Canadian autoworkers set Oct. 29 strike deadline at Stellantis with bargaining to start Wednesday

TORONTO — The union representing Canadian autoworkers said Tuesday it has set an Oct. 29 deadline to strike at Jeep maker Stellantis.

Unifor said in a statement that it will officially begin bargaining with the company on Wednesday as it seeks to get a contract agreement that matches those negotiated with rivals General Motors and Ford.

Of the three Detroit automakers, Stellantis has the largest manufacturing footprint in Canada with more than 8,200 workers at factories in Windsor, Brampton and Etobicoke, Ontario, as well as two parts distribution centers.

On Sunday 4,300 Unifor members at General Motors in Canada overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract with the company after a short strike.

The vote followed the pattern of an agreement reached earlier with Ford.

In the United States, strikes continue by the United Auto Workers union with nearly 34,000 workers off their jobs at all three Detroit companies.

Unifor is Canada’s largest private sector union, representing 315,000 workers.