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Unifor’s Stellantis Council, representing more than 8,000 members working at Stellantis facilities across Canada, strongly condemn the company’s decision to relocate future J4U (Jeep Compass) vehicle production from Brampton, Ontario to the United States. 

Stellantis’ decision is an egregious violation of the company’s collective agreement commitments made to our union, our members and their families. 

A delegation of Unifor auto leadership, led by Unifor National President Lana Payne, met with Premier Doug Ford on October 14 to discuss escalating U.S. trade threats, punishing tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles, and the urgent need for a coordinated national strategy to defend Canadian auto jobs.

“America is bold enough that the U.S. Commerce Secretary has said out loud that the Trump administration’s goal is the elimination of assembly plants in Canada. We need an equally bold, coordinated Team Canada approach to fight back,” said Payne.

TORONTO- Unifor’s concerns on the security of Canadian auto jobs were driven home today as Stellantis announced plans to invest $13 billion to expand production in the United States market, including the shift of Jeep production slated for the Brampton Assembly Plant to an Illinois plant.

Hundreds of Unifor members and community supporters rallied in Brampton on October 4 to defend auto industry jobs and fight back against U.S. trade attacks.

BRAMPTON – Hundreds of Unifor members and community supporters rallied today, sending a powerful message to oppose U.S. trade attacks, protect auto industry jobs in Brampton, and demand stronger protections for Canadian workers.

“We’re in the biggest crisis our country has ever faced and the only way through it is working people coming together, working with every political leader we can to make sure we are protecting every single Canadian job,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.

TORONTO- Unifor is urging the federal government to maintain its 100% surtax on electric vehicles imported from China, warning that lifting the measure would deal a devastating blow to Canada’s auto industry at a time of unprecedented crisis.

TORONTO—Today, Unifor confirmed plans that Stellantis will return the Windsor Assembly Plant to a three shift operation in the first quarter of 2026 and that General Motors has delayed plans to cut the third shift at the Oshawa Assembly Plant until at least January 30, 2026, validating the union’s efforts to pressure government and corporate decision-makers to protect Canadian jobs in the country’s vitally important auto sector.

Lana Payne - Op-ed contributor
Originally published in the Detroit Free Press July 24, 2025

Canada and the U.S. have, for half a century, built cars and prosperity together. During that time, auto unions on both sides of the border have fought for better working conditions and fair-trade agreements that raise living standards for workers.

Delegates of the Unifor Auto Industry Council gathered in London, Ontario, on June 24 to focus on defending Canada’s auto industry from the ongoing threat of U.S. tariffs and demand immediate action from the federal government to protect Canadian autoworkers. 

With the fast-approaching self-imposed July 21 deadline to reach a trade agreement with the U.S., National President Lana Payne warned that accepting any form of tariff normalization would be disastrous for workers and investment.