Chrysler Offers $100,000 Buyouts To All UAW Plant Workers In Metro Detroit

[Purveyor]

Source: Detroit News

All UAW-represented Chrysler LLC workers at Metro Detroit plants are expected to be offered buyouts and early retirement as the automaker works to eliminate the announced 8,500 to 10,000 hourly jobs.

Workers at eight area factories, including Sterling Heights Assembly, received offers today, said Chrysler spokeswoman Michelle Tinson.

Employees at Chrysler's Jefferson North plant in Detroit already have received paperwork and are deciding whether or not to accept the packages. Offers have not yet been extended to employees at Warren Truck because the plant is on temporary shutdown this week.

Chrysler employs about 12,000 United Autoworkers members at its 10 Metro Detroit manufacturing sites. Any worker with more than one year of experience -- and very few Chrysler factory workers are of that short tenure -- is eligible to accept a $100,000 buyout.

Some 4,600 of those workers are eligible for early retirement, which would include retiree health care and benefits as opposed to the buyout packages, which do not.



Read more: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080128/BIZ/801280408/1396

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Nice buyout.

[JeanGrey]

12. Excuse me but what a crock of shit.

Know how long a hundred grand before tax will last the first time you get sick and go to the hospital without insurance? FUCKERS. (sorry)

[ingac70]

23. Speaking as someone who took a buyout from Ford...

this buyout likely includes 6 months insurance coverage. Ultimately this is better than getting cut off completely, like alot of UAW workers will be very soon.

My advice is take the money and run. I took mine and enrolled in HVAC courses at the local trade school.

[michreject]

26. No one has to tale it....nt

[JeanGrey]

34. I know people who took buyouts for a LOT less, and funny,

that six months of insurance IF you don't have to buy Cobra at amazing rates flies by when you can't find another job. So does your money.

[JerseygirlCT]

16. Won't go very far w/o insurance and with

no other jobs.

[JeanGrey]

35. Thank you. Someone with sense.

[JeanGrey]

36. The next thing they will go to court so they can kick their

retirees in the ass and take their medical benefits away (if they have any).

[JerseygirlCT]

45. Yes, I sure wouldn't feel too secure were I depending on

insurance like that, anyway.

There really ought to be safeguards put in place.

[enid602]

2. workers

Wait a minute; they plan to layoff 8,000 to 10,500 in the Metro Detroit area, and there are only 12,000 workers to start with? Won't leave many left.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. The catch is there are only 12,000 United Autoworkers in the plants.

[alfredo]

53. That's so they can rehire non union workers.

[gordianot]

4. I'm sure Romney will personally help workers in his native Michigan.

Everyone will become rich with investment.:sarcasm:

[DCKit]

7. It's hard to be a corporate raider these days...

that's why they've all gone into politics.

[DavidDvorkin]

5. And of course those retiree health benefits will last for the rest of their lives

Or until the company asks a court to release it from the agreement.

[michreject]

27. I do believe that the helth bennies

were taken over by the UAW.

[pipoman]

6. Is this the sucking sound Perot described?

[KillCapitalism]

8. They should take some of that $100K &

get a nursing degree. They'd have awesome job security once they're done with school then.

This is certainly what I'd do if I were in their shoes.

[JeanGrey]

13. And if they are say, 55 or so and already worn out?

They should get a nursing degree and enter the workforce at 60? Sure.

[KillCapitalism]

20. I would even if I was 55.

Getting back into the workforce, even though it would be tiring would be better than sitting at home eating cat food for the rest of your life.

[JeanGrey]

31. I am too SICK to go to school and work.

Cat food or not.

[ingac70]

24. worn out?

assembly line work is alot more taxing than nursing.

[JeanGrey]

32. Nursing is extremely taxing, just ask one.

My Aunt was a nurse and she had to lift people and do a lot of physical work.

[joeglow3]

29. Since when is a nursing degree a 5 year degree...

...and if they are so close to retirement, then they should be able to get an easy job and coast into retirement anyway.

[JeanGrey]

33. Try being "close to retirement" and get a job.

Go ahead.

[Habibi]

37. Many who go into nursing as a second or third career

need to take remedial math and science courses in order to qualify just to enter the program.

You must be pretty young yet.

