Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has reached a tentative agreement with Unifor that includes increasing wages and benefits for the union’s members in line with an economic pattern established with General Motors in September.
The deal, according to Unifor, mirrors the one reached with General Motors, which includes closing its hybrid pension arrangement to new employees and moving them into a defined contribution pension plan. It also includes to the group life insurance benefit, enrolment period for optional life insurance, dental benefits and physiotherapy coverage, and general wage increases totaling four per cent over the life of the contract and a lump sum totaling $12,000 over four years.
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That agreement was ratified by General Motors’ employees. Unifor members at Fiat Chrysler will have the opportunity to vote on the tentative agreement on Oct. 16. If the new four-year agreement is approved, Unifor will immediately resume negotiations with Ford, the third company among the Detroit Three automakers.
“It took many days and challenging conversations to get here, but we have a tentative agreement which includes investment commitments and matches the economic pattern established in the GM agreement,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor national president, in a release.
“Entering into the 2016 negotiations the entire leadership at our auto locals unanimously endorsed investment commitments as our top priority. This objective was achieved with GM, and I am proud to report we were successful with FCA as well.”
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