Belvidere Assembly, which opened its doors in 1965, manufactured vehicles such as the Plymouth Fury, Dodge Neon, and Jeep Compass. Since 2017, it has been producing the Jeep Cherokee.
The UAW slammed the company on Tuesday, declaring that the decision “will not stand.”
Stellantis’ ill-advised decision will have negative repercussions throughout the region and supplier network, It will disrupt lives, uproot families, and leave communities struggling to find economic drivers to pay for schools, roads, and other services
Ray Curry, President of UAW stated Stellantis decision making
Stellantis gives $50,000 retirement incentives
The UAW Local 1268 announced on Facebook on Monday that the union and Stellantis had reached an agreement to provide $50,000 retirement incentives to all qualified plant employees.
Employees who become retirement-eligible within two years will be offered a “grow-in” to retirement.
Local 1268 also announced an expanded voluntary termination of employment program.
We have immediately addressed the concerns of the 2,300 affected employees by negotiating with the company on retirement packages, voluntary termination, as well as pre-retirement leaves to allow employees to grow into their retirement, We are also working with interested members on the relocation process
Rich Boyer, Vice President of UAW stated on employement termination
The UAW, whose four-year deals with each of the Detroit three expire in September, has stated that it will continue to ask that Stellantis designate a product to the Belvidere plant, located about 70 miles northwest of Chicago.
This pattern of starving facilities of a product creates uncertainty for UAW members and raises questions about Stellantis’ commitment to the U.S.
Union stated on Stellantis’ commitement
Investment in Indiana
Tavares spoke to reporters hours after Stelliantis announced plans to invest $155 million in three Indiana plants to manufacture new electric drive modules for North American-assembled electric vehicles.
The Indiana Transmission, Kokomo Transmission, and Kokomo Casting plants will receive investments. Stellantis stated that over 265 jobs would be kept at the three plants.
The modules will be incorporated into vehicles on the STLA Large and STLA Frame platforms, two of Stellantis’ four electrified vehicle platforms.
Stellantis claims that the electric motor, power electronics, and transmission have been combined into a single module to provide performance improvements and range at a competitive price.
The new EDM will support each platform in acquiring a 500-mile driving range.
The gearbox cover will be cast at Kokomo Casting and machined at Kokomo Transmission, according to Stellantis. The Indiana Transmission Plant will handle gear machining and final assembly.
Following retooling, production is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2024.
Stellantis has stated that it intends to launch more than 25 EVs in the United States by 2030.
