Unifor members ratify GM agreement in Ingersoll, Sept 2024

On September 22, 2024, Unifor members at the CAMI Assembly and Battery Assembly plants in Ingersoll, Ontario, ratified a new collective agreement with General Motors. This agreement marks a significant achievement for the union, as it aligns CAMI members with the broader bargaining power of over 5,600 GM workers across the Detroit Three automakers. The contract compresses three years of wage gains into a two-year term, providing substantial pay increases for both production workers and skilled trades. The new contract includes a 15% wage increase for production workers and a 20.25% increase for skilled trades, with an immediate 10% raise followed by additional increases in 2025 and 2026. Other notable provisions include a reduction in the wage progression period from eight to four years, reactivation of the Cost of Living Allowance, and a $10,000 bonus for full-time employees. Unifor National President Lana Payne emphasized the importance of this agreement in eliminating the pay lag that CAMI workers faced compared to their counterparts at other GM facilities. The union's bargaining committee aimed to secure wage increases and improved benefits to support workers during the transition to electric vehicles. With 95.7% of Unifor Local 88 members voting in favor of the agreement, the new contract will remain in effect until September 20, 2026. This successful negotiation sets a precedent for future bargaining and positions CAMI workers favorably as the automotive industry evolves.