Photo: uwa.org
Problems keep pouring in for Stellantis. Workers at a group's factory in Indiana went on strike over health and safety issues. According to the United Auto Workers, the company's alleged refusal to repair and replace the plant's air conditioning and heating systems sparked the protest.
The Kokomo casting plant's 35-acre facilities manufacture powertrains for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and RAM vehicles. Should the cease-work endure for a prolonged period, production units across North America will soon feel the effects.
The company's officials have canceled production this weekend, hoping to reach an agreement in the negotiations. Furthermore, Stellantis claims to be committed "to providing a safe and healthy work environment for all employees. After bargaining in good faith for two days and presenting an offer we believed addressed the union's concerns, we are disappointed by the UAW's decision to walk out", declared spokesman Jodi Tinson.
The statement did not impress the workers' representatives, who posted their complaints on the union's web page. According to this document, apart from the HVAC concerns, there are several other aspects that Stellantis has consistently failed to straighten since 2019, blaming tight budget constraints.
"Stellantis claims it has no money to meet the basic needs of UAW Local 1166 members while, at the same time, it is making record profits and investing billions in a new battery plant across the street," says UAW Vice President and Director of the Stellantis Department Cindy Estrada. "This strike represents UAW Local 1166 members telling Stellantis enough is enough."
Estrada points to the May 2022 agreement between Stellantis and Samsung to build a factory for EV batteries in the same city of Kokomo. The $2.5 billion joint venture would provide 1,400 new jobs. This Indiana production unit will be the first of the two planned to open in North America – the other one is scheduled for Windsor, Ontario.
In August of this year, the Kokomo plant received a part of the $99 million investment in three North American production facilities for a new turbocharged engine. The 1.6-liter inline-four can equip either gas-powered or hybrid-electric powertrains. Over $14 million will go into the conversion of existing die-cast machines and cells for engine block fabrication at Kokomo Casting.
In a letter to its members, UAW Local 1166 president David Willis alerted the workers about the strike. "We have been met with the same response over and over that there is "no money" for these items. At the same time Stellantis posted (...) $8 billion in profits. This committee is committed to securing a local agreement."
The workers' representatives from the local branch of United Auto Workers instructed its members on how to proceed with operations shut down. The workers were advised to act as in any regular production interruption to ensure the factory would be operational upon return.
The strike action marks an escalation in union activity across the USA, with employers short of workers. This situation only amplifies the union's voices demanding union representation, higher wages, and the overall bettering of working conditions. Nation-wide negotiations between the UAW and the Big Three of Detroit are set to kick off next summer.
The company's officials have canceled production this weekend, hoping to reach an agreement in the negotiations. Furthermore, Stellantis claims to be committed "to providing a safe and healthy work environment for all employees. After bargaining in good faith for two days and presenting an offer we believed addressed the union's concerns, we are disappointed by the UAW's decision to walk out", declared spokesman Jodi Tinson.
The statement did not impress the workers' representatives, who posted their complaints on the union's web page. According to this document, apart from the HVAC concerns, there are several other aspects that Stellantis has consistently failed to straighten since 2019, blaming tight budget constraints.
"Stellantis claims it has no money to meet the basic needs of UAW Local 1166 members while, at the same time, it is making record profits and investing billions in a new battery plant across the street," says UAW Vice President and Director of the Stellantis Department Cindy Estrada. "This strike represents UAW Local 1166 members telling Stellantis enough is enough."
Estrada points to the May 2022 agreement between Stellantis and Samsung to build a factory for EV batteries in the same city of Kokomo. The $2.5 billion joint venture would provide 1,400 new jobs. This Indiana production unit will be the first of the two planned to open in North America – the other one is scheduled for Windsor, Ontario.
In August of this year, the Kokomo plant received a part of the $99 million investment in three North American production facilities for a new turbocharged engine. The 1.6-liter inline-four can equip either gas-powered or hybrid-electric powertrains. Over $14 million will go into the conversion of existing die-cast machines and cells for engine block fabrication at Kokomo Casting.
In a letter to its members, UAW Local 1166 president David Willis alerted the workers about the strike. "We have been met with the same response over and over that there is "no money" for these items. At the same time Stellantis posted (...) $8 billion in profits. This committee is committed to securing a local agreement."
The workers' representatives from the local branch of United Auto Workers instructed its members on how to proceed with operations shut down. The workers were advised to act as in any regular production interruption to ensure the factory would be operational upon return.
The strike action marks an escalation in union activity across the USA, with employers short of workers. This situation only amplifies the union's voices demanding union representation, higher wages, and the overall bettering of working conditions. Nation-wide negotiations between the UAW and the Big Three of Detroit are set to kick off next summer.
UAW LOCAL 1166 STELLANTIS KOKOMO CASTING MEMBERS ON STRIKE https://t.co/vESlrzVywl
— UAW (@UAW) September 10, 2022
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