Unifor members vote 78 per cent in favour of FCA deal

Unifor members working at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)have voted 78 per cent in favour of a new deal with the manufacturer.

The deal, announced last Thursday, will see FCAinvest upto $1.5billion in the Windsor Assembly Plant. FCA will commit to a new platform that would see hybrid and battery electric vehicles producedat the plant by 2025.

"I'm ecstatic. The last couple of weeks have been pretty tough.It wasn't easy bargaining, no bargaining ever is," said Dave Cassidy, president of UniforLocal 444. "The company accepted the pattern, they put investment in Windsor, and it's just an awesome feeling I can't thank the members enough for ratifying this deal."

The three-year deal will not come into effect for another four years.

The agreementis expected to create up to 2,000 jobsand bring back the third shift at the Windsor Assembly Plant, which was lost earlier this year, by 2024.

While the deal has Cassidy feeling optimistic for the future, he says in the meantimethere are still wounds to heal.

"We still have 450 people on lay off," he said. "People know we're not just going to flip a switch and all of a sudden they're back to work, it's going to take some time and some work."

Unifor members working at FCA inWindsor, Brampton,Etobicoke, Mississauga, Montreal and Red Deer voted on the deal, with stronger support among Windsor members than employees from other locations.

Cassidy said local members in production voted 86 per cent in favour of the deal, while those in skilled trades voted 89 per cent in favour.

"This agreement bolsters our global competitiveness and positions us for future growth with new product investment and new jobs, while also demonstrating our commitment to our employees, their families and the communities we represent,"said Mark Stewart, Chief Operating Officer ofFCA North America, in a press release.

"Workers who have feared plant closures and job losses in recent years can now look forward to a bright future with good jobs for years to come," said UniforNational president JerryDiasin a press release.