Unifor master bargaining begins for GM CAMI Assembly plant workers

INGERSOLL, ON, Sept. 9, 2024 /CNW/ - Master bargaining between Unifor and General Motors opened today on behalf of Local 88 members employed at the CAMI Assembly plant and Battery Assembly facility in Ingersoll, Ontario.

A large group of people wearing Unifor shirts standing outside in front of the Unifor Local 88 sign. (CNW Group/Unifor)

"Our members at CAMI are on the frontline of the EV transition in Canada, and Unifor will fight to protect the good union jobs and secure future every autoworker was promised," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "These negotiations will focus squarely on securing workers the economic stability our members deserve and that includes aligning CAMI workers with the rest of our GM membership to eliminate the historical lag in wage increases and other negotiated benefits."  

Negotiations at CAMI follow the union's 2023 bargaining with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis on behalf of 20,000 Detroit Three members, where the pattern agreement was set. As a result of the different bargaining cycle there is a significant and ongoing delay before CAMI workers receive the same rate of pay as their counterparts at other GM locations.

Unifor Local 88 represents more than 1,100 members at CAMI Assembly who build the Chevrolet BrightDrop EV 600 and EV 400 and 200 members at the Battery Assembly facility who manufacture Ultium battery modules. Unifor's bargaining priorities will centre on wages, pensions and job security improvements in negotiations with General Motors.

During the last round of bargaining in 2021, General Motors committed to invest more than $1 billion to begin large scale production of electric commercial delivery vans at the plant. CAMI autoworkers have been dramatically affected by an eight-month retooling period and lengthy production halts caused by battery shortages since March 2020. Currently CAMI is operating on one shift, with A and B shift workers rotating on layoff every two weeks.

"Our focus remains on obtaining a contract that gives our members a good, predictable income, allows them to retire with dignity and offers opportunity to the next generation of autoworkers," said Unifor CAMI Plant Chairperson Mike Van Boekel. "CAMI workers are incredibly resilient, dedicated, and hardworking and now we need to get our members back to what they do best: building cutting edge vehicles that will drive us into the future."

Unifor Local 88 members at CAMI delivered an overwhelming strike mandate, with 97% voting to support strike action if an agreement is not reached before the deadline set for 10:59 p.m. on September 17, 2024.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future. 

SOURCE Unifor

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