Stellantis under pressure again: UAW workers in Trenton threaten strike. Workers at the Stellantis plant located in Trenton, who are represented by the UAW, are gradually coming under increasing pressure from the automotive group to fulfill contract agreements. More than a year ago, workers had already filed a grievance, but now they are instead ready to vote to authorize a further strike, which obviously means growing general dissatisfaction Stellantis workers of increasing dissatisfaction.
Workers’ demands and responses d Stellantis
Workers at the Trenton plant are asking for nothing more than for Stellantis to honor the agreements made in the collective agreement that was signed last year. In more specific, they refer to the investments that affect the plant, as well as the guarantee of stable and long-term production. Two factors that, at present, are increasingly coming up short for the workers. In fact, the employees fear that the company is trying to diminish the important role that the plant has played until now. Demonstrating this fact are the delay in reopening the Belvidere plant in Illinois. Also, other numerous decisions made by the company, which have led to numerous layoffs and production cuts at other sites.
Stellantis promptly firmly rejected all the accusations levelled against it by UAW. In fact, the company claims that its decisions were dictated solely by the difficult situation of managing the current market. Until last year, the company was continuing its work very successfully, recording record receipts. Now, however, the situation seems to have turned upside down, due to excess inventory, declining sales, and union tensions, as in this case. Stellantis, moreover, has also taken legal action against the union, calling the complaints that have been filed by employees “false.”
The involvement of politicians and UAW’s position
Politicians on both sides have expressed much concern about the situation and have tried to convince Stellantis to abide by the agreements. The White House and several members of Congress rallied to send letters to the company, highlighting the great importance of being able to keep all agreements as far as the U.S. is concerned, to protect workers. All of this happened during the day yesterday, Wednesday, October 23.
Now, we know that the president of UAW i.e. Shan Fain accuses Stellantiss of mismanaging the company, without bothering to respect the workers. The union is currently promoting a campaign to demand the immediate resignation of CEO Carlos Tavares, encouraging the same workers to take action with a strike should it be necessary.
For this very reason, Trenton workers will soon vote for strike authorization. In this situation, should employees vote in the affirmative for the UAW-sponsored campaign, it does not necessarily mean that there will be a strike. This event, however, if it were to occur, would certainly increase the pressure on Stellantis to negotiate a new agreement. So the situation remains quite tense, and the next few weeks will be of crucial importance in figuring out what the future of relations between the company/ group and the union might be.