Over 1,000 members of United Auto Workers Local 869 voted Monday to authorize a strike at Stellantis’ Warren Stamping Plant in Michigan, the union announced.
The union alleges the automaker has failed to resolve health, safety and outside contractor grievances at the plant. In a video, union members spoke about the issues, including a lack of gloves, poor restroom conditions and unaddressed oil leaks.
UAW Local 869 President Romaine McKinney III said in the video that the plant’s workers have 150 grievances and a “plethora of things that need to be taken care of at Warren Stamping.”
“Not only do we want these health and safety grievances resolved, we want our members to leave the same way they came,” McKinney said in a press release. “We want members to understand they’re not just a number or just a body on the line. They will come to work and feel like they have some ownership in that building.”
In a statement last week, Stellantis said it is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for all employees.
“The Company is in discussions with UAW Local 869 to assess open health and safety grievances at the Warren (Michigan) Stamping Plant and aims to resolve this matter without a work stoppage,” the statement said.
The Warren Stamping facility supplies over half a dozen Stellantis plants in North America, the UAW said, and any work stoppage could affect production of the Dodge RAM, Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Wagoneer.
