The union representing more than 500 workers at four auto parts plants has set a strike deadline in contract talks.
A strike could have an impact on production at the Windsor Assembly Plant just two weeks after it reopened. Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles shut it down February 16 for retooling and only reopened it May 20.
Unless Unifor Local 444 can reach a deal with TRW, workers at all four tier-one manufacturers will walk off the job at 11:59pm Friday. It also represents workers at HPBO, Oakley and Dakkota.
"I don't want to say it's like Big 3 bargaining, but in a roundabout way, we're going to use this as a pattern agreement," says Local President Dino Chiodo. "We're not going to have any of our suppliers be on an uneven playing field."
Chiodo says the union will likely extend the strike deadline so long as there's progress at the bargaining table.
The main issues in talks include wages, benefits, pensions and job security.
