The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday, July 22, edition that General Motors is the next U.S. automaker chosen for contract talks with Unifor, the union said Tuesday, after it recently reached a deal with Ford. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports that the union said negotiations with GM will begin in Toronto on Aug. 10. Unifor represents more than 4,600 members at Ontario GM facilities. Unifor's talks with GM follow successful negotiations with Ford. Pattern bargaining involves negotiating with one company to establish terms for others in the same sector. Ford workers approved a new three-year contract with 3 per cent annual pay increases, with 74 per cent voting for the deal overall and 97-per-cent and 100-per-cent support from members at two locals. Unifor national president Lana Payne said Monday that the agreement with Ford marked a precedent with key gains around wage increases and job security. "I have confidence in what we've negotiated here because history shows us if we do hit a rough patch, that there's a way to work our way through that," Ms. Payne said. But she acknowledged differences between Ford and the other two auto companies could make the talks ahead more complicated.