A United Auto Workers local union and Stellantis arrived at a tentative agreement to settle a brief strike staged by the local union at the Kokomo Casting Plant in Indiana, claiming unsafe working condition at there. The UAW announced a tentative agreement late Sunday, September 11, claiming it had achieved some of the main demands of the local union, which stem from long-standing requests that the automaker install a new heating and air-conditioning system, pay for uniforms, repair equipment to ensure work is completed in-house, and guarantee overtime pay for all departments and classifications.
Specific details of the tentative agreement have not been released, pending a vote by the local union members.
“Stellantis claims it has no money to meet the basic needs of UAW Local 1166 members while, at the same time, it is making record profits and investing billions in a new battery plant across the street,” UAW vice president and director of the Stellantis Department Cindy Estrada stated on September 10. “This strike represents UAW Local 1166 members telling Stellantis enough is enough.”
Kokomo Casting is one of three plants named by Stellantis to receive a total of $229 million in new capital investments as it prepares to start production of a new eight-speed transmission. The plant casts a variety of aluminum automotive components, transmission and transaxle cases, and engine block castings.