Chrysler Minivan Plant Hiring, Outsiders Need Not Apply

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Chrysler will hire 60 workers at its Windsor, Ontario minivan plant, but only candidates referred by current union workers will be considered for the jobs.

The Globe and Mail is reporting that only current Windsor employees can refer potential candidates for the open positions, which will be subject to a lower tier wage for the first 10 years. After that point, pay will rise from around $20 an hour, to the full rate of over $30 per hour.

Currently, the Windsor plant is running flat out at three shifts per day, plus overtime shifts on weekends. With minivan sales up 17 percent year to date, the extra workers will help Chrysler keep production up, and prepare for the next-generation minivan due out in 2017.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Zip89123 Zip89123 on Aug 19, 2014

    This will empty the bars.

    • Koshchei Koshchei on Aug 19, 2014

      I'm surprised that you have such a low view of management referrals.

  • Corners Corners on Aug 19, 2014

    I'm sure it would be stepped up rates of pay until 10 years of service you would reach the highest rate per hour. A probation period would probably apply for some months after initial hire...after that they can't just automatically fire someone just so they don't have to pay full rate.

  • Rudiger Rudiger on Aug 19, 2014

    The most interesting thing about the article is that they're building as many minivans as they can. Is demand really that high?

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    • Rudiger Rudiger on Aug 19, 2014

      @koshchei Strange. I had thought that the SUV market had all but killed off the minivan in the same manner that the minivan virtually wiped-out station wagons.

  • 28-Cars-Later 28-Cars-Later on Aug 19, 2014

    I'm surprised and yet not surprised at this. GM plants operate in the exact same fashion with a referral system for all applicants (referred to as "The Lottery"), but I was not aware it was a universal UAW thing. Keeping all new talent referrals/applicants limited to those who are "vouched for" is really a poor and dated tactic. I'm truly surprised the EEOC and DOJ Civil Rights division still allows for this. I mean think about it, lets say I live in Bowling Green, KY, and I want to work at the GM plant there. The demographics of Bowling Green are 75% white, 13.9% black, 4.2% Asian, 6.5% Latino, and the rest fitting into other categories. I'm not sure what the demographics of the plant are, but if it matches the population and I can only refer one candidate a year, the odds of the referred candidates being white vs non-white are high. The lottery selects a number of candidates based on a ratio to how many requisitions are given (say ten candidates to one req). The odds of the ten candidates being white is at least 7 of 10, and of those 500 candidates, what are the odds of whites vs non-whites in getting the job outside of pure token-ism? If any private firm in the nation conducted hiring practices in this way, they would quickly be in court with EEOC or their state equivalent. Funny how that doesn't happen here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowling_Green,_Kentucky

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    • Singingmom Singingmom on Aug 21, 2014

      It was negotiated into that plants contract. Is sad in this day in age decent paying jobs are so hard to find anymore. The union has been pushing for 200 new hires last 2 years. Finally we getting 60, small step. Unfortunately if done the old way, through employment center ten's of thousands of applicants would apply. I was hired 20 years ago & even then I had to wait 3 hours in line just for an application. Many people lose their jobs just trying to get an application because taking time off just to stand in line. Can you imagine the waits now?? This is first time ever we have hired this way. In past was always open. I wish decent paying jobs were more in this world.

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