Latest news with #LouAnnGosselin
CBC
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
One-week shutdown hits Stellantis assembly plant in Windsor
The Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant will shut down next week as the trade war with the U.S. drags on, but the company isn't pointing to tariffs as the reason behind the closure. LouAnn Gosselin, head of communications for Stellantis in Canada, says the change relates to the plant's transition to building 2026 models. "As the company prepares for the upcoming launch of the 2026 model year Chrysler Pacifica, Chrysler Grand Caravan/Chrysler Voyager and Dodge Charger Daytona, we are adjusting production at the Windsor Assembly Plant in order to complete the build out of the 2025 model year vehicles," Gosselin said. The plant is closed for the week beginning May 5, and the company said it will "continue to monitor the situation." Unifor Local 444, which represents workers at the plant, also announced the shutdown on Thursday. "We will keep you informed as more information becomes available regarding the following weeks," the union said on social media. The union did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Production at the facility was paused for two weeks last month after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on imported vehicles, but the plant reopened on April 22. Trump has since enacted some measures to offer automakers some relief. U.S. tariffs on foreign parts are set to kick in on May 3.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
GM temporarily lays off 700 workers at US, Canadian factories
About 700 General Motors workers in the U.S. and Canada will be out of a job temporarily, driven by weak demand for electric vehicles, company officials said. General Motors placed the workers on temporary leave starting Monday from factories in Detroit and Ingersoll, Ontario. GM (NYSE: GM) is laying off about 200 workers at its Factory Zero plant in Detroit, which produces the all-electric Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, Hummer EV SUV and pickup, and all-electric Escalade IQ. It employs about 4,500 workers, according to the company's website. 'Factory Zero will adjust production to align with market dynamics,' GM spokesman Kevin Kelly told The Detroit News. 'Impacted employees will be placed on a temporary layoff and may be eligible for subpay and benefits in accordance with the GM-UAW national contract.' GM is also halting production and laying off 500 workers at its CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll. The Ingersoll layoffs are the result of a decline in demand for the all-electric BrightDrop delivery vans that are manufactured at the plant, GM said. 'CAMI is making operational and employment adjustments to balance inventory and align production schedules with current demand,' GM told the CBC. 'GM remains committed to the future of BrightDrop and the CAMI plant and will support employees through the transition.' Workers at the Ingersoll factory will be laid off for three weeks and return for two weeks in May for limited production. Then the Ingersoll facility will close for an additional 20 weeks. GM plans to completely retool the factory to prepare the facility for production of the 2026 model year of commercial electric vehicles. It's unclear if GM will rehire all 500 employees. The layoffs at GM follow temporary layoffs of about 900 Stellantis employees April 7 at auto factories in Warren and Sterling, Michigan, and Kokomo, Indiana. Stellantis paused production at assembly plants in Windsor, Ontario, and Toluca, Mexico, which caused the layoffs at factories in Michigan and Indiana, company officials said. Lou Ann Gosselin, Stellantis' spokeswoman for Canada, said the layoffs were caused by tariffs levied by the Trump administration on April 2. Stellantis' Windsor plant is scheduled to resume production around April 21, while the Toluca plant is scheduled to reopen in May. It's unclear when Stellantis workers who were temporarily laid off from the facilities in Michigan and Indiana will go back to work. Stellantis did not immediately reply to a request for comment from FreightWaves. The post GM temporarily lays off 700 workers at US, Canadian factories appeared first on FreightWaves.
CBC
20-02-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Unifor has 'grave concern' over Stellantis work halt in Brampton, Ont.
The country's largest private sector union says it's gravely concerned by Stellantis's unexpected announcement that it's halting work at the Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario. The company has been retooling the plant for both electric and gas Jeep Compass vehicles and was set for production to start later this year. Stellantis said Thursday it is "temporarily pausing work" on both the Jeep model and the plant as it reassess its product strategy in a dynamic environment. "This does not change our previously announced investment plans for Brampton," company spokeswoman LouAnn Gosselin said in an emailed statement. Unifor said Stellantis has reassured the union that production plans are still in place for the plant, but the union is concerned that the timing of the pause brings those plans into doubt. "This is not an ordinary time and because of the threats and chaos, we know our members are feeling additional worry right now. And rightfully so," Lana Payne, national president of Unifor, said in a statement. She said the threat of tariffs and the repeal of electric vehicle initiatives are creating chaos and uncertainty in the North American auto industry and creating risks to both jobs and the economy. Unlikely work will start in Q4, union local head says Vito Beato, president of Unifor local 1285 that represents plant workers, said it's unlikely that work will start up as scheduled in the fourth quarter this year. He said he believes production will continue in Brampton, but is pushing for clear timelines. The Brampton plant, which has been down since early 2024 to prepare for the new production line, had about 3,000 employees before closing.
