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UAW Challenges Stellantis Over Potential Durango Production Shift to Canada

Union Alleges Contract Violation In Dodge Durango Move...

The United Auto Workers (UAW) union is voicing concerns over what it claims are Stellantis’ efforts to shift Dodge Durango production out of Detroit and into Windsor, Ontario, Canada. According to the union, local chapters representing thousands of UAW members have filed contract grievances, alleging that this move would violate the terms of their current contract with Stellantis.

The Dodge Durango is currently manufactured at the Detroit Assembly Complex-Jefferson (DACJ), formerly known as Jefferson North Assembly Plant (JNAP). However, specific details surrounding Stellantis’ alleged attempt to move Durango production out of the U.S. have not been made public.

Production at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit. (Stellantis).

In addition to these grievances, the UAW has filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against Stellantis. The union accuses the automaker of failing to disclose critical information regarding its future product commitments, which the union claims is a violation of the recently negotiated 2023 UAW Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Stellantis responded to the labor practice charges but stopped short of addressing the specific claims about the Durango’s production. “Stellantis has not received the filing, and therefore has not had an opportunity to review the charge. The company has not violated the commitments made in the Investment Letter included in the 2023 UAW Collective Bargaining Agreement,” said Stellantis spokeswoman Jodi Tinson. She added, “Like all of our competitors, Stellantis is attempting to carefully manage how and when we bring new vehicles to market, with a focus on enhancing our competitiveness and ensuring our future sustainability and growth. We will communicate our plans to the UAW at the appropriate time.”

Production at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit. (Stellantis).

UAW President Shawn Fain criticized Stellantis for what he describes as a breach of the contract’s terms. “In our 2023 contract, we won major gains, including a commitment to reopen an idled assembly plant in Belvidere, Illinois, and to build the Dodge Durango in Detroit. We also won the right to strike over those commitments, if we have to,” Fain stated in a press release. “Now, Stellantis wants to go back on the deal. As a united UAW, we intend to enforce our contract, and to make Stellantis keep the promise.”

The dispute comes as Stellantis faces additional pressure from both the UAW and other parties. Last week, UAW members rallied at Local 140 in Warren, Michigan, accusing the company of falling short on its promised investments. Stellantis has also been under fire from its U.S. dealers, who sent a letter to CEO Carlos Tavares criticizing the company’s direction amid declining sales.

Production at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit. (Stellantis).

The UAW has previously threatened a national strike over the closure of the Belvidere Assembly Plant, though Stellantis has argued that such a strike would not be legally permissible. As tensions rise, the UAW is preparing for further action, with Fain set to address union members in a live broadcast at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday via the union’s social media platforms.

Robert S. Miller

Robert S. Miller is a diehard Mopar enthusiast who lives and breathes all that is Mopar. The Michigander is not only the Editor for MoparInsiders.com, 5thGenRams.com, and HDRams.com but an automotive photographer. He is an avid fan of offshore powerboat racing, which he travels the country to take part in.

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Sounds like a factory readiness issue. The new Durango is starting production in 2025 or 2026, and the Alfa is coming in 2027, the same year as the next Grand Cherokee. Windsor is already set up to build STLA Large vehicles (Charger), while Detroit may need some retooling?

Capacity-wise, the Alfa could likely be produced at either plant, since they are anticipating building only 20k a year once production ramps up in 2028.Screenshot_20240621_093006_Chrome.jpgScreenshot_20240618_082947_Chrome.jpgScreenshot_20240613_114306_Adobe Acrobat.jpg

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Stellantis Shifting Durango Production For Alfa Romeo SUV?​

Alfa Romeo EV SUV To Be Built At JNAP As Durango Moves To Windsor?​

View attachment 10043

Stellantis is making notable shifts in its production plans, with recent reports highlighting changes for both the Dodge Durango and a new Alfa Romeo electric SUV. While a leaked document from CocheSpias in May states the production of an all-electric Alfa Romeo E-segment SUV (codenamed A6U) at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant (JNAP), the Windsor Starhas reported that the next-generation Dodge Durango (codenamed D6U) will be moving to the Windsor Assembly Plant in Ontario.

Currently Durango may be older yet sells about the same as GM's hyped Blazer which is amazing. Makes me wonder how long current Durango could keep going? Dodge buyers don't seem enamoured by new platforms or care about how long it's been since latest refresh. Durango is a classic design borrowed from Magnum. Hoping Stellantis maintains the basics and simply evolves the concept.

