Supplier strike settled, production to resume at Fiat Chrysler's Windsor Assembly Plant

A contract settlement has been reached with striking workers at an auto supplier in Canada that had halted production at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Windsor Assembly Plant, which builds the Chrysler Pacifica and Dodge Caravan minivans.

Unifor Local 444 President James Stewart, who represents the 6,000 employees at the plant, told Automotive News Canada that those workers were to report for their regularly scheduled assignments, beginning on the midnight shift Sunday .

Production at the plant has been canceled for Saturday, according to a plant Facebook post, "due to supplier issues."

The cancellation followed the start of a strike by workers at ZF-TRW, who rejected a contract during a ratification vote Thursday. The ZF-TRW workers opted to go on strike even as workers at three other suppliers approved their contracts as part of pattern bargaining by Unifor Local 444.

Workers at ZF-TRW ratified the contract on a second vote after a number of changes in workplace rules, not salary, turned the tide, Automotive News Canada reported.

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The Windsor Star notes that 296 workers at two plants in Windsor make transmission systems and other parts.

Workers at the other suppliers — Dakkota Integrated Systems, Avancez Assembly Canada and HBPO Canada Inc. — ratified their contracts, according to the union.

A long supplier strike would have affected production of the Pacifica, Pacifica Hybrid and Dodge Grand Caravan, which are made at Windsor Assembly.

Those vehicles that have seen increased U.S. sales. FCA sold 11,482 Pacificas in February, a 27% increase over the 9,042 sold in February 2017, according to information from Motor Intelligence Corp. Dodge Caravan sales were up 20% in February to 16,443 from 13,682 a year ago. The company also sold 230 Pacifica Hybrids in the U.S. last month.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence.