United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain had harsh words for executives of Jeep manufacturer Stellantis this week.
Responding to Stellantis’ decision to fire more than 500 employees, Mr. Fain said the company is proving it doesn’t stand with its workers.
“Stellantis can afford to do the right thing here and provide a pathway to good full-time auto jobs, but again they’re choosing to line executive and shareholder pockets,” the labor leader said Wednesday.
Stellantis on Friday announced it would lay off 539 supplemental workers due to lower-than-average sales in 2023.
“As part of our normal course of business, Stellantis regularly analyzes staffing levels at our manufacturing facilities to ensure they are operating as efficiently as possible,” the company said in a statement. “Following an operational review, the company is reducing the number of supplemental employees across our U.S. footprint, effective immediately.”
Supplemental employees work on an inconsistent schedule and typically make much less than regular unionized employees at Stellantis. The tiered system, which supplemental workers need to go through to become full-time employees, was one of the targets during the UAW’s strike last year.
The war of words comes after UAW secured historic contracts at Stellantis, General Motors and Ford. Supplemental and full-time workers gained significant pay increases and benefits as a result of the strike.
Since the strike’s end, Mr. Fain has shifted his focus to nonunion factories in the U.S., including at Volkswagon and Tesla.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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