Unifor Bargaining Starts for GM CAMI Assembly Plant Workers

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Master bargaining between Unifor and General Motors opened today for Local 88 members employed at the CAMI Assembly plant and Battery Assembly facility in Ingersoll, Ontario. Negotiations at CAMI follow the union’s 2023 bargaining with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis on behalf of 20,000 Detroit Three members, where the pattern agreement was set.* As a result of the different bargaining cycle there is a significant, ongoing delay before CAMI workers receive the same pay as their counterparts at other GM locations.

“Our members at CAMI are on the frontline of the EV transition in Canada, and Unifor will fight to protect the good union jobs and secure future every autoworker was promised,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “These negotiations will focus squarely on securing workers the economic stability our members deserve and that includes aligning CAMI workers with the rest of our GM membership to eliminate the historical lag in wage increases and other negotiated benefits.”

Battery Assembly facility who manufacture Ultium battery modules. Unifor’s bargaining priorities will center on wages, pensions and job security improvements in negotiations with General Motors. Unifor Local 88 members at CAMI delivered an overwhelming strike mandate, with 97% voting to support strike action if an agreement is not reached before the deadline set for 10:59 p.m. on 17 September 2024.

During the previous round of bargaining in 2021, General Motors committed to invest more than $1 billion to begin large scale production of electric commercial delivery vans at the plant. CAMI autoworkers have been dramatically affected by an eight-month retooling period and lengthy production halts caused by battery shortages since March 2020. Currently CAMI is operating on one shift, with A and B shift workers rotating on layoff every two weeks. 

“Our focus remains on obtaining a contract that gives our members a good, predictable income, allows them to retire with dignity and offers opportunity to the next generation of autoworkers,” said Unifor CAMI Plant Chairperson Mike Van Boekel. “CAMI workers are incredibly resilient, dedicated, and hardworking and now we need to get our members back to what they do best: building cutting edge vehicles that will drive us into the future.”

*AutoInformed on

• GM BrightDrop Electric Commercial Vans To Join Chevrolet
• Canadian Unifor Members Approve GM Pattern Agreement
• An Awakened GM Agrees to Unifor Pattern Agreement
• Oh Canada! – GM Rejects Pattern Agreement – Unifor Strikes
• GM to Make CAMI a Commercial Electric Vehicle Plant