International Stellantis Newsletter No. 32 – April 2026

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The international day of action on March 24 was no ordinary day of protest. It was a first declaration of war, a signal—and perhaps most aptly described by what a colleague at Opel Eisenach (Germany) said into the open microphone:

“Before every soccer game, you have to warm up first. This is the warm-up for the group-wide struggle for every plant, for every job, and for the 30-hour workweek with full wage compensation across the group.”

The day of action stems from a joint resolution of the Stellantis Group Forum at the 3rd International Auto Workers’ Conference in November 2025 in Pune, India. The attacks on our jobs, our wages, and our working conditions are intensifying. Plant closures are on the horizon and are being prepared. At the same time, we are witnessing dramatic political developments in which military buildup, crises, the threat of fascism, environmental destruction, and social cuts are closely intertwined. It became clear in many discussions during the day of action: The question of the future of our jobs is inextricably linked to the major social issues. The transition to electric drives is necessary, but not at the expense of jobs! And switching to arms production cannot be an option for us as workers, because a war economy means war. On February 6, dockworkers in several countries mounted coordinated resistance against this course by refusing to load military equipment. At Volkswagen and Ford in Cologne (Germany), union members have publicly declared their opposition to arms production.

It is precisely because of this political dimension that the idea of international workers’ unity is so appealing. Because only together are we strong. Many still remember past shared experiences well—such as the successful day of action in 2021 in Eisenach, when international solidarity made a concrete contribution to defending the plant.

What happened on the day of action?

In Germany, the potential for such action was most clearly evident. In Eisenach, Bochum, and Rüsselsheim, many colleagues actively participated. In Eisenach, there had already been a meeting during the late shift the day before, and the company newspaper “der Blitz” informed all plants in Germany. On the day of action itself, colleagues in Rüsselsheim gathered at the plant with a banner. In Eisenach, within an hour and a half, around 250 colleagues signed the banner with our main international slogan. In Bochum, too, with around 100 participants, it became clear: when actions are well organized, many colleagues are happy to join in. In the meantime, the elimination of another 650 jobs at the development center in Rüsselsheim has been announced. Since 2017, the workforce has been reduced from 15,000 to 6,800 today. The promise of protection against layoffs until 2029 did not prevent this. But there were increasingly militant actions, such as the campaign to hire all temporary workers.

International experiences with a perspective

In Poissy near Paris, leaflets were distributed at the factory gate, conversations were held, and signatures were collected. Colleagues signed up with messages such as “We must fight!” or “Thank you for fighting for everyone!” The atmosphere was militant, supported by music and direct engagement. A correspondent reported that there was not enough material available—interest was greater than expected. At the same time, new active colleagues came forward who want to participate in the future. The end of car production at the Poissy plant has since been officially announced. A similar action in Turin (Italy) at the Fiat main plant in Mirafiori unfortunately had to be postponed at short notice due to an important strike at another plant. Four days earlier, the workforce in Cassino (Italy) went on strike against the plant’s decline. In Argentina, the day of action was combined with a commemoration of the victims of the fascist coup exactly 50 years ago, and particularly of the revolutionary trade unionist René Salamanca. In the U.S., an interview with three representatives of the Auto Workers’ Coordination Group was published in the UAWD’s newspaper, *Daily Struggle*, on the day of action.

And yet we must soberly acknowledge that we are still a long way from a truly company-wide day of action. There was no response from several countries, and the CGT Stellantis in France did not take action despite having agreed to do so. We are not surprised that there is also a lot of pushback. In every country, nationalist poison is being spread so that our colleagues think only of their own plant, their own country. Many union leaders demand investments only for their own country and not in other countries. But our colleagues in the other plants are not competitors. We are an international corporate workforce and an international working class with a common enemy. The day of action made it clear that international workers’ unity is not just an idea—it is lived out by many colleagues. There is very broad support for the common demands, but it must be organized much better. Above all, we must place greater emphasis on involving young people in our activities. Their future is at stake.

A company-wide struggle does not arise on its own and cannot simply be called for. It must be prepared—in every plant, together with more and more colleagues who take on responsibility. Where information was provided early on, where meetings were held, and where personal conversations took place, participation was significantly higher. The key lies in direct persuasion, organized collaboration, and building trust. None of this happens overnight.

Equally important are international exchange, continuous information sharing, and feedback. Growing international cooperation requires strong ties—not just isolated actions. Despite all the positive developments, it must be noted: This day of action alone will not stop the plans of corporate leadership. Many colleagues know this very well. But it has made forces visible, created connections, and shown that a shared vision is possible. The idea of international workers’ unity leads to the conviction that we can become a superior force against the capitalists. A society without exploitation, environmental destruction, and war is possible. May Day, in particular, stands for the labor movement’s vision of a liberated society—which for many people is socialism.

The Next Steps

We propose that everywhere on May 1, we visibly carry our common message into the public sphere: No plant closures, no layoffs—no plant stands alone! For a 30-hour workweek with full wage compensation within the corporation! The banners bearing this slogan, which were created for the day of action, must absolutely be carried together at the demonstrations. It is not only in the U.S. that a new awareness is emerging of May 1 as the international day of struggle for the working class. It is good that the May 1 demonstration march often enters the rally site to the singing of “The Internationale.”

On May 21, Stellantis’s corporate leadership plans to present its strategy. We propose stepping up workplace actions on that day: No matter what they announce up there, we will not accept plant closures or job cuts! We have the positive answer with the 30-hour workweek at full pay within the company! Actions must be well prepared, and it is essential to involve new colleagues. It will be crucial to further expand the connections we have begun to build. Individual actions must increasingly coalesce into a strong, united movement.

Workers of all countries, unite!