Chrysler's to lay off (up to12,000) workers

[seemslikeadream]

Source: Chicago Sun Times

Chrysler's Belvidere plant to lay off workers
January 2, 2008
BY SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press
CHICAGO -- Chrysler LLC will lay off more than 1,000 workers in a planned cutback of workers at its northern Illinois plant, a company spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The Auburn Hills, Mich.-based automaker announced Nov. 1 that it would lay off up to 12,000 workers and eliminate shifts in five North American plants to combat sagging sales.

On Wednesday, Chrysler said starting Jan. 31 it will eliminate the third shift at the Belvidere assembly plant. The move affects 1,096 workers or nearly one-third of the plant’s approximately 3,400 workers.

“The action is a direct result of the tough economic environment and a response to the market,” said Chrysler spokeswoman Michele Tinson in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press.

The company is talking with the local United Auto Workers union about offering buyout and special retirement incentives, Tinson said.

The layoffs will affect about 600 temporary workers. Permanent employees will be laid off based on their years of service; those with least seniority will be affected first, Tinson said.


Read more: http://searchchicago.suntimes.com/autos/news/724807,srch-auto-3AP010208.article

[glowing]

1. Cut the ceo's sallary, and save some jobs.. or create a car worth

buying.

[lumberjack_jeff]

10. My Caliber was built at the Belvedere plant, and so was my FIL's Jeep Compass.

Both good cars.

http://autos.yahoo.com/2007_dodge_caliber_sxt-reviews_user/

Other owners seem to agree.

[glowing]

27. They may be good cars, but they aren't for the time... We need forward

thinking engineers that are able to produce a car that is viable for our future and engineers that are smart enough to take the plants currently in use and outfit them cheaply to produce these cars/ trucks... that's the key. Otherwise its a dead horse... My mom taught a quality control class at her old job.. She was the head of Quality and Training at a precision parts company... And the beginning of her lecture was about companies.... and recognizing what you were in the business of doing.... Her example was of the stagecoach co.... No one would ever think they'd go out of business because they were what was needed at the time.. then came along the train and cars and the stagecoach co. was out of business... You must recognize that what you are in the business of providing... The stagecoach co. should have recognized that they were in the business of providing transportation and always moved with the technology to provide transportation. Likewise.. car manufacturers must recognize they are providing transportation and adjust, rather than fight like mad to create regulations and special incentives from our legislatures. Oil co. should recognize that they are in the business of providing energy.. they should not be fighting technology, they should be working on capturing the the best, cheapest way to find renewable energy sources.... They will go out of business.. especially when the wells run dry.

[Kolesar]

17. Union bashing run amok

How many cars have you built, by the way? Do you even know what a bill of materials is?

[glowing]

28. I'm not blaming the workers.. they build what they are told.. I'm blaming

the managers and the engineers... they need to move forward... its time to change transportation needs in this country... FDR the green way....

[Kolesar]

30. Some of those engineers were classmates of mine in engineering school...eom

[glowing]

34. Well, push them along or tell them to work for a more progressive company.

I know hard to find and scary to do when there are children to feed... We just can't keep doing the same ole' same ole'.. and with jobs the way they are.. people are going to be patching up the rust buckets the best they can.. they cannot afford a new car. I know I can't.

[Kolesar]

38. You who cannot make payments on a car want to tell them how to run a company

[redqueen]

39. No, they asked for better cars. GM already produced an electric car.

It's not an unreasonable request.

Now if it's your contention that it's out of their hands, that's one thing... but accusing that person of blaming unions is frankly laughable.

[tabasco]

40. Because not having money for a new car means you're stupid?

These brilliant fucking CEOs would be panhandling if it were not for corporate welfare.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

32. No, the CEO will receive a multi-million dollar bonus for cutting costs...

:mad:

[Blue_Tires]

sad....tough time of year to lose your job

[mod mom]

2. ah...the benefits of free trade that the Clinton's helped deliver mixed with the

robber baron mindset of the over paid CEOs who refuse to produce what the public wants.

:mad:

[DainBramaged]

13. So blame the Clinton's for Mercedes Benz's mismanagement

Jesus

[mod mom]

25. I blamed Clinton's for free trade (outsourcing) and robber baron CEOs for not

producing what the public wanted.

[DainBramaged]

26. Yup. Bill did it.

Sure, It's always the fault of a Clinton. Not the Rethuglican Congress of 1995-2006. They AREN'T TO BLAME FOR ANYTHING.:shrug:

[mod mom]

29. The Clintons and their buddies @ the DLC embrace FREE TRADE:

DLC | Blueprint Magazine | February 7, 2001
The Free Trade Area of the Americas: Why the United States Must Take the Lead
By Jenny Bates



Exactly three months after moving into the White House, the new president will face one of the biggest foreign policy challenges -- and opportunities -- of his term. In April 2001, at the Summit of the Americas in Quebec, he can assert U.S. leadership in the creation of a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) -- a $10 trillion common market of 800 million people stretching from the Bering Strait to Tierra del Fuego. By taking the lead at a critical moment in the FTAA's formation, the president can ensure that it reflects U.S. interests and values while locking in Latin America's movement toward democracy and economic reforms. Failure to lead the way into this enormous and unprecedented free market, furthermore, would be costly: The United States could be shut out of Latin American markets, regional protectionism would rise, and the leadership vacuum would be filled by another powerful player such as Brazil.

-snip
http://www.ndol.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=108&subid=206&contentid=2974


Hillary: the right's choice?
Clinton's free-trade economics and posturing on security could endear her to conservatives unimpressed by the GOP field.
By Bruce Bartlett
August 10, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-bartlett10aug10,0,6579030.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail

As a member of the UAW (I am making that assumption due to your inclusion of their seal) I would think this issue of outsourcing well paying jobs overseas to increase corporate profit would be important to you. It is the reason so many union jobs have disappeared and many Americans have been forced to work multiple lower paying jobs. This puts a strain on families when parents have less time for their children. It is also bad for the environment because many of the countries where the jobs are sent do not have protection laws, (or labor laws as well). Free trade exploits workers to assure a better bottom line for the investor class.

