5,680 autoworkers remained on the job past a midnight strike deadline as talks between Unifor, the union representing autoworkers, and Ford were extended another 24 hours.
- "The union received a substantive offer from the employer minutes before the deadline and bargaining is continuing throughout the night," Unifor said in a statement.
Why it matters: The extension leaves the door open to avoid a strike at a time when the Big Three automakers are already contending with labour disruptions in the US.
Zoom out: The dispute comes amid an industry-wide shift towards electric vehicles, which could undermine autoworkers' pay and job security.
- EVs have fewer parts than gas vehicles and are generally easier to build, requiring fewer hours and fewer workers in the process.
Zoom out: Neither Unifor nor Ford are spilling the details on their offers, but in the US, the United Auto Workers are using soaring profits and executive pay to justify demands of 40 percent raises over four years, improved pensions, shorter weeks and an end to the two-tier wage scales.—SB
