Workers at GM’s Canadian plants support the terms of the new labor contract

The Canadian trade union Unifor, which defends the interests of 4.3 thousand workers at three General Motors plants in Canada, reportedthat 80.5% of union members supported the terms of the new three-year labor contract with the company. To get concessions from GM, the union last week brought out to strike factory workers in the cities of Oshawa, St. Catharines and Woodstock in the province of Ontario.

The approved agreement provides for an increase in hourly wages for workers with a certain level of experience by 63-73% during the term of the employment contract. Salaries for permanent, full-time employees will increase by 20–25%, depending on the employee’s skill level. In addition, for the first time since 2008, a cash supplement will be reintroduced in response to the rising cost of living. Retiring employees will be paid a quarterly health benefit. The agreement will also allow hundreds of temporary workers to be transferred to permanent jobs during the term of the employment contract.

Unifor is Canada’s largest private sector union. It represents the interests of a total of 315 thousand workers from all sectors of the country’s economy. At the end of September, Unifor also succeeded achieve improving labor contract conditions for workers at Ford Motor plants in Canada.

Alena Miklashevskaya