- Stellantis has reached a tentative agreement to sell the Brampton Assembly Plant.
- Roshel aims to turn the facility into a defense hub that could employ 2,000+ people.
- Unifor union is “strongly opposed” to the move and said it threatens member’s wages.
Contract talks between Stellantis and Unifor have reached an “impasse,” according to the union. While a tentative agreement was expected by September 11, no deal was struck and negotiations were paused so that the Master Bargaining Committee could consider next steps.
The breakdown in talks is being blamed on the future of the Brampton Assembly Plant, which was originally scheduled to build the redesigned Jeep Compass. However, Stellantis decided to move production stateside amid the trade war with Canada.
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While the automaker originally hinted at future production in Brampton, they changed their tune in August. According to the union, Stellantis informed them they were “seriously considering the closure and sale of the facility to a third-party.” The union was “strongly opposed” to this possibility, but the automaker went ahead and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Roshel.
Unifor says the move threatens the “wages, pensions and other benefits” of its members and is a “devastating blow to Canada’s industrial sector.” They added, “There is no economic substitute for automotive assembly in Canada, including the extensive supply chain, regional economic activity, and high-quality, union jobs connected to it.”
The union went on to say “there will be no tentative settlement without a suitable resolution for Local 1285 members at Brampton.” This sets up a potential strike as the current contract expires on September 20, 2026 at 11:59 pm.
For their part, Stellantis told CBC News that “Roshel represents a strong path to restoring sustainable operations at Brampton Assembly, preserving the site’s strategic role in Canada’s advanced manufacturing sector and helping to avoid a prolonged period of inactivity.” The publication also reported that Roshel aims to create over 2,000 jobs and laid-off Unifor members would get “first consideration” for positions at the proposed “Canadian Center of Excellence for Defense Manufacturing.”
Brampton isn’t the only issue as Unifor said the company hasn’t confirmed forecasted plans for either the Windsor Assembly Plant or the Etobicoke Casting Plant. The former builds the Chrysler Pacifica and Dodge Charger, while the latter makes aluminum die castings for an assortment of models.
