(WWJ) — Stellantis officials say the company is filing a federal lawsuit against the UAW over the union's continued threat of strike . The news comes Friday afternoon after a small UAW local in Los Angeles became the first to authorize a strike against Stellantis.
Since August the union has been speaking out about what it calls broken promises on Stellantis’ end following the agreement they reached after last year’s “stand-up strike” against the Big 3.
In particular, two issues the union is pointing to are the company's intention to move Dodge Durango production to Canada from Jefferson North in Detroit, and the company's failure to reopen the Belvidere Plant in Illinois, which formerly made the Jeep Cherokee.
On Friday the Los Angeles parts distribution center voted in favor of authorizing a strike if the carmaker fails to settle grievances with the union over the allegedly reneged commitments.
WWJ Auto Beat Reporter Jeff Gilbert says this is the latest step in the ongoing dispute over planned investments with the union. Stellantis says now they’ve filed a lawsuit in federal court asking the UAW’s actions be declared illegal and also making the union liable for revenue loss or other damages if there is a strike.
"The union claims its contract lets it strike because S is reneging on product commitments. Stellantis says it’s not reneging on anything, but it does have the right to make changes due to changing market conditions and we’re in a very changeable market," Gilbert said live on WWJ Newsradio 950 Friday.
Gilbert said other UAW locals across the country are taking similar votes. A timeline as to when a full strike against the company could happen is not immediately clear.
On Thursday hundreds of UAW members rallied and marched to the Stellantis Plant in Sterling Heights to reiterate their stance that they’re willing to strike if the company doesn’t uphold its promises.
UAW President Shawn Fain told supporters during the rally that Stellantis is worried about its bottom line, and the union won’t stand for it.
“This is what they’re doing. They’re repeating the same old, tired, short-sighted vision of trying to cut itself to profitability. It didn’t work when we were Daimler-Chrysler, it didn’t work anytime in our history, and it sure as hell isn’t working now,” Fain said.
“And if UAW members have to strike to make them change course and keep their promise to America, that’s exactly what we’re willing to do,” he said.
In a statement Thursday Stellantis officials said Fain is “spreading misinformation” regarding the situation.
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