Stellantis has announced that after almost five years the third shift will be returning to the Windsor Assembly Plant sometime in early 2026.
The automaker issued a statement to AM800 News that says, "In anticipation of increased demand for the products built at the Windsor Assembly Plant, including all versions of the Chrysler Pacifica and the new SIXPACK-powered Dodge Charger Scat Pack and R/T models, Stellantis confirms that it will be returning the plant to a three-shift operation in early 2026, honouring a commitment made during 2023 Unifor negotiations."
Unifor Local 444 President James Stewart says the news is huge.
"We've had a lot of meetings over the last several months. Commitments from bargaining and issues that have been affecting the auto industry. Today, finally, the company verified with us they intend to start the third shift back at the Windsor Assembly Plant sometime in the first quarter of 2026," he says.
The third shift was eliminated in July 2020, resulting in approximately 1,500 job losses.
Stewart says the fact that Stellantis is making this commitment means they recognize the forecasts are good for their products.
He says it's great news for our plant, our city, the auto industry, and the feeder system.
"It's sending a signal that things are getting better, at least locally. We still have some hard times ahead of us, I think. Hopefully this is a way forward to relieve some of that stress for people," he says.
While an exact date for the launch of the third shift has yet to be determined, it will be early in the first quarter of 2026.
Stewart adds that the third shift could employ up to 1,000 employees, but there are a lot of conversations to still take place around that and the hiring process.