Canadian union Unifor is seeking higher pay and retirement benefits as well as better job security from Ford Motor Co. in contract negotiations taking place under a pall of uncertainty over North American trade.
Negotiation Deadline and Context
Unifor, which represents 5,150 Ford employees in Canada, has set July 10 as the deadline to reach an agreement. The talks are the first in a series of union negotiations for the three large United States automakers. Tariffs have rocked the Canadian auto industry since they were enacted by U.S. President Donald Trump in April 2025, as most of the country's passenger car and truck production is exported to the U.S. General Motors Co. and Chrysler parent Stellantis NV pared their Canadian production in response.
Ford's Plant Retooling and Government Support
Ford's lone assembly plant in Canada was idle for retooling work when the tariffs came in. The company, which reported a drop in pickup truck deliveries in the first quarter because of fires at a key supplier, is planning to build Super Duty trucks at the factory. The Canadian government is giving Ford $464.5 million to finance the retooling of the assembly plant in the Toronto suburb of Oakville, Ontario, which was closed for regular vehicle production in 2024. The facility was set to produce electric vehicles before Ford overhauled its EV strategy and switched it over to heavy-duty pickups.
Union Leadership Statements
“None of the distractions created by tariffs, by Trump, or the economy will lower in any way the standard to which the agreement must be met,” John D’Agnolo, Unifor’s chairman for Ford bargaining, told reporters during a news conference in Toronto on Monday. Unifor National President Lana Payne said it would be too risky to wait to bargain with Ford and the other automakers until after the CUSMA situation is settled. Payne said she’s encouraged by the talks with Ford so far. The union is aiming to strike a deal with the Dearborn, Michigan-based company that can be used as a precedent in negotiations with General Motors and Stellantis this year.
CUSMA Review and Tariff Impact
The Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement sets out the rules for auto manufacturing on the continent, and the three countries are set to formally review the deal this year. Trump said June 10 he wouldn’t sign off on CUSMA renewal, setting the stage for months or years of negotiations over its terms. It’s scheduled to expire in 2036 unless it’s reauthorized.
“We look forward to constructive, good-faith discussions to reach a fair agreement with the goal of providing stability for our workforce while securing the long-term competitiveness of our Canadian manufacturing operations,” Ford said in a statement.
