🕑4 min read
The future of the idled Brampton Assembly Plant could have a direct effect on the people building new Dodge Chargers and Chrysler minivans in Windsor.
Unifor members at Stellantis are scheduled to vote today, October 17th and tomorrow the 18th on whether to authorize a strike. Results are expected October 19th. A yes vote would give the bargaining team permission to call a walkout if necessary, adding pressure to negotiations that have been stalled for weeks.
The dispute covers thousands of workers across Canada. For Dodge and Chrysler customers, Windsor Assembly is where those contract talks could turn into a production problem.
Chrysler 300 Production at Brampton Assembly Plant in Brampton, Ontario. (Stellantis).
Brampton Is Holding Up The Deal
In this articleâ–¾
Brampton Is Holding Up The Deal
A Possible Sale Leaves Big Questions
Windsor Workers Want Answers, Too
What It Means For Charger And Minivan Buyers
Windsor Already Has Downtime Scheduled
Talks opened September 1 and broke off September 11th after 10 days without an agreement. The previous contract expired September 20th.
Unifor wants the wage and benefit package to follow the agreements it reached with Ford and General Motors (GM). It also wants commitments that give workers a clearer idea of what their plants will be building in the years ahead.
According to the union, Stellantis has tied acceptance of the core financial terms to an agreement to close and sell Brampton Assembly.
That puts workers in a difficult position. Their contract negotiations are now tied to the future of an entire assembly plant, and Unifor says it needs an acceptable outcome for Brampton employees before it will reach a tentative deal.
Entrance at Brampton Assembly Plant in Brampton, Ontario. (Stellantis)
A Possible Sale Leaves Big Questions
Brampton was already facing an uncertain future when bargaining began. About 2,200 Unifor members were on indefinite layoff, and Stellantis had withdrawn its planned next-gen Jeep® Compass production commitment in 2025.
The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Canadian armored vehicle manufacturer Roshel regarding a potential sale. Stellantis sees Roshel as a possible way to bring sustainable manufacturing activity back to the property.
Unifor’s concern is what happens to the automotive jobs, wages, pensions, and benefits tied to Brampton. The effects would also reach suppliers and businesses that depend on the plant.
Stellantis told the Windsor Star it remains willing to negotiate an agreement that recognizes employees while supporting the long-term competitiveness of its Canadian operations.
Production at the Windsor Assembly Plant in Windsor, Ontario. (Stellantis).
Windsor Workers Want Answers, Too
The Windsor Star has also highlighted another sticking point: Windsor Assembly’s third shift.
Local 444 President James Stewart has been looking for clear commitments to protect that work. Unifor also wants answers about future production at Etobicoke Casting.
For workers, those commitments matter as much as the numbers on a wage sheet. A raise provides limited comfort if the work needed to earn that paycheck remains uncertain.
Entrance at the Windsor Assembly Plant in Windsor, Ontario. (Stellantis).
What It Means For Charger And Minivan Buyers
Windsor builds the gas-powered Dodge Charger SIXPACK and electric Charger Daytona, along with the Chrysler Pacifica and Chrysler Grand Caravan sold in Canada.
A strike involving Windsor would stop assembly of those vehicles while the walkout continued. Depending on its length, that could push back factory orders and slow the flow of new vehicles to dealerships. Buyers’ experiences would depend partly on what dealers already had in stock.
Suppliers feeding the plant could also face less work. That is how a dispute at one assembly operation can reach well beyond its own workforce.
Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant Production Cancellation Notice. (Unifor Local 444).
Windsor Already Has Downtime Scheduled
There is another wrinkle: Windsor production is already scheduled to pause during the weeks of October 19th, October 26th, and November 2nd. Local reporting says Stellantis cited tariffs and production volume.
That downtime is separate from any strike. A walkout’s additional effect would depend on when it happened and whether it continued beyond the scheduled shutdown.
Unifor describes strike action as a last resort. The vote will show how much support its bargaining team has from members. Getting vehicles built and workers back on steadier footing will still depend on resolving the plant and job security questions holding up a deal.
Sources: Unifor / Windsor Star
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Robert S. Miller