Workers Face Uncertain Future as Manufacturing Plans Shift

Michigan – Stellantis, the multinational automaker that produces popular vehicle models like the Jeep Wagoneer, has recently dropped a bombshell announcement which could potentially impact up to 2,450 of its workers. Amid news of restructuring and shifting production paradigms, the company is discontinuing the production of an older model pickup truck – the Ram 1500 Classic.

The Ram 1500 Classic model, currently manufactured at the Stellantis facility in Warren, Michigan, has been a perennial favorite among budget-conscious fleet buyers and entry-level consumers in the pickup truck market. However, an upcoming update to the Ram 1500 lineup for the 2025 model year seems to be spelling the end for this classic model.

No More Classics?

The newly revamped Ram 1500 model for 2025, the Tradesman, is scheduled to be produced at a separate manufacturing plant. Stellantis’ restructuring plans in Warren do not seem to include this facility, leaving the future of the current workers on the Ram 1500 Classic production line in balance.

In a recent statement, Stellantis revealed it will move from a two-shift to a one-shift operating pattern in its General Assembly department, a plan which will inevitably lead to significant layoffs. Supporting operations within the same facility, however, will remain on two shifts to accommodate the continued production of Jeep Wagoneer models.

A wave of layoffs expected

Stellantis’ plans could trigger layoffs for as many as 2,450 employees in the near future, with the cutbacks expected to begin as early as October. The Warren Truck Assembly Plant, where the Ram 1500 is currently produced, is said to employ around 3,900 people in total, highlighting the extent of the possible workforce reduction.

This news follows a recent trend of layoffs in Stellantis’ global operations, including those in Michigan. Just last month, 1,600 workers were temporarily let go as the company trimmed production due to disappointing sales figures for the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models.

In addition, Stellantis has commenced offering buyouts to salaried employees in the U.S from vice presidential levels downwards. There are approximately 11,000 such employees on the company’s books today, which gives a sense of scale to the ongoing workforce reduction and restructuring efforts by Stellantis.