Stellantis, the automotive giant behind the Jeep brand, is temporarily shutting down production at several plants and issuing layoffs that will affect 900 workers, following new U.S. tariffs. The company's Windsor Assembly Plant in Canada is set to halt operations starting April 7 for a two-week duration, with plans to resume the week of April 21. This decision directly impacts the 4,500 Windsor employees who are represented by Unifor Local 444, whose president James Stewart divulged, "the company said there are multiple factors at play," with the U.S. tariffs being the decisive catalyst for this move, as he detailed in a social media post Wednesday night, reported by CBS News Detroit .

The production halt extends beyond Windsor, affecting Stellantis' Toluca Assembly Plant in Mexico, which will also suspend operations this month. The far-reaching impact of these shutdowns reaches workers in Warren Stamping and Sterling Stamping plants in Michigan, as well as Indiana's Transmission Plant, Kokomo Transmission Plant, and Kokomo Casting Plant, who are among the 900 facing a layoff situation. Antonio Filosa, Stellantis' Chief Operating Officer for the Americas, conveyed in a letter to employees that the company is to actively assess the ongoing impacts of the tariffs, a message obtained by ClickOnDetroit .

According to a WXYZ report, the recent enforce of automotive sector tariffs by President Donald Trump, which includes a 25% tariff on imported vehicles and impending tariffs on key auto parts and components, prompted Stellantis’ immediate response. The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees laid off at the Michigan plant.

In a statement, UAW President Shawn Fain criticized Stellantis’ decision, pointing out that "companies like Stellantis use workers as collateral damage to pay the price for management's poor decisions," adding that it was "everything that's wrong with our broken trade system." Fain's critique, obtained by CBS News Detroit , highlights the contentious nature of the layoffs and the broader impact they are expected to have on the auto industry workforce across North America.

While Stellantis officials maintain that they will adapt quickly to the policy changes and work to "protect our company, maintain our competitive edge and continue delivering great products to our customers," according to Filosa's statement shared with ClickOnDetroit , there is little comfort for the hundreds of employees now facing an uncertain future as industry-wide adjustments take hold. Stellantis pledges to provide updates as the situation develops and remains in dialogue with key stakeholders, including government, union representatives, suppliers, and dealers, to manage the repercussions of these substantial tariffs.