Ford faces potential Canadian autoworker strike

United Auto Workers strike is unprecedented: Al Root

Barrons senior writer Al Root joins Barrons Roundtable to discuss the impact of government incentives on electric vehicle sales growth and the UAW strike.

As the United Auto Workers continue striking against Detroit's Big Three automakers in the U.S., Ford could be hit simultaneously with a strike from union workers in Canada as early as Monday night.

Canada's largest private-sector union, Unifor, is engaged in contract negotiations with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, and its collective agreements with the automakers expire Sept. 18 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Although the union has agreed to contract extensions for GM and Stellantis, it has vowed to strike against Ford if a new deal is not reached by the deadline.

The corporate logo of Ford is seen at the Brussels Motor Show, in Belgium, Jan. 9, 2020. Ford could face strikes in two countries simultaneously if it does not reach a deal with Canadian union Unifor by midnight Monday. (Francois Lenoir / Reuters Photos)

Ticker	Security	Last	Change	Change %
F	FORD MOTOR CO.	12.14	-0.02	-0.17%

Ford Motor Co.

Unifor, which represents roughly 18,000 workers at Ford, GM and Stellantis plants in Canada, has selected Ford as its strike target and plans to use the eventual terms of that agreement as the standard for its demands of the other two companies, according to the Windsor Star.

UAW STRIKE AGAINST BIG THREE AUTOMAKERS ENTERS FOURTH DAY

Unifor President Lana Payne said in an update Sunday that the talks with Ford remain ongoing and some progress has been made, but that "at this stage in the negotiations, the union and the company remain far apart."

Both sides have so far been mum about the details of what Ford has offered and what the union is asking for.

UAW REJECTS STELLANTIS' 21% PAY HIKE OFFER: ‘WE’VE ASKED FOR 40%'

Payne said in a statement Monday afternoon that "As of now a tentative agreement has not been reached. While we remain at the table the likelihood of a strike increases with each passing hour. Unifor has advised more than 5,600 members at Ford facilities in Canada to prepare for all scenarios, including strike action."

A Ford Canada spokesperson told FOX Business in a statement: "We are hard at work at the bargaining table with Unifor to create a blueprint that leads our employees, our business, our customers, and our communities into the future. As Lana Payne said in her webcast last week to Unifor members, these discussions are best left at the bargaining table."

Sen. Bernie Sanders and UAW President Shawn Fain speak at a rally in support of United Auto Workers members as they strike the Big Three automakers on Sept. 15, 2023, in Detroit, Michigan. (Bill Pugliano / Getty Images)

Unifor's threat comes as the UAW's strike at all three Detroit automakers enters its fourth day in the U.S. Nearly 13,000 UAW members are currently on strike at three auto plants in Michigan, Ohio and Missouri that produce the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, Chevrolet Colorado and other models.

Ticker	Security	Last	Change	Change %
GM	GENERAL MOTORS CO.	45.36	+0.31	+0.69%
STLA	STELLANTIS NV	21.76	+0.33	+1.52%

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

The UAW is threatening to expand its strike to more plants if deals with automakers are not reached in the coming days or weeks, and has not ruled out across-the-board strikes at all manufacturing facilities.

FOX Business' Greg Norman contributed to this report.