Nardelli Clarifies Vacation Details, Attempts Humor
After realizing that his announcement that Chrysler would be shutting down for two weeks this July "knocked Eliot Spitzer off CNN," CEO Bob Nardelli thought the news needed some clarification… and a joke. The Free Press reports that some 25 percent of the labor force will be staying at their posts for the first two weeks of July, specifically those with time-sensitive jobs developing new vehicles or working with the company's dealers and customers. Which means that the throngs of customers who will be lining-up around the block for a new Dodge Journey at about the same time gas is expected to hit $4/gal need not be disappointed. Er, at least until they start drowning in the standard-feature inland sea. The branding boffins headed by Peter Arnett should stay busy too, although it's unlikely that even Nardelli knows exactly what he's actually doing. Oh, and Nardelli's moment of levity? "Really, it's taking a bold leap into the 1980s," chortled the Chrysler CEO. So Chrysler really is going bankrupt?
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Um, IIRC, Montalban always called it "soft" Cor-REEN-thee-an leather. It was made in the legendary tanneries of Newark. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinthian_leather
These forced vacations were standard practice in struggling Silicon Valley technology companies before they gave up and shipped all of the manufacturing overseas. When they affected me personally I was always rather ticked off about it. It's pretty bad when the company not only controls your regular work, but also tells you when you must take your vacation. It is getting more and more like the old game of Serfs and Lords every day.
This should not be taken as a sign that Chrysler is going bankrupt! GM North American, particularly manufacturing operations also shut down for the first two weeks in July, and has been doing so for quite a few years. Many European car makers shut down for a defined period in the summer, some of them for up to a month! It may not be ideal for employees with limited vacation time, but is an effective way to minimize costs. One of the best side effects for office workers, is that there is no new work filling your in-box during the shut down, as everyone else if off too!