By Nora Eckert
DETROIT, June 22 (Reuters) – Canadian auto union Unifor began negotiations with Ford Motor on Monday, commencing talks on new contracts with the so-called Detroit Three of Ford, General Motors and Stellantis to try to improve pay, job security and benefits for its nearly 19,000 members at those companies.
• Existing collective agreements between Unifor and the Detroit Three automakers expire on September 20.
• The union began the negotiations with Ford because the automaker has been most committed to continuing its operations in Canada, the union said.
• Unifor set a deadline of July 10 to reach a deal with Ford, which it will then take to the other two automakers.
• The union said it has begun talks earlier than usual because economic conditions are unlikely to improve in the coming months and could worsen.
• Canada faces significant U.S. tariffs pending negotiations around the future of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade agreement.
• Nearly 6,000 workers have been laid off across plants owned by the three automakers as the companies have shifted or paused production at several facilities.
(Reporting by Nora Eckert in DetroitEditing by David Goodman)
