Chrysler Ends Jobs Bank on Monday. Calls It Something Else. Will Reinstate ASAP.

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

Just when I thought I was too cynical for this world, the world proves that I’m not cynical enough. To wit: The Detroit Free Press headline proclaims “Chrysler jobs bank ends Monday.” Seems clear enough, right? The Congress demands that ChryCo end the United Auto Workers’ Jobs Bank (95 percent pay and full benefits for not working). ChryCo and the UAW end the Jobs Bank. Done. Sure. I’ve pointed out many a time that the UAW hasn’t given back anything without a quid pro quo. “Historic health care giveback” my ass. How about a couple of billion bucks up front? So anyway, I’m scanning this article, looking for the catch. And by God, here come paragraph five, six, seven, etc. “Chrysler told employees in a letter Friday that workers now in the jobs bank would be placed on ‘enhanced layoff,’ effective Monday, until a final agreement has been reached with the UAW. Workers going into enhanced layoff were advised to apply for jobless benefits and told they will keep medical, dental and group life insurance during that time. [UAW ChryCo Veep General] Holiefield advised members that the changes are temporary until negotiations are completed. ‘It is important that everyone understand that these provisions will only be in effect until such time as the mandates from the U.S. Treasury Department have been clarified.” So it ain’t really over ’til… the workers or Chrysler die. Oy.

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • Geotpf Geotpf on Jan 26, 2009
    br549 : January 25th, 2009 at 6:58 am The Jobs Bank was created for one reason and one reason only: to prevent offshoring. I thought the reason was slightly different. At time it was created, Roger Smith et al were trying to replace everybody with robots. The jobs bank was enacted to discourage that.
  • Sherman Lin Sherman Lin on Jan 26, 2009

    I have it as well as every policeman, fireman, postal carrier and teacher and every government worker its called a guaranteed work week.

  • Arkmen Arkmen on Jan 26, 2009

    no_slushbox wrote: "Chrysler’s corporate culture of paying unnecessary employees to sit around and do nothing indicates that Fiat may in fact be their ideal partner." Not to crack wise, I think it is more blue-collar than corporate culture. I agree its too expensive. Workers should give up this perk right now. They should have some kind of "escape" clause. Execs don't drink much beer with their fillet, I'd guess. Thye don't swing a sledge hammer in the foundry, or go home with their arms on fire from operating a pneumatic ratchet. Then come the lean times. Production has always been up and down. Companies come and go. Then your out of the street laid-off. It's a traumatic thing. Assembly line doesn't keep on running. "Merry-Go-Round" some called it. That's a rough life. You ever see that footage of workers at the Ford Plant back in the early days? Give you some idea of how hard people work. Yeah, most of those "unnecessary" workers are aware of it, that they can be unnecessary during the down-turns. They care about their future. Most of them are grateful to have a good paying job. Not all workers are strict unionists, all the time. They care about the company and the work they do. You can even say many of the workers are loyal to the company. Geotpf wrote: "I thought the reason was slightly different. At time it was created, Roger Smith et al were trying to replace everybody with robots. The jobs bank was enacted to discourage that." Robots? Man, I'd hate to figure that one out. Way over my head. I don't have the math background.

  • Arkmen Arkmen on Jan 26, 2009

    Sherman Lin wrote: "I have it as well as every policeman, fireman, postal carrier and teacher and every government worker its called a guaranteed work week." Geez, I went to sleep and woke up in France, Sherman. Fiat will be right at home! We can add this to the list, right along with 14 weeks vacation for Congressmen and Senators. I think the pendulum has swung too far. You know coal miners used to get paid only for coal in the bucket? Other things, like shoring up, etc was unpaid work. Now we see paid leisure. I think we need a JOb Bank or something! Googly googly.

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