PDA

View Full Version : Chrysler offers buyouts to hourly Detroit workers


Big_Dave
January 29th, 2008, 01:20
The unions have effectively killed the American auto industry, at least it's on that path. Cutting off their noses to spite their face, but WTF, the union bosses don't care. They can move on and take their trade to a new industry to bankrupt.
Chrysler offers buyouts to hourly Detroit workers

By Ben Klayman2 hours, 18 minutes ago

Chrysler LLC said on Monday it is offering buyouts of up to $100,000 each to hourly workers at 12 of its Detroit-area facilities as part of its November plan to eliminate up to 10,000 unionized jobs.

The offer will be extended to about 14,000 workers represented by the United Auto Workers union at the plants which make cars, engines, axles and other parts, Chrysler spokeswoman Michele Tinson said. About 4,600 can opt for a more attractive retirement package.

The buyouts could be extended to a 13th plant in Warren, Michigan, which was idled this week, and the automaker is in talks with the UAW to extend them to eight other U.S. plants, she said. The same offer was made earlier this year to hourly workers at plants in Belvidere, Illinois; Toledo, Ohio; and St. Louis, Missouri.

General Motors Corp and Ford Motor Co said earlier in January that they had launched buyouts for UAW-represented hourly workers in North America.

GM's buyout offers cover about 46,000 workers, while Ford said it would offer buyouts to all 54,000 UAW hourly workers. Ford did not announce a target for the buyouts but has nearly 12,000 retirement-eligible U.S. factory workers.

Industry analysts expect the U.S. auto sector to experience another down year in 2008 -- with one investor predicting a possible 15-year sales low. Top U.S. auto executives have said they would not hesitate to further adjust restructuring plans as needed if the market weakened further.

In November, Chrysler, which private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management took over in August, said it would cut up to 10,000 hourly jobs over the next 14 months as it moved to slash North American production.

The cuts were in addition to 13,000 jobs Chrysler had already planned to eliminate as part of a restructuring plan announced in February. Combined, the two announcements represented almost half its unionized factory positions.

Chrysler said in November it would also cut 1,000 salaried jobs and eliminate almost 40 percent of its white-collar contract positions.

Cerberus took control of Chrysler in a $7.4 billion deal. Daimler AG retains a nearly 20 percent stake in the U.S. automaker.

The Chrysler offers run through February 18, Tinson said. The buyout includes a lump-sum payment of $100,000 and six months of health benefits, while the retirement package includes a lump-sum payment of $70,000 as well as better pension and health-care benefits.

(Reporting by Ben Klayman; Editing by Mark Porter/Derek Caney)

David_Reed
January 29th, 2008, 19:47
Dave,

your argument, based on fallacies, has been essentially shot in the a**.

The truth is available, and you saw it, over "there".
From the holder of FIVE (5) UNION cards.

saddletramp
February 4th, 2008, 13:49
The big three have consistently failed over the years to come up with a vehicle that will excel in fuel mileage and compete with the Toyotas of the world. One has to wonder what the reason is to not develop of car or truck that can achieve fuel mileages of over 30 to 40 miles per gallon. We have all heard about the devices manufactured in the past that would give a vehicle the ability to get great fuel mileage, only to have the patents bought up by GM or Ford and have that technology "filed" away, never to be seen again......

So with that, is it really the "Unions" that is killing the Auto industry, or are they doing it to themselves???

We all applaud a Owner Operator who is operating his truck at 3.50 or more per mile, but scoff at a hourly worker who is making 20 to 30 bucks per hour, and treat them like they are greedy folks who are getting way more than they are worth. It doesn't matter whether they work under a labor agreement or not; a person should be able to work for the best paycheck one can achieve. After all thats what we work for isn't it??

There will always be plenty of blame to go around for the unions tearing this country apart with high wages and benefits, but what about the companies that pull up stakes here and move to Mexico and the Far East to avoid the taxes, enviromental regulations, and yes, the wages and benefits they pay, just to increase their bottom lines and share owners profits??

tommy
February 4th, 2008, 19:37
but what about the companies that pull up stakes here and move to Mexico and the Far East to avoid the taxes, enviromental regulations, and yes, the wages and benefits they pay, just to increase their bottom lines and share owners profits


One has to wonder what the reason is to not develop of car or truck that can achieve fuel mileages of over 30 to 40 miles per gallon.

So with that, is it really the "Unions" that is killing the Auto industry, or are they doing it to themselves???



BINGO, I agree with ya on this one Bob.. :)