Unifor members at Stellantis Canada are voting this weekend, October 17 and 18, on whether to give their union a strike mandate, with results due Monday, October 19. Talks have been stalled for more than a month over the future of the idled Brampton Assembly Plant, which Stellantis wants to sell to defence contractor Roshel.
A yes vote does not mean a strike. It gives the bargaining committee the authority to call one if needed. Unifor calls strike action a "last resort" and says it still wants a negotiated deal.
Quick facts
| Union | Unifor (Canada), more than 9,000 Stellantis members |
| Vote | October 17–18, 2026 |
| Results | Monday, October 19 |
| Old contract expired | September 20, 2026 |
| Main dispute | The future of Brampton Assembly |
| Biggest plant affected | Windsor Assembly, more than 6,400 workers (Local 444) |
Are Stellantis workers going on strike?
Not yet. This weekend's vote is a strike authorization. Members at Windsor cast ballots at Caesars Windsor on Saturday. More than 50 per cent of those voting must say yes.
Even with a mandate, timing is limited by Ontario law. The two sides have been in mandatory conciliation. A legal strike can start no earlier than 17 days after the labour minister issues a "no-board" notice ending it. As of the vote, no notice had been announced.
Why are talks stalled?
Bargaining opened September 1 and broke down on September 11, after 10 days. The previous agreement expired September 20.
The sticking point is Brampton Assembly. The plant has been idle since 2023, when more than 2,000 workers were laid off. Stellantis later moved Jeep Compass production that had been planned for Brampton to Illinois. About 2,200 laid-off Brampton members are still on Unifor's books.
Stellantis has now signed a memorandum of understanding with Roshel, a Canadian armoured vehicle maker, on a possible sale of the plant.
Unifor's position: the union says Stellantis has made core financial terms for workers at Windsor, Etobicoke, Mississauga and Red Deer conditional on Unifor agreeing to close Brampton and sell it to Roshel. It has urged the government to stop the sale. Local 444 president James Stewart said "anything they talk about comes with conditions," and that the union has to hold the company to its commitment to Brampton. He also said a deal is still "achievable."
Stellantis's position: the company says market and trade conditions have hurt the business case for Brampton, and that a sale to Roshel could bring manufacturing jobs back to the site. It says it is willing to negotiate an agreement that recognizes its employees and keeps its Canadian operations competitive.
What would a strike affect?
| Plant | What it does |
|---|---|
| Windsor Assembly (Windsor, Ont.) | Chrysler Pacifica, Chrysler Grand Caravan and Voyager, Dodge Charger (gas and electric) |
| Brampton Assembly (Brampton, Ont.) | Idle since 2023; proposed sale to Roshel |
| Etobicoke Casting (Toronto) | Casting plant; Unifor wants answers on its future production |
Windsor's line was already scheduled to pause for the weeks of October 19, October 26 and November 2, with Stellantis citing tariffs and volumes, according to local reports.
Is this the UAW?
No. This is Unifor, the Canadian union. Stellantis's U.S. plants are covered by a separate United Auto Workers contract, and are not part of this vote.
Unifor reached agreements with Ford and General Motors this round without strike votes. It wants Stellantis workers to get matching wages and benefits, without the Brampton conditions.
What to watch
Monday's result. A yes vote gives the bargaining committee leverage. It does not set a strike date.
A no-board notice. That would start the 17-day clock toward a legal strike.
Brampton and Roshel. Whether Ottawa steps in on the sale, and whether Stellantis drops the link between the plant and the wage deal.
Published Sunday, October 18, 2026, during the vote. Details are from Unifor, Stellantis and Unifor Local 444, as reported by The Canadian Press, BNN Bloomberg, CTV News and AM800. Results are expected Monday, October 19.
