NextStar Energy workers ratify their 1st collective agreement

Workers at Canada's first large-scale electric vehicle (EV) battery cell manufacturing facility have voted in favour of their first collective agreement.

In a news release issued Sunday afternoon, Unifor said its members at NextStar Energy have voted 88 per cent in favour of ratifying their first collective agreement, "marking a historic milestone for workers" at the southwestern Ontario plant.

"Bargaining a first collective agreement is never easy, and this one took place in an exceptionally difficult economic and political climate," Unifor national president Lana Payne said in the news release.

"The work of our bargaining committee at NextStar Energy ensures that as the electric vehicle sector grows, good union jobs grow with it."

The one-year agreement includes a five per cent wage increase and gains on wages, wage progression, pensions, short- and long-term disability programs, and workplace health and safety.

According to NextStar Energy, the agreement currently covers approximately 450 production and maintenance employees at the Windsor facility, projected to be 750 workers by the end of the year.

"This agreement reflects our shared commitment to labour stability and operational flexibility, and will continue to offer terms that are both fair and competitive for employees. This marks a new chapter for NextStar, and we remain committed to supporting and empowering our growing workforce," Danies Lee, CEO of NextStar Energy, said in a statement.

It also certifies Unifor and Local 444 as the exclusive bargaining agent for the facility's employees.

"By ratifying this collective agreement, our members have secured a voice at work and a seat at the table as this industry takes shape in Canada. We're ready to build the future — together," Unifor Local 444 president James Stewart said in a news release.

Unifor said the agreement's one-year term positions workers at NextStar Energy to return to the bargaining table in 2026, aligning closely with the next round of Unifor negotiations with Detroit Three automakers.