Stellantis may face potential strikes at Ford a year after unprecedented work stoppages, according to the United Auto Workers (UAW).

• The UAW is threatening work stoppages a year after unprecedented strikes, which could disrupt the U.S. automotive industry.
• The Ford tool and die plant that supports F-150 production has been announced as the strike deadline by the UAW, along with strike authorization voting at Stellantis.
• The union has not announced similar actions against General Motors.

The UAW is threatening work stoppages that could disrupt the U.S. automotive industry, a year after unprecedented strikes against the Detroit automakers.

On Wednesday, the UAW declared a strike deadline at a tool and die plant that supports the automaker's Rouge Complex near Detroit, which produces the highly profitable F-150 pickup truck, along with one of the two U.S. plants.

UAW President Shawn Fain announced plans to hold strike authorization votes at one or more local unions covering plants in the U.S., a day before the 11:59 p.m. Sept. 25 strike deadline.

The union has not announced similar actions against other automakers.

National agreements cover UAW members on issues such as wages, bonuses, and benefits, while local contracts are customized for each facility.

National agreements often take a long time to result in local contract settlements, with some contracts remaining unsettled throughout the duration of the national deal.

The strikes by auto workers last year coincided with historic negotiations between the union and the three Detroit automakers regarding national contracts. As a result, the union secured record wage increases of 25% throughout the duration of the agreement, as well as the reinstatement of cost-of-living adjustments. However, labor experts warned that this could potentially lead to job losses.

The UAW did not provide a comment on updates about the announcements or the number of local contracts still under negotiation on Thursday.

The union announced that the most recent strike deadline for Ford was due to local plant negotiations over "job security, wage parity for Skilled Trades, and work rules."

If the automaker cannot make contingency plans for the parts, a strike at a supporting facility for an assembly plant could impact vehicle assembly, even though the plant employs fewer than 500 workers.

UAW Local 600 at Dearborn Tool & Die negotiations with Ford are ongoing, as Ford invested $15 million in the plant last year and has been at the table problem-solving.

At Stellantis, the union has announced authorization voting, which is a procedural step that allows workers to authorize UAW leaders to call a strike if necessary. These votes typically pass with more than 90% of worker approval. However, at Stellantis, the strike deadline has added more tension, as the union has not yet announced any authorization voting.

Stellantis has announced voting after months of conflict between Fain and the company's CEO, Carlos Tavares, over product cuts, layoffs, and other actions that the union has deemed harmful to union workers, including the possibility of moving production of vehicles such as the Dodge Durango out of the U.S.

On Monday, the union submitted unfair labor practice charges to the National Labor Relations Board against Stellantis, alleging that the automaker failed to provide the union with necessary information about investments and products.

Fain stated on Tuesday night during an online broadcast that the company wants you to feel scared, but we have the right and the power to take strike action if required.

Stellantis has contended such a strike would be illegal.

Despite Fain's insistence that the union won the right to strike over the automakers' product and investment commitments during national bargaining, there are still provisions in the contracts that could allow the company some flexibility.

The union leader was criticized by the company after the strike authorization vote announcement on Tuesday night.

The company has responded to Shawn Fain's allegations of contract violation by stating that he has not provided any evidence to support his claims. Instead, he has been damaging the company's reputation with his public attacks, which benefits no one, including his own members.

Stellantis stated that a strike would not benefit anyone, including customers, dealers, the community, and most importantly, employees.

The NLRB complaint filed on Monday against the company has resulted in 28 Stellantis locals filing grievances, affecting tens of thousands of UAW members.

At the start of the year, approximately 43,000 workers affiliated with the union were employed by Stellantis.

This week, the union started negotiations with Volkswagen regarding a contract. Earlier this year, VW workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted in favor of UAW representation.