UAW leader calls for resignation of Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares over Belvidere delay

(WTVO) — Kevin Gotinsky, who oversees the United Auto Workers Stellantis department, has called for the resignation of Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares over the company’s decision to postpone the reopening of the Belvidere Assembly Plant.

“I think he either needs to go or get someone close by him to work side by side with him to manage the company because I don’t think he knows what he’s doing,” Gotinsky said during a rally, according to automotive news outlet CBT News .

The UAW says it may authorize a strike at assembly plants in Toledo, Ohio; Warren, Michigan; Sterling Heights, Michigan; Detroit, Michigan; and Kokomo, Indiana.

The UAW claims that would violate a collective bargaining agreement between the union and the automaker made last year, claiming Stellantis has “gone back on its product commitments at Belvidere” and has been “unreceptive in talks with the union.”

The automaker said market conditions were the reason for the delay, saying that “to ensure the company’s future competitiveness and sustainability, which are necessary to preserve U.S. manufacturing jobs, it is critical that the business case for all investments is aligned with market conditions and our ability to accommodate a wide range of consumer demands. Therefore, the company confirms it has notified the UAW that plans for Belvidere will be delayed, but firmly stands by its commitment.”

In October 2022, Stellantis agreed to build a $3.2 billion battery plant in Belvidere and invest $1.5 billion to retool the factory for an all-new mid-sized truck, as part of a new union contract .

Last Thursday, UAW President Shawn Fain and Local 1268 President Matt Frantzen led a union rally calling on automaker Stellantis to honor its commitments to reopen the Belvidere Assembly Plant.

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