[joeglow3]

42. So, they have to take 3 years of math?

Give me a break.

[Habibi]

46. Give *me* a break.

Are you middle-aged? Have you tried to go back to school to train for a career that everybody and her sister is also trying to train for? It's tough to get into the classes you need to simply qualify for these programs. So yeah, it could very well take three years.

All is not as simple as your simple-minded world view would have it.

[joeglow3]

47. I take classes at the local university and community college

for my personal enjoyment (I already have my masters). I have NEVER had a single problem getting a class I wanted. Sure, if you wanted to take differential equations, you may have some difficulty. However, I have NEVER seen a college that did not have about 173 offerings of Algebra and other entry level classes covering just about every time slot of every day. Really, the question is, have YOU tried to take entry level classes? If so, you really need to switch where you are going because it is an understaffed POS.

[Habibi]

48. Actually, I considered going into rad tech a couple of years ago.

And the wait to get into the qualifying classes was pretty tough. Because lots of people wanted to go that route, too. And as there's only one program in the area, it was wait, or move.

That's nice that you can get every class you want. Doesn't justify generalizing from your own amazing experience to everyone else on the planet. Learn some empathy, for Christ's sake.

[dysfunctional press]

38. not everyone is cut out to do nursing.

i know that it's something that i could never do as a career.

[cstanleytech]

9. Is that before or after taxes?

Either way though its a decent cushion for alot of people and hopefully it will provide some of them the time they need to find other jobs.

[windbreeze]

10. Is this hard to understand?

There are NO other jobs...$100,000 probably equals out to less than two years worth of wages...these are people who have families, and have homes...I know some people in Michigan...the state is hard hit...I don't think most of us can even begin to imagine what this really means....sounds good...sure...take the taxes out of that money, and remember to remove your family's medical benefits...then tell me how good it still sounds....wb

[Purveyor]

11. Thank you for that reply windbreeze. Indeed, $100k is not a lot of money once

taxes are taken out and the 6 months of health insurance runs out.

Best thing these people can do is take the money (only real option because if they don't they will be laid-off anyway) and get the hell out of this state.

We lost some 30k+ residents last year and I'm sure this year will surpass that number.

[joeglow3]

30. EXACTLY. Union Pacific is recruiting these people hard

With retirements set to hit UP hard, they are trying to get laid off workers from Detroit. Sorry, but sometimes you HAVE to move for a job. Suck it up, take the 100k and move.

[windbreeze]

51. Wow......

I am astounded...IF they qualify for those jobs at UP...fine, and there is nothing wrong with qualified people moving to have a job...but are they really going to need ten thousand jobs filled?? ...you speak as though you are talking about turning off and on a faucet.. wb

[cstanleytech]

18. To some people yes it is alot of money.

Sorry if your not happy with it but I know plenty of people who that much money would be extremely helpful including myself and if they cant find *any* job within 2 years to pay their basic bills then maybe they need to try harder or cut down on how much they are spending.
Yeah I know it sounds kinda republican, but sometimes I do agree with them on some things and one of those is people need to not try and live beyond their means.
As for loss of medical yeah thats a kicker and I am hoping whichever democrat wins will be able to work out a decent medical coverage program for every legal citizen of our country as their is just no excuse for lacking such a thing and the "medical care only if you can pay for it is" attitude is disgusting.

[windbreeze]

19. doesn't involve me

so it doesn't matter to me one way or the other...I was just making a point, that it sounds like a lot of money(unless you worked there less than a year, which leaves you with no job/no money)...until you take at least 20% out for taxes, along with the loss of their medical insurance...and then consider that most of these people likely will have to give up everything they own, and leave the state to go find work elsewhere...IF hopefully, they are lucky enough to find work elsewhere, that is.......

yes, it's better than nothing...but it may just feel like nothing when all is said and done...these people's lives are going to be devastated in ways they haven't even considered yet...and let me clear this up...I know how to go w/o...and have done so many times in my life...I am not used to living beyond my means...and these days it takes everything we have, just to survive...my heart goes out to all these people, and any persons who are going w/o or struggling...I am afraid there will be a whole lot more of us before this year is done...dumpster diving, could become a way of life for many....wb

[cstanleytech]

25. Oh yeah its sad I agree but

look at it this way, atleast so far they are getting more than most people who worked for Enron got so it could be a hell of alot worse.
So far they have not touched the benefits though I do think thats probably only a matter of time until they raid it for the money and the feds let them do it.