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Well that fancy quad exhaust definitely means the Alfa Romeo SUV wouldn't be an EV, that's for sure. The more I think of it though, If the other Stellantis brands had a larger presence over here, would it be enough to balance out the carbon footprint for them to continue producing our beloved Mopar brands in a way that would please the current customer base (with hurricane engines, not v8s). Take Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Maserati for instance, Fiat and Alfa are known for small engines and things like that. Use them in the North American Market to do battle with the Japanese and Korea vehicles and the onslaught of the electric market. I see no reason why a good 85% of those vehicles can't be put on the STLA Medium platform with hybrid powertrains with Hurricane-4 engines up front with the E-DCT gearbox driving the from wheels and a powerful STLA Medium EDM powering the rear wheels, taking on cars like the Civic Type R, Integra Type S, TLX Type S, MDX Type S, Elantra N, Toyota's entire GR lineup and sold as Fiat Abarth cars. Do the same with Alfa Romeo & Maserati and make some Quadrifoglio & Trofeo vehicles to battle it out with the 4-series and smaller BMW M cars and some of the AMG Mercedes vehicles. All of it would be electrified because they would have the EDMs in the back and the hybrid E-DCT gearboxes up front but they'd also have the 2.0L Hurricane-4 Turbo as well. Let those cars flood the market and displace Toyota, Honda and Nissan, let the Chrysler brand do all of the full BEV models, let Jeep be an off road brand again, Ram will always be Ram and let Dodge rule the roads again with Hurricane-6 powertrains with massive amounts of horsepower and torque! Maybe even bring back the cubic inch displacement of the Australian Hemi-6 engines in 3.5L, 4.0L & 4.3L with Hurricane twin turbo technology and performance and a hybrid 8-speed Gen-4. Let the Mopar brands be exclusively run on the STLA Large and STLA frame platforms. Heck, let Chrysler be all electric and come out with decent cars, we may even see the end of Tesla, which would be amazing!

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To be successful a global automobile company has to be global. Alfa Romeo is losing its pure Italian status just as Jeep is losing its pure American status. What will remain for any Stellantis brand is unique styling imagery that will be based around historic design elements that could be done in the native countries but built elsewhere in the most cost effective way, with each site replicating the manufacturing system and process. You will have multiple brands sharing the same factory and only one brand would be domestic, maybe none. You could have Jeeps, Fiats, Peugeot’s and Alfa Romeos all built in the same factory, sharing a common architecture that focuses on a market that targets the same customer base generally, but a different brand identity to match the.targeted market. A kind of slight of hand to maximize build quality and profits. Look for your next Jeep to be built in Poland sitting next to one built in Toledo Ohio that all have the iconic Jeep seven slot grill and the buyer sees a Jeep in both, superficially an “.All-American” Icon that few will dig any deeper into its origin. Now you see it, now you don’t ! It’s magic!! Welcome to the 21st century folks.

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Well that fancy quad exhaust definitely means the Alfa Romeo SUV wouldn't be an EV, that's for sure. The more I think of it though, If the other Stellantis brands had a larger presence over here, would it be enough to balance out the carbon footprint for them to continue producing our beloved Mopar brands in a way that would please the current customer base (with hurricane engines, not v8s). Take Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Maserati for instance, Fiat and Alfa are known for small engines and things like that. Use them in the North American Market to do battle with the Japanese and Korea vehicles and the onslaught of the electric market. I see no reason why a good 85% of those vehicles can't be put on the STLA Medium platform with hybrid powertrains with Hurricane-4 engines up front with the E-DCT gearbox driving the from wheels and a powerful STLA Medium EDM powering the rear wheels, taking on cars like the Civic Type R, Integra Type S, TLX Type S, MDX Type S, Elantra N, Toyota's entire GR lineup and sold as Fiat Abarth cars. Do the same with Alfa Romeo & Maserati and make some Quadrifoglio & Trofeo vehicles to battle it out with the 4-series and smaller BMW M cars and some of the AMG Mercedes vehicles. All of it would be electrified because they would have the EDMs in the back and the hybrid E-DCT gearboxes up front but they'd also have the 2.0L Hurricane-4 Turbo as well. Let those cars flood the market and displace Toyota, Honda and Nissan, let the Chrysler brand do all of the full BEV models, let Jeep be an off road brand again, Ram will always be Ram and let Dodge rule the roads again with Hurricane-6 powertrains with massive amounts of horsepower and torque! Maybe even bring back the cubic inch displacement of the Australian Hemi-6 engines in 3.5L, 4.0L & 4.3L with Hurricane twin turbo technology and performance and a hybrid 8-speed Gen-4. Let the Mopar brands be exclusively run on the STLA Large and STLA frame platforms. Heck, let Chrysler be all electric and come out with decent cars, we may even see the end of Tesla, which would be amazing!

Of all the traditional domestic Mopar brands, Chrysler might be the only one that could be successful as an all electric marquee. Chrysler, let’s face it, is essentially gone, but the image of Chrysler’s past still endures. Why not be a direct Tesla competitor, why not reinvent itself that way since little else is left besides its image to clutter up the brands portfolio and its defined market target on the showroom floor. It’s smart and really intelligent for all the other brands to make room in its brand composition, essentially and necessarily an ICE dominated brand for an electric model. But Chrysler, the new Chrysler, can be redefined and really, really, go after Tesla. That how I would approach it.

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