UAW warns of strike authorization vote at Stellantis Warren plant over safety concerns

United Auto Workers-represented workers at Stellantis NV's Warren Stamping Plant are expected to hold a strike authorization vote Monday over unresolved health and safety concerns at the facility, the union said.

About 1,100 UAW Local 869 members at the Warren facility could take the vote, which would allow union leadership to call for a strike at some point in the future.

“When it rains, the facility floods because the ceiling is leaking. We have to fight for every single pair of work gloves, while we handle metal and materials to build world class vehicles for Stellantis," Local 869 president Romaine McKinney III said in a statement. "The list goes on, and we’re putting an end to it. Our union grievance procedure gives us the power to stand up for safety on the job, and we intend to take action if necessary.” 

A UAW news release listed several concerns, from the flooding, to issues with ventilation fans, to overall sanitation. It also raised an issue related to outside contractors being used at the plant. The union said the grievance process has been exhausted, which gives the plant's workers the ability to strike under the union's national contract agreement with Stellantis.

The plant, which makes hoods, roofs, liftgates, fenders and more, supplies several Stellantis vehicle assembly facilities in North America.

The union said that plant workers already took a separate strike authorization vote on April 2 related to its expired local contract, which is separate from the national contract negotiated last fall with the company. A union spokesperson did not immediately have more detail about the local contract concerns.

"Stellantis is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for all employees," the company said in a statement sent by spokesperson Jodi Tinson. "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."

lramseth@detroitnews.com