Stellantis to restart Illinois plant that UAW pushed to restart

Stellantis, the company that owns Chrysler and Jeep, announced plans Wednesday to reopen a factory in Illinois and increase production elsewhere in the United States, a move that is expected to resolve several simmering conflicts with the United Automobile Workers union.

The reopening is also likely to help the company in its dealings with the Trump administration and is one of the first big changes made by the interim management team that has led the company since the resignation of its chief executive, Carlos Tavares, in December.

“These actions are part of our commitment to invest in our U.S. operations to grow our automotive production and manufacturing here,” Antonio Filosa, the company’s director of North America operations, said in a statement.

The announcement follows a recent meeting between Stellantis Chairman John Elkann and President Trump, the company said. Mr. Elkann told the president that Amsterdam-headquartered Stellantis aims to strengthen its U.S. manufacturing base and is committed to safeguarding American jobs and the U.S. economy as a whole.

Stellantis, which also owns Fiat, Dodge, Ram and Peugeot, closed the Illinois plant in Belvidere in early 2023. Later that year, it entered into a new contract with the UAW for the reopen. In August 2024, the company announced it was delaying reopening after its sales and profits fell.

The UAW responded by filing complaints with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that Stellantis was not complying with the 2023 contract.

Stellantis announced Wednesday that it plans to manufacture a mid-size pickup truck in Belvidere and will rehire some 1,500 union workers.

The company also announced it would move forward with plans to produce a new Dodge Durango sport utility vehicle at a plant in Detroit. The UAW was concerned that Stellantis was preparing to move production of the vehicle to Mexico, and the union had filed complaints on that issue as well.

“This victory is a testament to the power of workers uniting and holding a billion-dollar corporation accountable,” UAW President Shawn Fain said in a statement Wednesday. “We have shown that we will do what it takes to protect the good union jobs that are the lifeblood of places like Belvidere, Detroit, Kokomo and beyond. »

In its press release, Stellantis also announced that it would invest in its factories in Toledo, Ohio, where it manufactures the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator models. Additional investments will also be made in an engine plant in Kokomo, Indiana, the company said.