Tension is rising between Stellantis and the United Auto Workers, with the union continuing to pressure the automotive group and threatening strikes, which could begin in the coming weeks. UAW, after organizing rallies in Sterling Heights and Warren in Michigan, has organized a rally to be held today in Washington D.C. The event will take place near the Washington Hilton at 1:00 PM EDT.
UAW puts pressure on Stellantis: new rallies while awaiting a possible strike in the coming weeks
The UAW union and its members are calling on Stellantis to maintain its commitment to invest in American jobs, particularly in reopening the Belvidere plant, which has been delayed due to the situation in North America regarding sales of the automotive group’s brands.
Shawn Fain, UAW president, commented on Stellantis’ failure to keep its promises: “The commitments we won in our contract aren’t goals, they’re guarantees. The company claims they don’t have the money to make these investments. But since the year began, they’ve dumped more than $3 billion into stock buybacks. They have the money to keep the promise”.
Tensions have also increased following Stellantis’ lawsuits against the UAW. Initially, the automotive group filed a lawsuit against UAW Local 230, which represents workers at the Los Angeles Parts Distribution Center, on October 3rd. The following day, Stellantis filed eight more lawsuits against the UAW and 23 local unions, claiming that the union’s grievances violate the contract. At the same time, the UAW maintains that the grievances are legitimate.
Workers are also calling for the reinstatement of the Jobs Bank, a program that allows workers to continue receiving their salary even when work is not available. However, this program contributed to Chrysler’s bankruptcy in 2009. Meanwhile, strike authorization votes are being held across the country, and the UAW is preparing for more aggressive moves to pressure Stellantis if it does not meet the workers’ demands.