Stellantis cutting 400 white-collar tech and engineering jobs

For the third time in a year, Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) is letting go of another 400 white-collar U.S. employees as it continues to cut costs in the highly competitive electric vehicle market.

The cuts will come in engineering, technology, and software according to an internal memo viewed by The Wall Street Journal. The memo told nonunion employees to work from home on Friday ahead of “important operational meetings” that will notify which employees will be impacted by the layoffs.

Last November, the automaker offered buyouts to nearly half of its white-collar workforce in the aftermath of its new contract with the United Autoworkers union. The UAW secured a 25% raise over four years along with cost-of-living increases and gave union members the right to strike over plant closures.

“As the U.S. automotive industry continues to face challenging market conditions, Stellantis is taking the necessary structural actions to protect our operations,” a company spokesperson said at the time of the November buyout.

In December, Stellantis (STLA) said it would reduce the number of shifts at its Detroit Jeep plant and cut jobs at its Toledo facility, attributing the decision, in part, to California’s emissions regulations as well as declining Jeep sales.

And a month later, the company cut 600 jobs at a French factory as a result of a “hesitant European market.” At the time, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said the automaker will not engage in a price war with EV rivals, avoiding a “race to the bottom.”