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 local chapters in the coming days, union president Shawn Fain said on Tuesday, which could lead to significant disruptions for the Jeep maker.
Fain 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.
Stellantis said its focus remained on offering consumers a selection of affordable conventional and electric vehicles and ensuring the sustainability of the company and its workforce.
“The commitments we made during 2023 negotiations span the life of the 4-year, 7-1/2 month agreement, so it is not surprising that they haven’t been fully realized in the first year,” the company said in a statement.
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. Stellantis said they have not confirmed any plans to move production of the vehicle.