Unifor has paused contract talks with Stellantis as the agreement deadline approaches.
The union, which represents employees at the Windsor Assembly Plant, announced Friday afternoon that talks in Toronto are on hold.
Friday was the targeted deadline set for a tentative agreement.
Unifor said that the impasse concerns the future of the Brampton Assembly Plant, and the union has accused the automaker of reneging on a promise to reinvest there.
"In August of 2026, Stellantis notified Unifor that it was seriously considering the closure and sale of the facility to a third party, a position that Unifor strongly opposed," read a statement from Unifor. "That position was restated while in bargaining. The company confirmed it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with defense industry supplier Roshel, who has expressed interest in purchasing the plant. The persistence of the company’s proposal to close and sell the Brampton plant has hindered the bargaining process."
Unifor added that Stellantis has not confirmed plans for Windsor Assembly and the Etobicoke Casting Plant.
"Stellantis has offered only conditional agreement with the economic pattern settlement tied to the closing of Brampton, creating added complications for reaching a deal," read the statement.
The union has been adamant that any tentative agreement must include a resolution for members of Local 1285, which represents the Brampton employees.
Stellantis Canada confirmed in a statement to WindsorNewsToday.ca that an MOU has been reached with Roshel.
"Following consideration of a number of potential opportunities, Stellantis believes 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," read the statement from Stellantis Canada. "For more than 100 years, Stellantis has invested in and grown with Canada, and we remain committed to supporting Canadian jobs, innovation, and the long-term competitiveness of the country's automotive sector. Out of respect for the collective bargaining process with Unifor, we will not comment further at this time."
The current contract between Unifor and Stellantis Canada expires at midnight on Sunday, September 20.
