Unifor's Stellantis workers vote on a strike mandate this weekend

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More than 9,000 Canadian Stellantis workers vote this weekend, with the idled Brampton plant at the center of the dispute.

Unifor members at Stellantis in Canada vote this weekend on whether to give their union a strike mandate, the Financial Post reports. CBT News puts the vote on Oct 17 and 18, and the Financial Post says the result will be announced Oct 19.

The talks broke down on Sept 11. Unifor, which represents more than 9,000 Stellantis workers, says it learned the automaker had signed a memorandum of understanding to sell its idled Brampton, Ontario, plant to armored-vehicle maker Roshel. The union opposes the sale. The plant was being retooled to build the Jeep Compass before Stellantis moved that production to the U.S. Unifor also says the company hasn't made future commitments for its Windsor assembly plant and Etobicoke casting plant. The contract expired Sept 20.

Stellantis says it's committed to bargaining in good faith but, citing U.S. tariffs on Canadian-built vehicles, doesn't see a long-term business case for building vehicles in Brampton.

A yes vote doesn't mean an automatic walkout. Unifor says a mandate lets its bargaining committee call a strike if needed. The union notes it reached deals with Ford and GM without strike votes.

Economist Jim Stanford of the Centre for Future Work told the Financial Post that the idled Brampton plant weakens Unifor's hand, but that the Etobicoke casting plant is a major pressure point. It makes specialized parts used across North America, and he said an extended stoppage there could shut assembly plants in the U.S. and Mexico.

For buyers, the risk is supply. Windsor builds the Chrysler Pacifica, and a long strike could ripple into Stellantis production elsewhere. Nothing is decided until the vote results are in.

Sources: Financial Post, CBT News