The planned closure and transformation of the General Motors plant in Oshawa will be on the minds of those participating in new contract talks for the "big-three" Detroit automakers.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) has chosen GM as its first negotiation target. Current collective bargaining agreements expire one week from Saturday.
Traditionally, the first new contract for an automaker serves as a framework for the other two automakers, which in this case are Ford and Fiat-Chrysler.
Negotiators will likely be thinking about the future of five plants including the Oshawa Assembly operation. General Motors announced in November 2018 that it would close Oshawa and plants in Lordstown, Ohio; Detroit; Warren, Michigan and White Marsh, Maryland, as part of a global restructuring.
The use of temporary workers is also expected to be a sticking point in negotiations, according to Crain's Automotive News. About ten per cent of GM's hourly workforce in the U.S. is temporary. The UAW is hoping would like to see those workers moved into full-time positions.
UAW President Gary Jones said they are eager to sit down with GM and hammer out some solutions to challenging issues.
"Mary Barra said from the outset of these talks that we will stand up as we tackle a changing industry. We are ready to stand strong for our future,” said Jones in a statement posted on the official UAW website.
Meanwhile, strike authorization votes for all three automakers were released Monday morning. GM, at 96.4 per cent, received the highest in favour of a walkout should negotiations fall apart. Fiat-Chrysler approved strike action with 96 per cent, and Ford 95.98 per cent.
