A worker polishes a 2026 Ford Super Duty F-250 XLT at an auto show in Vancouver, British Columbia. (James MacDonald\/Bloomberg)<\/p>\n
\n June 22, 2026 4:44 PM, EDT<\/p>\n
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\nUnifor began contract talks with Ford in Canada, seeking higher pay, retirement benefits and job security before a July 10 deadline.The talks come as tariffs and USMCA uncertainty pressure Canada\u2019s auto industry, where Unifor represents 5,150 Ford employees.Unifor hopes a Ford agreement can set a pattern for negotiations with General Motors and Stellantis this year. <\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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 U.S. automakers.\u00a0\n \t \t\t<\/p>\n
Tariffs have rocked the Canadian auto industry<\/a> since they were enacted by President Donald Trump in April 2025, as\u00a0most\u00a0of the country\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ford\u2019s lone assembly plant in Canada was idle for retooling work when the tariffs came in. The company, which\u00a0reported<\/a>\u00a0a 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.\u00a0\n \t\t<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no doubt we face an unprecedented set of challenges as we embark on these auto negotiations. I want to put something clearly on the record: we are here to make progress for our members,\u201d says @Lanampayne<\/a> on start of negotiations with Ford. pic.twitter.com\/Ijb7wndOPw<\/a> \u201cNone 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,\u201d John D\u2019Agnolo, Unifor\u2019s chairman for Ford bargaining, told reporters during a news conference in Toronto on June 22.\u00a0<\/p>\n The U.S.-Mexico-Canada 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\u2019t\u00a0sign off on USMCA renewal<\/a>, setting the stage for months or years of negotiations over its terms. It\u2019s scheduled to expire in 2036 unless it\u2019s reauthorized.\u00a0<\/p>\n Unifor National President Lana Payne said it would be too risky to wait to bargain with Ford and the other automakers until after the USMCA situation is settled.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Canadian government is giving Ford C$464.5 million ($328 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\u00a0overhauled its EV strategy<\/a>\u00a0and switched it over to heavy-duty pickups.\u00a0<\/p>\n Payne said she\u2019s encouraged by the talks with Ford so far. The union is aiming to strike a deal with the Dearborn, Mich.-based company that can be used as a precedent in negotiations with General Motors and Stellantis this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe 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,\u201d Ford said in a statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n \t \u2014 Unifor (@UniforTheUnion) June 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n