TORONTO - The Canadian Auto Workers said Thursday the union will resume formal contract talks with Ford Motor Company on Oct. 26.
The union said it will bring in its entire CAW-Ford master bargaining committee for the talks.
Ford asked the CAW to renegotiate its current labour contract, which doesn't expire until 2011, after the union gave substantial concessions to General Motors and Chrysler as a condition for a bailout by the federal and Ontario governments.
Talks have been ongoing since early September on economic issues.
"We're hopeful that we will be able to reach a new agreement with Ford that will suit our members' need for better job security," CAW president Ken Lewenza said in statement.
Currently, Ford manufactures approximately 13 per cent of its overall North American production in Canada. The union is asking the company to maintain that percentage if it wants concessions from workers.
Chrysler has committed to maintaining 20 per cent of its assembly operations in Canada, while GM has promised to keep 18 per cent of its operations here.
Ford employs about 7,000 hourly workers in Canada.
