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The United Auto Workers (UAW) union is preparing members to hold a strike authorization vote against Stellantis, the maker of Jeep and Dodge vehicles, amid a heated dispute centered on job security and production commitments made during 2023 negotiations.
UAW’s President Shawn Fain openly criticized Stellantis, claiming the company has not been honoring key promises made last year, particularly those affecting production facilities.
“In our 2023 contract, we won major gains, including a commitment to reopen an idled assembly plant in Belvidere, Illinois, and to build the Dodge Durango in Detroit. We also won the right to strike over those commitments, if we have to,” Fain said. “Now, Stellantis wants to go back on the deal. As a united UAW, we intend to enforce our contract, and to make Stellantis keep the promise.”
Bloomberg reports the union will hold strike authorization votes at several local chapters in the upcoming days.
The process now hinges on the approval of the union workers. Reuters reports that if the majority of local union members authorize the strike, then UAW will enter a series of seven meetings with Stellantis in an attempt to resolve the issues.
However, if the negotiations fail, then the strike will proceed. The potential for large-scale labor action reflects the ongoing tensions between employers and employees in the auto industry and several other sectors — where commitments to job security are being tested.
Strikes outside of the four-year cycle of national contract negotiations are reportedly rare, but this move by the UAW is a response to what it sees as an urgent need to protect its members. Last year, the union led strikes also reaching tentative agreements with large manufacturers GM and Ford.
The outcome of this dispute could set a precedent for labor relations within the sector, particularly as the UAW continues to push back against what it sees as threats to the livelihoods of American workers.
It also shows how influential the UAW has become in the past year, and it could inspire unions in other sectors across the workforce to put pressure on employers.