[DainBramaged]

31. Do you think I am stupid?

Do you think I am not aware of the problems caused by NAFTA and other free trade agreements?


My bone of contention is there is always someone who points at Bill Clinton and proclaims "it's all his fault". And it seems you are the one pointing the finger this time. Nothing else mattered, it's his fault alone.


:sarcasm:

[redqueen]

41. Was Bill not its biggest Democratic champion in office at the time? (nt)

[lpbk2713]

3. Interesting counterpoint.

Didn't I just see a thread about how Smirky recently said the economy is rock solid and doing just great?

Try telling that to these former Chrysler workers.

Ed to add link: Here

[ixion]

4. yep, he said it today... "the foundation is strong"

of course, he's not talking about jobs. Remember our last "jobless" recovery?

[Demeter]

20. Bush Announced His Very Own Recession Starting This Spring on Evening Radio

He decided to take credit, rather than have it thrust upon him. He figures if he raises the issue, then the conversation is over, and it drops into that memory hole.

When even W can see it coming, it's gonna be bad.

[tabasco]

42. The economy is rock solid for people like this:

[closeupready]

5. Economy is just whizzing along, ain't it?

:eyes:

[Lint Head]

6. Chrysler sucks. I bought a lemon and had one hell of a time

getting rid of it under warranty. They tried to scam me. I had a rep that lied and said he was from corporate headquarters. When I demonstrated the problems he acted like he was deaf. I stopped the car several miles from the dealer and said, "If you talk down to me one more time I will put you out right here and you will walk back." The car was replaced with another piece of shit that we ended up getting rid of. End corporate rights now! :dem:

[Javaman]

7. recession much?

Yeah...planned. at least they were nice enought to wait till after the holidays. :/

[november3rd]

8. Somebody forgot

Somebody Forgot to give The Decider the memo. I don't understand how it could have happened, though, because he met with his financial advisers. http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/04/news/economy/bush_economy.ap/index.htm?cnn=yes

Markets 'strong' despite slowing economy - Bush

[tabasco]

9. When Booshie said the economy is strong did he mean Japan?

or India?

[superconnected]

21. Dubai.

[madrchsod]

11. the guy that runs chrysler

takes a car home and drives it until he figures out what`s wrong with them..he`s figured out that the product is pretty bad compared to other cars. they have no money to develop new engines which puts them into a bad position to compete in the future.my daughter is one of the workers hoping that this guy can figure out how to save chrysler.

benz just put close to a billion dollars into rebuilding the belvidere plant.....

[DainBramaged]

12. Chrysler is the company with the least efficient line up

And is going to dissolve or merge with Ford or GM for survival, no other way it succeeds.

[Kolesar]

18. It is owned by that investment company right now

Which puts it in "uncharted territory". I expect that they will sell Chrysler to some other company eventually.

[DainBramaged]

22. They will break off pieces first, as most "investment" companies do

It will become a shell of itself and a marginal player, that is my prediction. NO company can survive with 185 aged days inventory, $10,000 off of list + $5000 rebates on leftover models. There just isn't that much profit built in anymore. And all of those discounts/rebates push down the price of the used cars, there by making current owner's positions "upside down" and untenable.

[Doctor_J]

14. Guess the Jan job report isn't going to be too good either

Bushonomics is great, isn't it?

[ohio2007]

35. ..and thats way they are saying ; "It's the economy, stupid"

the more laid off blue collars the better the voter turnout imo. At least that is what "they" are hoping for by ignoring Iraq/Afghanistan.

[butterfly77]

15. what, more good news...

[ben_meyers]

16. Should have let them die 30 years ago!

Chrysler would have been absorbed by the other companies and maybe the ones left would have been better equipped to compete.

As Chrysler was tottering in 1979, President Jimmy Carter and the Democratic-controlled Congress cobbled together a rescue plan that included $1.5 billion in federal loan guarantees and a package of concessions worth several billion dollars more from others interested in Chrysler's survival, including its union, its bankers and its dealers.

The Carter administration also made a 25 percent tariff on imports of Japanese light trucks unavoidable — building a protective wall around what were to become Detroit's hottest products: sport utility vehicles and minivans.

But the politics of the day didn't allow for it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/14/automobiles/14bailout.html?_r=1&n=Top/News/Business/Companies/General%20Motors%20Corporation&oref=slogin

[ohio2007]

37. History will repeat with the next admin imo

Another Iaccoca success spin to a govt bailout?

The airline industry was given billions after 9/11. I wouldn't be surprised if the auto industry with their aged retiree's gets life support coverage.

[tridim]

19. Our economy ROCKS!

:eyes:

[Bitwit1234]

23. I can't understand that...I just saw on CNN

this afternoon that Chrysler is number 1 in the USA> they outsell Toyota

[OhioChick]

24. ....And

Where will these jobs show up?
Bet I know....

[2Design]

33. LOVE my PT Cruiser n/t

[lovuian]

36. this is the beginning of really tough times people

scary times for America
we will be leaving Iraq its just a matter of time

[jmowreader]

43. Hiring Bob Nardelli really worked out for you guys, huh?

[earth mom]

44. We've owned a couple Jeeps. Never a break down. Best cars we've owned.

My hubby is drooling over the 4 door Wrangler...it's tempting...but I just don't want any more payments since our other Jeep is almost paid off.

Btw, what was it that Edwards was saying about jobs being lost? And good paying jobs at that. :argh: