Source: (Photo By Marcos Cebrian/Europa Press via Getty Images)
KOKOMO, Ind. — The United Auto Workers are still on strike at select plants across the U.S., and it’s because of that strike that Stellantis has announced 300 temporary layoffs at its transmission plant in Kokomo.
Stellantis is the parent company of Chrysler and is one of the “Detroit Big 3” automakers that are at odds with the UAW over a new contract.
“UAW members will keep organizing actions. Those on strike will remain on strike,” said UAW president Shawn Fain this week. “Those on the job, we’ll keep monitoring changes made by management which are not allowed under an expired contract.”
Fain is from Kokomo where Stellantis is now joining Ford and General Motors in laying off workers at plants where the strike has not extended yet. Stellantis has also laid off workers in Toledo
GM has also sent 2,000 employees home in Kansas City. Ford laid off around 600 workers at a factory in Wayne, Michigan.
The UAW has steep demands for automakers including a 40-percent pay raise.
Ford and GM could both lose $40 million in profits per week, and even more, if the union expands the strike to more plants, which Fain has threatened to do by Friday if a new contract is not agreed to.
