WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Today, UAW workers rallied in Warren against indefinite layoffs at Stellantis. UAW president Shawn Fain was among those who took the podium to boost morale among Warren Truck Plant workers.
"This is one enemy right here. It's corporate greed, and it's a terrible CEO that has no business running this company," Fain told the crowd.
Workers at the plant are accustomed to having two shifts, but Stellantis plans to cut one shift as the automaker prepares to stop producing the classic Ram truck.
Eric Graham, president of UAW Local 140 told 7 News Detroit, “With the cut in production, 1,500 people are facing indefinite layoff. So, spirits are low.”
Among those with a low spirit is Lori Naylor. She works in the chassis department at the plant and said she’s worried for the younger workers with less seniority on her team.
Naylor said workers are in “absolute utter fear. Are they going to be able to support their families? Are they going to be able to buy groceries and put gas in their cars?”
Nearly a year ago, she said she didn’t support ratifying the agreement with Stellantis because she felt it didn’t go far enough.
“I was excited about the raises. I was excited about certain things, but when it came to the allocation of money in each one of these plants and the product allocation in each one of these plants, that made me nervous. I personally voted no. I did not vote yes on that contract," Naylor explained.
7 News Detroit asked Marick Masters, Wayne business professor emeritus, if the current UAW-Stellantis rift could have been foreseen when the contract was ratified in November 2023.
"Well, I think the companies had indicated that there would be consequences to an agreement that had high labor costs and that they were in the process of having to make difficult choices going ahead in the transition to EVs," he explained.
Masters said it is not surprising Stellantis is deciding to layoff workers, as well as delay the reopening of the Belvedere plant as promised, given the automaker’s disappointing sales performance this year.
Graham said, “We have people in this building that are willing to work, ready to work and they just want the work. Just like the news shows all the time Stellantis is making investments, they’re investing in Argentina. They’re investing in Egypt, people at Warren Truck want more investment there."
"We want another vehicle at Warren Truck," he concluded.
Workers also called the CEO out on his 56% pay raise in 2023 to $40 million.
Ahead of the rally, 7 News Detroit reached out to Stellantis for comment. As of news time, we have not heard back. The following statement was released by the automaker after the story aired:
As our industry continues to face unrelenting change, Stellantis has set forth on an ambitious path to lead the way as we transform into a sustainable mobility tech company. With our commitment to executing a multi-energy strategy, we must continue to adapt by streamlining operations and finding efficiencies that will enhance our competitiveness and ensure our future sustainability and growth. Just yesterday, the company announced a $97 million investment that will support Warren Truck’s role in this transition as part of a more than $400 million investment in the state of Michigan.
