Oakville, Ontario — Ford of Canada and Unifor have reached a tentative agreement on a three-year national labour contract covering nearly 5,400 unionized employees in Canada.
The tentative agreement will see Ford retool the Oakville assembly plant to build five new electric vehicle models, thanks to a $1.95 billion investment from the federal government, Unifor president Jerry Dias announced Tuesday morning. The plant will also assemble batteries, adding 300 new jobs.
The first electric model will roll off the line in 2025, and the fifth will come in 2028.
A new four-litre engine—to be used in Ford Mustangs and F-150—will also be built at the Windsor, Ontario engine plant, securing and potentially adding jobs at the plant, said Dias.
“Today is a historic day. We are not only talking about solidifying the footprint of the auto industry in the short term, but for the long term. I think it’s fair to say that as an organization we hit a home run,” said Dias.
The announcement came after the two parties extended strike bargaining deadlines past the Sept. 21, 11:59 p.m. deadline.
Dias also announced Unifor’s next bargaining target; Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
