The head of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association says it’s important we ask questions of Stellantis and the federal government about why the automaker is walking away from the Brampton Assembly Plant.
Flavio Volpe told AM800’s Mornings with Mike and Meg that he wants to hear from the company and the federal government about why a commitment to have vehicles made there until 2036 has evaporated on a whim.
Stellantis announced Monday that it has officially signed an agreement with defence contractor Roshel to sell its idle Brampton assembly plant.
The move comes after the automaker signed a memorandum of understanding in September with Roshel, a Brampton-based manufacturer of armoured vehicles, for a potential sale of the facility.
Under the asset purchase agreement, Roshel will acquire the facility and associated equipment from the automaker for an undisclosed amount.
The companies say they are also exploring future collaboration opportunities across vehicle technologies and related services in the defence industry.
Flavio says Stellantis is running away from its obligations.
“When you make a commitment, especially on paper, especially with public money, especially to celebration, you have to live up to it,” he says. “The company has decided that none of those commitments to the federal and provincial government funding, none of the commitments made in collective bargaining with the union, are worth living up to.”
Volpe says the company has six new vehicles that have not been allocated to any plants, which means one could be allocated to Brampton, but they’re deciding not to.
“Why do they want out of Brampton so bad? What is it about Canada that they don’t respect? What is it about Ontario that they don’t respect? What is it about these workers that they’re so callous to say, ‘Oh, Roshel will pick them up,” he says.
Volpe says the reason we don’t have any answers is that the company is not speaking.
“They don’t have the courage or respect for the workers or the suppliers to stand up and make a statement and take some questions and explain to everybody, ‘Hey, listen. We’re not a charity; we’re for profit. This isn’t working, and we’re really sorry.’ They won’t do that,” he says.
The move comes as contract talks remain at an impasse between Stellantis and the union representing more than 9,000 of its workers in Canada, including over 6,400 workers at the Windsor Assembly Plant, as the two sides have clashed over the future of the Brampton site.
Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa says the company remains “committed to working with Unifor on a fair resolution” and that the sale creates a path to return the plant to productive use.