Lear Ajax workers to vote on tentative deal amid plant’s uncertain future
By CP STAFF
Industry Automotive Manufacturing automotive Lear manufacturing seating UnijforSeat maker said it would close the plant because of the rejection of a tentative deal April 30.
Lear Ajax makes automotive seating.
Photo: Lear
TORONTO — Unifor says it has reached a tentative agreement for workers at the Lear Corp. automotive seat manufacturer in Ajax, Ont., but the future of the facility is uncertain after the company said this week it would close the facility.
No details about the tentative deal have been released. Local 222 said a ratification vote will be held late in the afternoon May 4.
The agreement comes after the workers rejected a tentative deal on April 30 by a margin of 94%, prompting Lear to say the following day that it would close the Ajax plant because of the rejection.
“Due to the resounding rejection of the tentative agreement by the membership on May 1, 2018, and other recent developments from our customer regarding the future work, the company is announcing a closure of the Lear Ajax plant,” the company said in a memo to Unifor plant chairman Jerry LeBlanc.
The letter, posted online by Unifor, said the plant would be closed “as soon as practical” but not before the “conclusion of the current programs.”
Lear Corp., which has its headquarters in Southfield, Mich., has 257 locations in 39 countries and employs about 165,000 people.