[NashVegas]

40. Depends on What You'd Do With It

Me, I'd invest it in myself. Take a cheese-making course, get some equipment, some supplies, and call my nearby Whole Foods as a possible retail outlet.

[dysfunctional press]

39. $100,000 would go a LONG way toward relocating to an area where there ARE jobs.

nt

[windbreeze]

49. and where would that be???

All I keep hearing about is jobs being shipped overseas, and more and more layoffs because of this and that..ALL OVER THE STATES...I guess $100,000 would get you to India/Pakistan/Mexico/China, though, wouldn't it???...wb

[dysfunctional press]

50. my wife had two offers and more interviews lined up by mid january.

she starts her new job next monday. it would have been sooner, but she was in the midst of a 3-week contract assignment at united airlines.
she lost her old job just before thanksgiving, and kept busy with temp assignments thru most of december, and she's still getting calls from recruiters.
and the job she starts monday is a 10% pay raise from the one she lost in november, and it's only 15 miles from home, rather than the 40 each way she had been commuting.

btw-she's in graphic design, and we're in the chicago suburbs.

[windbreeze]

52. Good for her...

and I mean that sincerely....but just because she, as an individual person managed to come out on top...doesn't mean tens of thousands of people, all losing their jobs at the same time, are going to...I would think graphic design is also just a little different, than manual labor related jobs..

Trust me, I am not against people moving in order to have a job..and there is nothing wrong in being thankful for a pay off that at least gives them some sort of a chance...but...let's not lose our sense of compassion for the thousands of people that these things will not work out for so easily...It is NOT as simple to be facing life altering decisions, as some try to make it sound....and the condition of this economy right now, is not encouraging...I wish everyone involved the best....wb

[dysfunctional press]

54. they'll certainly be better prepared to face it than all the people who DON'T have a $100,000 check.

and "tens of thousands" of people all losing their jobs at the same time in one place don't have to move enmasse to one place looking for work- they can spread out all throughout the country. but like always, some geographic areas and vocational fields have better prospects than others. the money can also be used for further education, or to gain training in other skills.

[LuckyLib]

14. They need to take the money and run. These corporate SOBs' next offer will be a big fat gooseegg.

That is, of course, AFTER they pay themselves a handsome bonus for "downsizing" the company.

[ohio2007]

15. Those that make $75,000 a yr driving a forklift won't think thats such a great deal .

It's those making $50k busting their humps as "rookies" are the target

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

17. Cerebrus and Dan Quayle...

... are doing wonders for the Chrysler Corp since buying a majority share from DaimlerBenz. Some of us saw this coming, one mentioning that Chrysler plants will be shipped off to China. Sure is smelling like it now.

[MrSlayer]

21. The death of America's last great manufacturing industry.

It's all going according to plan.

[Blue_Tires]

28. sad but true

[cottonseed]

44. Wait. We still manufacture bubbles!

There will be more bubbles, think DotCom, think Housing, think of the (horrifying) possibilities of ever greater and ever more frequent financial bubbles:

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/america-land-bubbles-next-pop/story.aspx?guid=%7B60CE4669%2D6814%2D4A48%2DA555%2DBE998EC6FC58%7D&dist=TNMostRead

[busymom]

22. wow.

[guitar man]

41. I know it sucks for them to lose their jobs

Especially after all they have invested in them. But, when I look at what my company is obligated to "buy me out" at should they want to cut me loose, which is zero, zip, nada, it doesn't sound too terrible.

Company policy where I work technically calls for them to pay me 9 months severance, which would be about $25k, but there is no contractual obligation in place for them to pay me anything.

Good luck and godspeed to those people losing their jobs, I wish them well.

[ReformedChris]

43. Bob Nardelli: Chrysler's Jack Welch Clone..

GE Executives are trained to constantly look for ways to destroy American jobs. Nardelli was a joke at Home Depot and is a cheap man set on maximizing proft at the expense of workers This is a damn shame and it's going to hurt an already devastated industry. I can only hope these people find somewhere to work where there talents can be utilized.