Belvidere Recall Rules Finalized, Timeline for Openings Still Unclear

BELVIDERE — United Auto Workers Local 1268 announced last week that workers laid off from the Belvidere Assembly Plant, along with those who signed return-to-home or former labor market requests, will be placed on a single recall list ranked by seniority to fill future openings at the plant. The list will determine recall order once the plant begins rehiring, but no timeline has been given for when positions will become available. The Belvidere plant, which spans 5.4 million square feet and is one of the largest auto assembly facilities in the world, was idled in February 2023. Under the 2023 UAW-Stellantis agreement, the plant is expected to reopen in 2027 to build a new mid-size pickup truck, potentially bringing back more than 1,500 workers.