Johnson Controls workers ratify contract

New deal will keep facility from closing

Unifor members at auto parts maker Johnson Controls Inc. ratified a new contract.

The deal — which will keep the Whitby, Ont., facility from closing — also resulted in a $1,500 signing bonus for each employee.

“This deal shows what can happen when workers stand together and think creatively about keeping good jobs in their community,” said Unifor national president Jerry Dias.

In June, the union announced closure of the Whitby facility would lead to a strike during negotiations with Johnson Controls. Because the strike would have affected assembly operations at General Motors in Oshawa, GM JCI and Unifor began negotiations.

As a result, the Whitby plant will remain open and JCI will continue to supply components for current GM Oshawa vehicle programs.

In addition to providing a signing bonus to the approximately 300 workers represented by Unifor Local 222, the three-year deal also maintains current wages and reduced the number of job categories in the collective agreement.

“We went into these talks being told the plant would close. We came out with a good deal that preserves good jobs in Whitby,” said JCI unit chair Dean Baumhauer. “That’s thanks to our strong bargaining team and the support of our members.”

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