Workers at Stellantis plant near Detroit authorize strike in dispute over health and safety issues

WARREN, Mich. (AP) — About 1,000 workers at a Stellantis metal stamping plant north of Detroit have voted to authorize a strike over health and safety issues, the United Auto Workers union says.

The union didn’t immediately answer a question about whether a strike deadline had been set, but Stellantis said in a statement that talks are ongoing and workers are still on the job at the factory in Warren, Michigan.

The UAW said grievances have been filed about problems with ventilation fans, ergonomic matting, personal protective equipment, flooding, basement lighting, oil leaks and other issues.

“We want members to understand they’re not just a number or just a body on the line,” UAW Local 869 President Romaine McKinney III said in a statement. “They will come to work and feel like they have some ownership in that building.”

The factory supplies more than a half-dozen Stellantis plants including Windsor, Ontario, and Saltillo, Mexico, the union said. A strike could affect production of the Ram pickup, Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Wagoneer, according to the UAW.

“Stellantis remains committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for all employees and resolving this matter without a work stoppage,” the company statement said.