Pressure has shifted to the Canadian Auto Workers union after Ford Motor Co. struck a concession-laden deal with the United Auto Workers.

Canada must remain competitive with its U. S. neighbour to maintain automotive investment and the union must look at bringing Ford’s labour costs here in line with its American workers — as well as GM and Chrysler — or risk losing jobs, Ken Lewenza, CAW national president, warned Wednesday.

“There is serious pressure. We should not underestimate that we always measure ourselves against the Americans. We always have, we always will,” Lewenza said.

“They are better positioned now than we are,” he said of the UAW deal. “If we do not get an agreement, it will be disastrous.”

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