(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — President Joe Biden will travel to Illinois Thursday, and he’s expected to bring attention to recent victories by United Auto Workers (UAW).
The president will visit Belvidere, where a Stellantis plant that’s been closed since February will reopen as a result of the deal between the Jeep auto maker and UAW. The contract UAW negotiated with the automaker followed a six-week strike, in which Biden supported the striking workers.
The reopening “goes to the heart of who he is, the heart of his vision for the country and how he's led,” said Jen O’Malley Dillon, White House deputy chief of staff.
Before the shutdown, the plant employed about 1,300 people. Stellantis agreed to hire back 1,200 employees to build a pickup truck and to add another 1,300 workers for a battery factory.
The UAW also has tentative agreements with General Motors and Ford.
After his visit to Belvidere, The President will head to Chicago for a fundraiser with megadonors.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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