.jpg?20241204')
DETROIT - The United Auto Workers union plans to hold strike authorization votes at one or more of its Stellantis local chapters in the coming days, union president Shawn Fain said on Tuesday, which could lead to significant disruptions for the Jeep maker.
Fain has in recent months called out Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares for failing to keep the product and investment commitments the automaker agreed to after the union conducted a six-week strike last autumn.
Stellantis said its focus remained on offering consumers a selection of affordable conventional and electric vehicles and ensuring the sustainability of the company and its workforce.
"The commitments we made during 2023 negotiations span the life of the 4-year, 7-1/2 month agreement, so it is not surprising that they haven't been fully realized in the first year," the company said in a statement.
Local Stellantis chapters have filed grievances related to the company's alleged plan to move production of the Dodge Durango out of the United States, union leaders said this week. Stellantis said they have not confirmed any plans to move production of the vehicle.
The union has also spotlighted the company’s delays of a planned multi-billion dollar investment into a new battery plant and factory in Belvidere, Illinois.
"We are 100% within our rights and within our power to take strike action if necessary," Fain said in a video address on Tuesday evening.
Automotive union strikes typically take place during national contract negotiations every four years. Large walkouts outside of that window are rare. "The stakes are very high. For the union, it is a critical moment to ensure the gains it felt it has won are respected," said Harley Shaiken, a labour professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
Fain said 28 Stellantis locals filed grievances, covering tens of thousands of UAW members. A UAW official said roughly 98% of Stellantis' membership is covered through those grievances, making the potential strike as powerful as a nationwide walkout.
&uuid=(email))