Fiat Chrsyler May Double Use of Temp Workers Under New Deal

Aaron Cole
by Aaron Cole

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles may double the amount of temporary workers it uses under a new deal negotiated with the United Auto Workers, Bloomberg reported (via Automotive News).

The negotiated terms include a provision for the automaker to use the workers any day of the week, instead of the previously allowed Monday, Friday and weekend shifts.

According to the report, the terms may have been negotiated as a way to keep labor costs lower and offer more workers raises. Temp workers are hired at rates lower than any of the tiered-pay scales. Temp workers can be terminated at any time by the automaker.

Last year, UAW President Dennis Williams scolded other automakers for using temp workers, saying it was a “shell game” to keep costs low, according to Bloomberg. In 2012, FCA hired up to 500 temp workers to help build the Dodge Dart.

According to the report, the new contract could allow FCA to use temp workers for as much as 8 percent of its working hours, up from 4 percent.

Temporary workers are hired at $22 an hour, but don’t receive the same benefits as full-time employees such as dental care, prescription drugs or a pension.

“This will cause some tension with the membership,” Kristin Dziczek, director of the Center for Automotive Research, told Bloomberg. “Taking on more temps is part of the compromise to get the tentative agreement and they could agree to more for a new deal. FCA has a limit on what they will spend on labor.”

Union workers at FCA plants will vote on the proposed contract next week.


Aaron Cole
Aaron Cole

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  • TMA1 TMA1 on Oct 13, 2015

    No one's more dedicated to quality than temp workers.

    • See 3 previous
    • Corey Lewis Corey Lewis on Oct 15, 2015

      @SoCalMikester We always end up hiring any temps or contract workers we have here, and most of the interns as well.

  • Mopar4wd Mopar4wd on Oct 14, 2015

    Never been a temp or contract worker myself but worked with a number of them seems to be a 50/50 split of work hard to get hired fulltime and guys that have been temps for decades because they are too flaky to hold a regular gig. I have worked for companies that love them but I don't think I could deal with it if I was a HR director. I'm amazed at the number who will work for a week or two call out sick for a week come back for 1 day and then disappear at lunch time with out a trace.

  • Whynotaztec Whynotaztec on Oct 14, 2015

    Looks like a face in the right directional

  • Corey Lewis Corey Lewis on Oct 15, 2015

    So you're telling me I should look to buy an FCA product with a VIN indicating it was made on no days of the week. Can do!

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