Ford reaches deal to avert strike in Canada
STORY: Ford already faces a strike in the U.S.
But it seems to have dodged a second walkout in Canada.
The auto giant reached a deal with unions there late on Tuesday (September 19).
Unifor - which represents around 5,600 Canadian auto workers - had threatened to strike if a deal wasn’t reached by midnight.
But talks went on past the deadline, and agreement was found.
Unifor said it had leveraged the threat of a walkout.
Now neither side has revealed details of the agreement, which still has to be ratified by union members.
Unifor had been seeking improved pay and conditions, among other demands.
Strikes continue in the U.S., however.
The United Auto Workers union has called the first-ever coordinated action at the Detroit Three - Ford, General Motors and Chrysler parent Stellantis.
That has halted output at factories making vehicles including Ford’s Bronco SUV.
The union says an offer of pay rises of up to 20% is not good enough.
One striking worker said they wanted a more equitable workplace:
“Ah, just a fair wage structure for my younger coworkers that are coming in. Right now it's just not fair that they're working next to people that are making twice as much as them, you know, and there's not a whole lot of light at the end of the tunnel.”
Now the UAW says it will announce on Friday (September 22) whether it plans to escalate the industrial action.
If strikes do spread, analysts bet the union will target plants making popular vehicles including pickup trucks.
