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Jeep Plant Prepares for Next Round of Layoffs

The plant has experienced a rapid decline.

The Jeep plant in Belvidere, IL has experienced a rapid decline in recent years.

In 2019, the plant employed 5,000 workers. Since then, the number has dropped to around 1,500.

According to the Rockford Register Star, the plant is bracing for another round of layoffs set to take place at the end of this month.

This amounts to the fifth round of job cuts at the plant in just over a year.

Stellantis is seeking to reduce employment at Belvidere to “603 non-skilled and 199 skilled trades employees,” according to a UAW letter sent to workers in late March.

At the time, the union called that level of cut “unobtainable” and warned workers against acting rashly in response.

Jeep owner Stellantis blames a nosedive in Jeep Cherokee sales, which were down 34% in 2021.

Local officials fear major impacts to the local economy and hope Stellantis will consider re-tooling the plant for assembly of a different vehicle.

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