Unifor approves GM deal — next-gen GMC Sierra HD to be built in Canada

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Unifor members have approved a new contract with GM.

The next-generation GMC Sierra HD will be built in Canada.

Workers will also build a new transmission starting in 2029.

Unifor members have voted in favor of a new contract with General Motors. The move comes roughly one week after a tentative agreement was struck and the Canadian union considers it a big win “under challenging circumstances.”

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Like the earlier agreement with Ford, blue collar employees will receive annual wage increases of 3% for the next three years. This will eventually increase the pay to $50.20 CAD ($36.22 USD) per hour for full-rate production members and $62.71 CAD ($45.25) per hour for skilled trade workers.

More: Ford’s New Canadian Agreement Calls For More V8s

On top of that, the Cost of Living Allowance has been renewed and many workers will receive a $10,000 CAD ($7,214 USD) productivity and quality bonus in October. Some employees will also get another $2,000 ($1,443 USD) bonus in December.

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Temporary part-time employees don’t fare as well, but their wage will increase from $31.16 CAD ($22.48 USD) to $36.14 CAD ($26.08 USD) over the life of the contract. They’ll also receive a $2,000 ($1,443 USD) bonus.

Rounding out the benefit changes is a $200 CAD ($144 USD) per year increase in Retirees Universal Healthcare Allowance payments. Furthermore, the “Universal Healthcare Allowance is now available to surviving spouses, who will receive 66 2/3% of the quarterly payment (consistent with survivor benefits).”

New Products And Investments

On the production side, GM has committed to investing $144 million CAD ($104 million USD) into Oshawa Assembly to build the next-generation GMC Sierra HD . It will be made alongside the Chevrolet Silverado HD.

St. Catharines Propulsion will get $215 million CAD ($155 million USD) to produce a next-generation transmission. Little is known about the gearbox, but it will be exclusive to the plant and “work is anticipated to begin in late 2029.” Approximately 250 new jobs are expected to be created thanks to the investment.

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The Woodstock Parts Distribution Center is “expected to be maintained over the life of the collective agreement,” but the future of CAMI Assembly remains unclear. The facility used to build BrightDrop vans, but workers were laid off when production ended in 2025 .

Unifor said the automaker has “provided written commitment of its intent to not close or sell the plant,” and is studying opportunities for the facility. As part of this effort, CAMI has been designated as the “plant of first consideration for the allocation of Canadian Armed Forces defense work if that work is awarded to General Motors.”

While that’s just a brief overview of the major components, Unifor said 80.5% of members voted in favor of the new contract. Unifor National President Lana Payne went on to say, “These agreements commit more than one billion dollars in vital investments to Canadian GM facilities, with a new single source next-generation transmission at the St. Catharines Propulsion Plant and the return of next-generation Heavy-Duty GMC Sierra production to Oshawa.” She added this comes at a “crucial time” as the “domestic auto industry is under siege by the Trump Administration .”

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