The president of the United Auto Workers, Shawn Fain, stated in a letter that Stellantis had previously confirmed to the union its plans to move production of the Dodge Durango from Detroit to Canada, despite the automaker recently stating that it “had not confirmed any such thing”.
Stellantis allegedly confirmed to the union its intention to move Durango production
In a letter addressed to Tobin J. Williams, Stellantis’ head of human resources for North America, Shawn Fain expressed concern about a potential company decision to transfer production of the Durango SUV to the Windsor assembly plant. During an August 21 meeting, Stellantis allegedly confirmed to the United Auto Workers (UAW) union its intention to move Durango production. In a subsequent meeting between UAW and Stellantis, the company did not deny this possibility, fueling union discontent.
The UAW is particularly upset because, according to the 2023 contract with Stellantis, current production of the Durango SUV should remain at the Jefferson North plant in Detroit until 2025. Future versions, both gasoline and electric, should be assembled at the same facility by 2026. Currently, the Durango is built alongside the Jeep Grand Cherokee at the Detroit plant.
The company stated that no announcements have been made about the future of the vehicle, and on Tuesday evening, said that the claim that it had confirmed plans to the union was “simply false”. A spokesperson refused to publicly respond to Fain‘s letter or to the specific claim that the company had previously confirmed the Durango’s transfer.
Fain spoke about his concerns regarding the vehicle’s future during a Facebook live stream on Tuesday evening. He criticized Stellantis and CEO Carlos Tavares not only for the Durango issue but also for the company’s delays in reopening the Belvidere assembly plant in Illinois. The commitment to reopen was a major win for the union in last year’s contract. “It’s clear this company won’t stop at Belvidere,” Fain said. “They won’t stop at Durango. They are determined to defeat the UAW and devastate the American working class. We won’t let them.”