The United Auto Workers (UAW) leaders are urging Stellantis members to be prepared to vote in favor of a strike against the automaker. UAW President Shawn Fain and Stellantis Department Director Kevin Gotinsky co-authored a letter on Friday encouraging workers to come together and authorize a strike in response to Stellantis’ alleged failure to fulfill product and investment commitments outlined in last year’s contract.
The union’s concerns center on Stellantis’ delayed reopening of the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois, a planned shift cut at the Warren Truck Plant, and uncertainty over Dodge Durango production, which may be moved from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario. This week, Stellantis also announced indefinite layoffs of union-represented workers and the termination of supplemental workers, citing market conditions and affordability.
The UAW’s letter highlights grievances over Stellantis’ “serious violations” of the contract and accuses CEO Carlos Tavares of steering the company on a “crash course” that threatens union members. The letter, shared on the UAW’s Facebook page, recommends that all Stellantis workers prepare for a strike authorization vote.
Although the timing of the strike vote remains unclear, Fain emphasized that grievances have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board, and strike votes will proceed as the process unfolds. Stellantis, however, maintains that the union cannot strike over investment issues and disputed the UAW’s characterization of its investments, noting previous contributions to Kokomo, Indiana.
The escalating tensions come as Stellantis grapples with declining U.S. sales, reduced profits, and criticism from U.S. dealers regarding the company’s direction under Tavares. While Stellantis announced it is searching for a successor to Tavares, the company framed this as standard planning, with Tavares’ contract set to expire in 2026.
