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CNN
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United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain said Tuesday that the group plans to hold strike authorization votes against Stellantis because the automaker is not living up to guarantees it made in a labor agreement reached last year.
In a speech to his members Tuesday night, Fain said the UAW was prepared to hold strike authorization votes in one or more locals that represent Stellantis workers and to ask those workers to strike if the company does not meet the union’s demands.
In his livestreamed speech, Fain said the union “will hold strike authorization votes at one or more Stellantis locals. And we will stand united to enforce our contract and save American jobs.”
Strike votes are common when a contract expires and negotiations on a new contract begin. In the past, the union has agreed not to strike during the life of a contract.
But the union won the right under 2023 deals with Stellantis, General Motors and Ford to strike during the term of the contract if there are plant closures or other violations of job protections. The strike, if it happens, would be unprecedented.
“We are fully within our rights and our power to strike if necessary,” Fain said. “We are prepared to strike to ensure that Stellantis keeps its promise.”
Stellantis, which makes vehicles in North America under the Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Chrysler brands, had 43,000 UAW members nationwide at 19 plants at the time of last year’s strike. It’s possible that only a few plants will go on strike, given that only some locals will hold strike authorization votes. But even a limited strike could affect operations at other Stellantis plants.
Stellantis issued a statement Tuesday denying that it had confirmed its decision to move Dodge Durango production to Canada or that it had said it was in breach of contract. The automaker said it still had enough time, in the four-and-a-half years of the contract, to meet agreed-upon investment targets and vehicle production commitments.
“It is not surprising that these commitments have not been fully met in the first year,” the company said in response to CNN. “Shawn Fain continues to claim that the Company breached the contract, but has so far provided no data or information to support his claims. Instead, he continues to willfully damage the Company’s reputation with his public attacks that serve no one, including its members.”
The company said the issues were expected to be resolved through discussions between the two sides.
“A strike benefits no one: our customers, our dealers, the community and, most importantly, our employees,” he said.
Fain had previously criticized a statement Stellantis made Monday after the union alleged unfair labor practices by the automaker, saying the company was carefully managing how and when it brings new vehicles to market.
“We are not the problem. The market is not the problem. Carlos Tavares (Stellantis CEO) is the problem,” he said.
This story has been updated with additional information.
