UAW to hold strike votes at Stellantis local chapters, union president says

By Nora Eckert and Abhirup Roy

DETROIT (Reuters) -The United Auto Workers union plans to hold strike authorization votes at one or more of its Stellantis (NYSE:) local chapters in the coming days, union president Shawn Fain said on Tuesday, which could lead to a disruptive walkout against the Jeep maker.

The UAW leader has in recent months called out Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares for failing to keep the product and investment commitments the automaker agreed to after the union conducted a six-week strike last autumn.

“We are still waiting for the company to make good on the vast majority of its product commitments. Not all of them are contract violations yet. But we’re watching them closely and we’re preparing to take action,” Fain said in a video address on Tuesday evening.

Local Stellantis chapters have filed grievances related to the company’s alleged plan to move production of the Dodge Durango out of the United States, union leaders said this week.

The union on Monday also filed unfair labor practice claims with the National Labor Relations Board against Stellantis, saying the company refused to provide information about its future product plans.

Representatives for Stellantis did not respond to a request for comment.

Fain also reiterated his anger around the company’s delays of a planned multi-billion dollar investment into a new battery plant and factory in Belvidere, Illinois.

Securing jobs at the Belvidere plant was one of the union’s most prized victories after its nationwide strike against Stellantis, Ford Motor (NYSE:) and General Motors (NYSE:) late last year, and a symbol of the labor group’s ability to protect union jobs as the industry shifts to producing electric vehicles.

The UAW also won a record 25% general wage increase, the return of cost-of-living adjustments, and the right to strike over product commitments and investments, the latter of which Fain said allowed them to hold a walkout against Stellantis now.