a 15% general wage increase over the three-year contract, as well as other benefits.
The strikes will hit a Chevrolet Silverado pickup-truck assembly plant, an engine factory and a parts-distribution center in Canada. The Silverado is GM’s best-selling vehicle in the U.S. although it is also made at two U.S. plants and another in Mexico.
“While we have made very positive progress on several key priorities over the past weeks, we are disappointed that we were not able to achieve a new collective agreement with Unifor at this time. We remain at the bargaining table and are committed to keep working with Unifor to reach an agreement that is fair and flexible,” GM Canada said in a statement.
In the U.S., the UAW is pursing a differing strategy by bargaining with the Detroit-Three auto makers simultaneously rather than targeting one to establish a deal to be used in negotiations with the others. The UAW has now entered its fourth week of strikes at GM, Ford and Chrysler-parent
Stellantis
(STLA).
Write to Adam Clark at [email protected]
Read the full article here