Stellantis dropping more US jobs; may drop a brand (updated)

Stellantis, in its pursuit of a “cheapest labor-cost country” strategy, is again offering salaried employees a voluntary buyout package while suggesting that layoffs will come if the buyouts don’t drive away enough people.

This is the second drive to slash headcount apparently without considering individual employees’ performance, and it was not announced to the public but sent by email to 6,400 salaried employees.

The buyouts are being blamed on a drop in North American profits, which are still far larger than Stellantis profits from any other region.  Rumors of further layoffs have been circulating around Auburn Hills for about a month. Carlos Tavares, Stellantis’ chief executive, has also said that they may revisit the idea of dropping one or more brands from the 15 (including Leapmotor) currently sold by the company. While Facebook commentators have focused on Chrysler and Dodge as possibilities, DS, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati are also possibly money-losing brands. Alfa Romeo has had at least one car shifted to Maserati, which is usually but not always profitable; and whether DS is really needed with Alfa Romeo and Maserati both in the mix is uncertain. The company could also, theoretically, move Ram back into Dodge, which would remove one brand with relative ease and no actual vehicle losses.

Update: Automotive News wrote that the email specified that “Employees from the vice president level down will be eligible” and that people with any level of tenure at the company can apply.

via Automotive News (full article behind paywall)