The following statement is attributable to Steve Majer, vice president, Human Resources, Ford of Canada.

TORONTO, ON, August 11, 2016 – Today we start the formal negotiations process with Unifor. We have a long history of working collaboratively with our union partners and we look forward to negotiating a globally competitive agreement that will help lead Ford of Canada, our employees and our communities into the future. Both parties bring an incredible amount of knowledge, creativity and respect to the table, and are ready to overcome the challenges that face us. 

We approach the process with a shared goal – to pursue long-term viability for Canadian auto manufacturing. The global landscape has significantly changed in four years, and through our discussions we’ll need to find innovative ways to be competitive and support our employees’ quality of life. This will take new thinking, new approaches and new solutions, and we’ve proven in the past that together we can do it.