Canadian labor union, Unifor announced Monday morning that they have initiated strikes across all Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) facilities in the country. Over 8,200 union members have participated in the walkout, following a failure to secure a preliminary resolution during labor contract negotiations.
Unifor's key demands include enhanced wages and pension benefits. Additionally, the bargaining team has emphasized the need for comprehensive provisions supporting the workforce during the transition to electric vehicles at Stellantis' Brampton Assembly Plant.
"We have made progress and we will continue to negotiate through the night," Unifor said in a statement.
Over the weekend, the UAW and Stellantis successfully arrived at a tentative agreement regarding a new labor contract. However, Unifor's negotiations in Canada are separate from the United Auto Workers (UAW) union's discussions in the United States.
Utilizing the "pattern bargaining" strategy, Unifor has been engaging in talks with automakers in Canada. Notably, the union secured and subsequently approved agreements with Ford (NYSE:F) and General Motors (NYSE:GM).
The negotiation process with GM notably followed a strike initiated by 4,300 employees across three GM facilities in Canada. The deal with Ford was achieved prior to a potential strike.
Unifor's focus extends to addressing Stellantis-specific concerns, including commuted value pension options and safeguards against outsourcing at the parts distribution centers.
Shares of STLA are up 1.44% in pre-market trading on Monday.