Ford Auto Insurance

The Canadian Auto Workers union says it expects to reach a tentative three-year contract at Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. today, more than four months before expiry of their existing deal and a potential strike deadline.

CAW president Buzz Hargrove said last night that local committees have reported good progress toward resolving plant issues during the last two days and a deal is within sight.

The union, which represents about 9,000 workers at Ford, has already scheduled meetings with local leaders tomorrow and ratification votes this weekend.

"I'm anticipating a tentative deal before the end of Thursday," Hargrove said in a brief interview at the Sheraton Centre. "Our committees are under tremendous pressure to get it done, but we're absolutely determined."

Hargrove added negotiators for both sides would be working through the night to overcome some particularly tough issues at the company's Oakville complex. He did not elaborate in Ford Mustang Insurance.

Ford spokesperson Lauren More said the two sides still need to resolve some local issues before completing a deal. "Discussions on local issues are continuing," she said.

Negotiators for the union and Ford have already bargained a key monetary package for the contract.

A deal would mark the first time in the union's 23-year history that it had negotiated a major auto contract far in advance of mid-September expiry dates every three years and ford mustang.

It reflects the union's drive to seal major contracts early because of deteriorating economic conditions and uncertainty in the industry.

If workers ratify the contract, the union will seek the same deal at General Motors of Canada Ltd. and Chrysler Canada under traditional pattern bargaining at the Big Three.

Ford and the union negotiated a monetary package that features a complete wage freeze for current workers and a suspension of a cost of living allowance until the end of next year. Workers would also lose one week of vacation pay annually.

However, workers would receive a "productivity and quality" bonus of $2,200 upon ratification and $3,500 next year in compensation for the loss of the vacation pay.