The Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant is preparing for another three-week shutdown, adding to a turbulent year for the nearly 6,000 workers at the factory that builds Chrysler’s last remaining vehicle, the Pacifica.
Windsor Plant Shutdown Set to Begin October 19
Unifor Local 444 President James Stewart announced the latest downtime at the Windsor plant on October 2, while workers were still off from a previous multi-week layoff.
In a Facebook post, Stewart told members that “starting on October 19, the plant is looking at three more consecutive weeks down, returning in and around November 9.”
“That’s more downtime in our system, something we didn’t want to hear,” Stewart said.
Production at the plant was canceled for the weeks of September 21 and 28, with October 5 scheduled as the first day back. The latest shutdown will extend the downtime into November.
Stellantis Workers Remain Without a Contract
The latest production pause comes as Stellantis Windsor Assembly workers remain without a contract. The existing collective bargaining agreement expired on September 20, while negotiations for a new deal are ongoing.
A key issue in the negotiations is the Stellantis plant in Brampton, which has been closed since production of the previous Charger ended in 2023. Stellantis is looking to sell the plant, while Unifor officials have indicated that a strike could be considered to stop the sale.
Workers in Windsor are unlikely to receive a new contract until the Brampton situation is resolved.
Chrysler’s Lineup Is Down to the Pacifica
Chrysler’s lineup has been reduced to a single vehicle, the Pacifica minivan. The model has sold more than 101,000 units in the first nine months of the year, outperforming all of its competitors.
However, the Pacifica is not the only vehicle built at the Windsor plant. The factory also produces Dodge’s last car, the Charger.
Charger sales have shown signs of improvement since the coupe and sedan became available with gas engines, with sales climbing 1,348% last quarter. Even so, Dodge sold fewer than 9,000 Chargers during the first nine months of the year.
Pacifica Inventory Allows Chrysler to Pause Production
Chrysler currently has around 10,000 Pacifica minivans at dealers across the country, representing about a three-month supply. That inventory gives Chrysler room to pause production for several weeks while managing its supply.
Dealers also have 8,800 gas-powered Chargers in inventory, nearly as many as Dodge has sold this year, along with 96 Charger EVs.
Stellantis Has Yet to Show Signs of Chrysler’s Revival
The Windsor Assembly Plant has experienced significant changes this year. Earlier in the year, Stellantis launched a third shift at the facility and hired 1,700 employees to operate it.
Stellantis has announced multiple plans to revive Chrysler, but the company has yet to show any real vehicles or signs of life from those plans.
