Canadian auto workers, GM reach tentative contract agreement less than 24 hours after strike began

TORONTO (AP) — General Motors and the union representing Canadian auto workers have reached a tentative contract agreement that could end a strike that began less than 24 hours ago. Lana Payne, president of the Unifor union, said Tuesday that when faced with the strike, GM had no choice but to follow a pattern agreement reached with Ford. The new agreement covers about 4,300 autoworkers at GM’s assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario, a powertrain plant in St. Catharines, Ontario, and a parts distribution center in Woodstock, Ontario. Payne said GM agreed to all items that it fought the union on such as pensions, retiree income and converting temporary workers into permanent employees during the agreement.