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Workers at Stellantis Warren Truck Assembly Plant and Detroit Assembly Complex Jefferson (DACJ) report that management has taken advantage of the expiration of the contract to victimize workers who remain in the plants as a result of the United Auto Workers’ divisive “stand-up strike.”

A worker at Warren Truck reported that at least 10 workers were “walked out” Friday, many for petty infractions such as wearing ear buds on the line. Workers report being terrified for their jobs under conditions where even the very limited contract protections have been suspended. 

“I am afraid to come to work because I don’t know what is going to happen,” said a worker. 

“It’s pretty scary. I know the reason they were fired was stupid stuff like cell phones and glasses. Normally, workers don’t put on their safety glasses until they start work, but technically you are supposed to have your glasses on when you walk in the door.”

A worker at DACJ said, “No one is happy about working without a contract and having no representation. In the meantime, we are ‘at will’ employees in a boat without a life vest.” 

About the selective strike, in which the UAW has ordered the vast majority of its members at the Big Three to continue to work without a contract, the worker said, “This is not a joke. You are putting people in danger.”

“We are on pins and needles because we don’t know what is going to happen.” Management, they said, is “now able to do what they want to do and they know it. Normally there is a step process. Management doesn’t usually mess with us about petty things like cell phones and ear buds. Now the UAW is saying we have to be more careful, that it doesn’t have leverage because there is no process. 

“People here don’t believe Fain is their savior. They talked about how back in 2009 he helped take away things from us. Now he wants to grandstand, like throwing the contract in the garbage, to make it look like he is for the workers.

“Many people think we should strike all the plants. We even had our strike assignments and people were ready to walk out. People are now confused about what is happening.”