Stellantis is facing fierce backlash from Canadian autoworkers after announcing plans to cancel Jeep Compass production at its Brampton Assembly Plant and shift the work to Illinois, a move that could affect roughly 3,000 local jobs. The Unifor Stellantis Council, representing about 8,000 Canadian autoworkers, blasted the decision as “appalling,” “disrespectful,” and “an egregious violation” of commitments made to workers and their families.
“Stellantis’ decision is an egregious violation of the company’s collective agreement commitments made to our union, our members and their families,” the council said in a letter released Friday. The union says it was informed of the decision only “minutes before” the public announcement earlier this week, despite repeated reassurances from the company that its vehicle commitment to Brampton remained intact.
The news follows years of anticipation as workers awaited the retooling of the Williams Parkway plant to begin Jeep production. The sudden reversal has sparked outrage and uncertainty in Brampton, where auto manufacturing has long been a cornerstone of the local economy.
Union leaders say they “unequivocally reject” Stellantis’ decision and vow to “take all necessary steps to reverse this decision, in coordination with Unifor’s national leadership.” They also questioned Stellantis CEO Anthony Filosa’s claim that “strong plans” are in the works for the plant, saying Unifor has not been notified of any credible alternatives.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said he has spoken with Stellantis leadership and received assurances that options for the Brampton plant are still being explored, while Premier Doug Ford has echoed similar sentiments. Stellantis says future plans will be revealed following negotiations with the federal government.
However, the union argues that Ottawa is not in a legal bargaining position for Brampton Assembly Plant workers, and that any future talks “must include Unifor.” Speaking at a recent rally, Ford joined the call for action, saying, “Open the damn plant, we need to get our workers back into the plant.”
For now, Brampton’s autoworkers remain in limbo, as union leaders prepare to fight a corporate decision they say breaks trust and threatens the future of automotive jobs in the region.