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Unifor Voices Support for UAW as Its Own Strike Deadline Looms

Written by Ethan Bernard

September 15, 2023

Unifor, the union which represents Canada’s auto workers, has written a letter in solidarity with the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike as its own labor contract deadline nears.

“We stand in solidarity with UAW members as you exercise your fundamental right to strike,” Lana Payne, Unifor national president, wrote in a letter on Friday.

Recall that Unifor’s contract with the Detroit 3 automakers General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis expires on Monday, Sept. 18 at 11:59 p.m. The UAW began a targeted “stand up” strike against all three Detroit automakers when it did not reach an agreement by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday.

“Our unions have a long and historic relationship as the two largest unions representing autoworkers in North America,” Payne continued. “Just like you, we know what it means to have some of the world’s most powerful corporations as our employer.”

Unifor selected Ford as the target automaker in its labor negotiations. The union has so far rejected two contract offers from Ford ahead of Monday’s deadline, according to a report from the CBC.

Ethan Bernard

Ethan Bernard is managing editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in the New York office for two years, starting in 2008. Later, he copy edited AMM’s monthly magazine on a freelance basis from 2015 until 2017. With experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing, he holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and an MFA. in Creative Writing from New York University. He can be reached at ethan@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7871.

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