The Canadian Press
TORONTO–Workers at General Motors’ CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ont. were to vote today on whether to accept a tentative agreement and end a four-week-long strike.
The contract proposal was hammered out last week and Unifor, which represents the 2,800 workers affected, is recommending the deal be accepted.
Few details are being released but Unifor officials say it addresses the key concern of job security.
The automaker threatened last week to shift more production to Mexico if a settlement wasn’t reached swiftly and the two sides agreed to a deal on Friday.
If the deal is accepted, union officials expect the striking workers to start returning to the job tonight.
Mike Van Boekel, an official with Unifor Local 88 representing the workers, said there was no question the GM threat to increase production to Mexico hung over the talks.
“It did play a role, for sure,” Van Boekel said in an interview Friday night.
Job security was a major issue in the talks, as Unifor wanted assurances the Ingersoll plant would be the lead plant for the hot-selling Equinox.
“From the way our talks went, I believe our Equinox will be the lead plant and will remain the lead plant for many years to come,” Van Boekel noted.
