Stellantis Needs Saving From Itself

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Stellantis Needs Saving From Itself​

Story by Owen Bellwood

1st Gear: UAW Wants To Save Stellantis From Itself​

Stellantis is in trouble right now, the automaker has seen its sales fall, is facing calls to sell off its historic brands and has launched a search for a new CEO to try and turn things around. Now, the United Auto Workers union has made its thoughts on conditions at the American company clear, saying that the Jeep owner urgently needs to be saved from itself.

The United Auto Workers union has waded into the discussion about the future of Stellantis after the company threatened to backtrack on investments promised for its American facilities, reports the Detroit Free Press. The union accused Stellantis of “attacking our membership” over claims that it was planning to move manufacturing jobs elsewhere, temporarily lay off staff and cut jobs, as the site explains:

The job cuts represent just one of the issues at the automaker that owns the Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat brands. The company has struggled to manage inventory, has seen its sales drop in the United States, and is fighting with the UAW, suppliers, dealers and even shareholders. CEO Carlos Tavares has also announced plans to retire in 2026.
UAW President Shawn Fain, a consistent critic of Tavares, told the crowd, “It’s up to the membership to save the company from itself.”
He accused Stellantis of trying to intimidate union members as they weigh potential strike authorization votes as part of a threatened national strike with robocalls and emails. He called out Tavares for the company’s stated plans to shift work to low-cost countries and said the company’s cost-cutting is a “pathway to a dead end.”

The displeasure between the UAW and Stellantis stems from the Jeep owner’s commitment to invest in manufacturing here in America. The union has accused the automaker of “failing to live up to its investment commitments” as it has not reopened the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois. Workers are also concerned about production of the Dodge Durango, as union members have been led to believe that Stellantis will move production out of Windsor, Ontario.

Usually, the union could turn to industrial action to try and force Stellantis’ hand and turn fortunes around. This might not work right now as Fain added that strike action at Stellantis would “cripple this company.”

That isn’t stopping the union from gaining support for strike action at plants operated by Stellanits. In fact, local groups at Trenton, Warren and Sterling Heights have all passed strike authorization votes in recent weeks.

More News Here:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/stellantis-needs-saving-from-itself/ar-AA1ttUcq