Stellantis workers in Canada vote 97.3% to authorize a strike; Pacifica plant already idle

Unifor represents about 9,000 Stellantis employees in Canada, according to Bloomberg News. They work at the Windsor and Brampton assembly plants in Ontario, the Etobicoke casting plant and parts distribution centers, MoparInsiders reported. Their contract expired in September.

"Our members are united in their determination to reach a fair agreement with Stellantis that protects jobs for Canadian autoworkers." — Unifor National President Lana Payne, Oct. 19, 2026

No strike yet, and no date for one

The union cannot walk out right away. Unifor said it is not in a legal strike position because neither side has asked for a "No Board" report, a step Canadian labor law requires before a strike or lockout. Until that happens, the mandate is leverage at the bargaining table.

Stellantis spokesperson LouAnn Gosselin said the company "remains committed to bargaining in good faith" and is prepared to keep talking toward an agreement that supports the long-term competitiveness of its Canadian operations, Bloomberg reported. Trevor Longley, president and CEO of Stellantis Canada, has said the company has invested more than $8 billion in its Canadian operations since 2022, CBC reported.

The sticking point is the Brampton Assembly Plant, which has built no vehicles since late 2023. In September, Stellantis told workers it sees no long-term business case for building vehicles there, and defense manufacturer Roshel has said it signed a memorandum outlining steps toward buying the plant. MoparInsiders notes the memorandum is not a completed sale. More than 2,200 Brampton workers have been on layoff since the plant was idled, and Jeep Compass production that had been planned there moved to Illinois, according to CBC.

"Strike action is always a last resort, but we will not back down and accept a deal that weakens Stellantis' footprint within Canada's auto industry due to broken commitments that further cause devastation for our members, families and communities that rely on good union auto jobs." — James Stewart, Unifor Stellantis master bargaining chairperson

Ottawa has weighed in. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said on Oct. 16, "we will bring back production to Brampton," Bloomberg reported. Canada has given Stellantis hundreds of millions of dollars in support in exchange for production commitments.

Why U.S. minivan shoppers should watch

Windsor Assembly is the plant that matters to American buyers. Stellantis says more than 1.15 million Chrysler Pacificas have been built exclusively at Windsor over the past decade, and the plant also builds the Dodge Charger. The company calls the Pacifica the best-selling and most awarded minivan in the U.S. and Canada.

Windsor is already quiet. Stellantis canceled production there for three weeks, through the week of Nov. 2, according to a local union notice cited by Bloomberg. That downtime was scheduled before the vote. It comes months after the company added a third shift at Windsor in 2026, hiring more than 1,700 people.

What it means at the dealership

Nothing changes on U.S. lots today. Dealers are selling Pacificas and Chargers already built, and a strike cannot start until the legal steps are complete. But Windsor is the only source of the Pacifica, so every week the plant sits idle, whether for slow sales or a labor dispute, is a week with no new minivans coming. Shoppers set on a specific Pacifica trim or color this fall should check what dealers have in stock rather than count on a factory order arriving quickly.

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