Unifor, the union representing thousands of Stellantis workers across Ontario, announced Tuesday it will move forward with a strike authorization vote after negotiations with the automaker reached what the union called an impasse.
The union said it had hoped to reach a tentative agreement without a strike vote, as it did earlier this year with Ford Motor Company and General Motors Co. But Unifor said it and Stellantis remain deadlocked over several key issues, including the future of the company’s Brampton Assembly Plant and broader job security questions across its Canadian operations.
In a statement signed by Unifor national president Lana Payne, Local 444 president and bargaining committee chair James Stewart, and committee vice-chair Vito Beato, the union said the unresolved issues extend beyond Brampton and relate to the job security of all union members and the future of Stellantis operations in Canada. The union described strike action as a last resort but said the ability to strike is an important part of collective bargaining that can help create conditions for an agreement.
Stellantis spokesperson LouAnn Gosselin said in an email that the company remains committed to bargaining in good faith and is prepared to continue discussions toward a negotiated agreement that recognizes employee contributions while supporting the long-term competitiveness of its Canadian operations.
What a Strike Vote Means
A strike authorization vote gives the bargaining committee the authority to call a strike if necessary, but Unifor said it does not automatically mean a strike will take place. Authorization votes are scheduled for Oct. 17 and 18, with results to be announced Oct. 19.
In a video posted to social media, Stewart, who also represents workers at the Windsor Assembly Plant, said the vote was a normal part of bargaining that the union had hoped to avoid. He said the union wants to put maximum leverage on the company and ensure members understand all the issues at stake. Details of the vote will be posted at the plants, he said.
Brampton Plant at the Centre of Talks
Negotiations between Unifor and Stellantis began Sept. 1, after the company had already signalled its intention to sell the Brampton Assembly Plant, which employed roughly 3,000 workers. The plant had been retooling since 2023 to build the Jeep Compass, but Stellantis announced last year it was moving that production to the United States, idling the Brampton facility indefinitely.
In August, Unifor said Stellantis had informed the union it was considering closing and selling the Brampton plant. The union said it would not commit to an agreement without a suitable solution for Brampton workers. On Sept. 11, it emerged that Stellantis had signed a memorandum of understanding with Canadian armoured vehicle maker Roshel to buy the idled plant.
The union said it had also hoped to secure a third shift at the Windsor Assembly Plant, production volume commitments at the Etobicoke Casting Plant, and next-generation vehicle commitments at both facilities. Unifor said it also wants to secure jobs at other Stellantis facilities, including parts distribution centres and office, clerical, engineering and security work.
Trade Pressures Loom Over Bargaining
Ahead of bargaining, Stewart said the union was “in the fight for our lives” amid trade turmoil with the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick have repeatedly said the American administration wants Canadian auto manufacturing jobs moved across the border, according to the union.
Ford workers ratified a new three-year collective agreement in July that included a nine-per-cent wage increase, setting the pattern for bargaining with the Detroit Three automakers. In late August, Unifor said its members at General Motors had voted overwhelmingly to ratify contracts delivering the wage and benefit improvements in the union’s pattern agreement, along with new product and investment commitments.
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