United Auto Workers Union Strikes at Stellantis Ram Truck Facility

New York
CNN

The United Auto Workers union sent a surprise and targeted strike at Stellantis’ Ram truck facility, resulting in 6,800 employees being sent to the picket line. This move came after negotiations on pay, converting temporary workers to full time, and cost-of-living adjustments.

The Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, Stellantis’ largest and most profitable plant, was targeted by the UAW. Located in Sterling Heights, Michigan, the plant produces the Ram 1500 pickup, which is the company’s best-selling vehicle in the US.

According to the union, Stellantis has the worst proposal on the table compared to other automakers like Ford and General Motors. Despite having higher revenue, profit margins, and cash reserves, the company has not met the demands of its UAW workforce.

The striking union workers criticized Stellantis for lagging behind its competitors in addressing their demands, considering the company’s financial strength.

Stellantis’ Ram pickup trucks are popular in the US market, with 332,000 units sold in the first nine months of this year. Apart from the Sterling Heights plant, the Ram 1500 is also produced at a nonunion plant in Mexico and another UAW-represented plant in Warren, Michigan.

This strike marks the second targeted strike by the UAW in two weeks, following the strike at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant on October 11.

Stellantis was formed in 2021 through the merger of Fiat Chrysler and European automaker PSA Group.

Stellantis stated that negotiations with the UAW have been productive, with progress being made on narrowing the gaps in significant issues.

CNN has reached out to Stellantis for further comment on this expanded strike.

Expanding Strike: More Than 40,000 UAW Members on Strike

The UAW strike has entered its sixth week, with over 40,000 members on strike. This includes 14,600 at Stellantis, 16,600 at Ford, and 9,200 at GM. The union’s strategy has been to increase pressure on the companies by adding new strike targets in subsequent weeks.

While the automakers have offered record contracts to the UAW, the union remains on strike, believing that even greater gains could be achieved given the strong profits reported by the companies. These gains could help make up for concessions made by the unions in the past when the automakers were struggling.

The strike has affected multiple assembly plants and parts distribution networks at Stellantis, GM, and Ford. However, not all 145,000 union members are on strike.

The strike has resulted in thousands of workers being laid off by the automakers. According to Anderson Economic Group, the strike has already had an economic impact of $9.3 billion. The automakers have suffered losses of $4.2 million, their suppliers have lost $2.8 billion, and UAW members on strike or laid off have lost nearly $500 million in wages.

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