Chrysler to shut down all 30 plants for a month, but ‘white collar workers’ will keep regular salaries.
By on Dec 17th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Chrysler to shut down all 30 plants for a month, but ‘white collar workers’ will keep regular salaries.
Chrysler announced today that it would shut all 30 of its North American plants for a month, starting this Friday. ABC News reports that while 46,000 union workers will be shut off from their regular paychecks, the “white collar” management will continue to receive their salaries:
These [UAW} workers will not be receiving their regular income. There will be an unknown number of white collar workers who will not be working as well, but the expectation is that they will continue to receive their regular salaries during this time.
Chrysler said that union workers will receive “state unemployment benefits as well as supplementary payments from Chrysler” based off “a union negotiated formula.” (HT: Marcy Wheeler)
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Jesus Christ. As long as the “haves” and the “have mores” enjoy a Merry Christmas….let the little people eat fruitcake!
December 17th, 2008 at 6:21 pmCan Chrysler explain why these white collar workers are more deserving of keeping their paychecks through the shutdown than the blue collar workers? After all, it’s the blue collar workers who actually make the things that bring income to the company.
December 17th, 2008 at 6:26 pmThis is the type of business decisions that brought them to this point. The salary of one of their high-level managers easily equates to numerous regular workers. They would actually be able to save a ton more by doing just the opposite. And at the same time, they would still be able to do all the things that make them money in the first place. Plus, there is the retention factor. A high-level manager isn’t going anywhere if he loses that paycheck for one month. But for all those workers this is just one more reason to start looking elsewhere.
December 17th, 2008 at 6:30 pmThis country needs to rethink it’s values, big time.
December 17th, 2008 at 6:32 pmWhile I’m still skeptical of the decision, it might make sense to retain at least some white collar workers to make sure that the company still moves forward during the break.
I doubt this would involve all white collar workers, but surely it might be a good idea to have someone checking on things like bank loans, etc.
I absolutely agree that these folks should take a pay cut for the lull period.
December 17th, 2008 at 6:37 pmThe blue collar workers are the folks who actually – ya know – build stuff, so naturally they need to suffer. The white collar (shower in the morning) can continue to keep getting their checks even if they don’t go to the office.
Now, is there anyone out there who can defend the destruction of a pillar of our industrial base? Is there anyone out there who can defend the point that it is bad for America that American workers earn more money? Should we send it all to Shelby’s state of Alabama – to foreign companies (Toyota, Nissan, BMW)?
Why does the right side absolutely hate American workers? Ten to one odds that lots of those very same repubs had parents who earned their livings working at union plants. I would bet my last dollar on it. It is a good thing when Americans can earn a better living. What is the problem?
December 17th, 2008 at 6:38 pmCapital has had the reins of power so long it has become blind in its arrogance. One way or another things have got to change.
December 17th, 2008 at 6:38 pmYes, the idiots who navigated Chrysler to this point keep collecting paychecks.
The very same type of individual who dresses up as a woman to steal a coveted spot in the lifeboat…
December 17th, 2008 at 6:39 pmWhy close AMERICAN plants? Why not close their foreign plants and leave the U.S. plants open?
December 17th, 2008 at 6:42 pmNow is the time for a massive General Strike. Show management that they alone cannot take care of business. Success depends on both sides giving up something so the industry can survive and prosper. We cannot afford another 2-3 million Americans jobless. If you have a job, count your blessings.
December 17th, 2008 at 6:43 pmCorker in tenn the same ppl that jinggled a shiney 900,000,000 tax subsidy to attract foriegn auto makes who’s workers non union whpo have no say so in any aspect of there work place are tryin to bust the unions these retugs are corprate whores. and they will protect that campainge cash at all cost…what they arent countiung on is all those jobs that will be lost that supply the auto companies will lose out too and i think a lot of retugs work there in these stores and companies that make these things that supply the auto industry will go down as well part of it is ofcorse bustin the unions part is selfish greed part is makeing things as bad as can be for the obama administration what ever the reason they will lose in the end
December 17th, 2008 at 6:47 pmMaybe this will give the assembly line workers a chance to find new jobs.
December 17th, 2008 at 6:49 pmBut some white collar workers will NOT be working. But they will still get paid.
December 17th, 2008 at 6:51 pmI sincerely would like to hear Tracy_5’s thoughts on this. If John Kerry has something to say, I look forward to that as well. I would just ask that John open an actual dialogue. Actually anybody that wants to tell me about Mr Obama being a socialist would be interesting to talk to
December 17th, 2008 at 7:07 pmHELLOO
December 17th, 2008 at 7:12 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECuUwxZ-bvA&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECuUwxZ-bvA&feature=channel_page
December 17th, 2008 at 7:12 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECuUwxZ-bvA&feature=channel_page
December 17th, 2008 at 7:12 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECuUwxZ-bvA&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECuUwxZ-bvA&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECuUwxZ-bvA&feature=channel_page
‘http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECuUwxZ-bvA&feature=channel_page
Did I read in my local today that Honda top execs took a 10%? Seems way to little but still it was something assuming it wasn’t masked somewhere else
December 17th, 2008 at 7:21 pmWait to see how many come back. This could be a passive form of union busting. Starve them out.
Cerberus Capital Management has Dan Quayle and John Snow. If they ever run for office again, remember the factory shutdown.
December 17th, 2008 at 7:37 pmThere should be a general strike after the holidays to show PE Obama workers are hurting and should not be ignored.
December 17th, 2008 at 7:43 pmIf these so-called white collar employees had any morals they would refuse any wages that the workers will not receive. That’s a big “if”. Eight long, extremely disastrous years have brought us here. Please America, learn this time.
And a merry xmas, happy hannukah, etc. to the American workers. Don’t buy sh!t.
December 17th, 2008 at 7:57 pmI’d be extremely interested in seeing a breakout of the total salaries for Chrysler’s white collar workers versus the same for Chrysler’s rank and file.
The US auto industry must be saved. And the Wall Street bail out is its own frickin’ flat-out Madoff wet dream of a Ponzi scheme. But for Chryler’s “white collar workers” to engineer a nation-wide plant closing stunt in order to extort money from taxpayers all the while cashing full paychecks for no work…that completely blows.
Until we address and, better yet, punish such inequities, we’ll have more of the same.
-AF
December 17th, 2008 at 8:28 pmAndrew Sullivan Is A Fraud
Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge sux.
They’re not the #1 auto used by rental companies for nuthin’.
December 17th, 2008 at 8:47 pmAnd who still claims that this whole thing is not a concerted effort to screw the union?
The factory workers can go on unemployment, but the office staff will get a paid one month vacation.
Yeah, that’s fair, sure.
December 17th, 2008 at 9:24 pmCLASS WARFARE!
Hell, when we do it it’s just a recognition of hostilities. They’ve been firing at us forever.
December 17th, 2008 at 9:28 pmPhuck the Wall Street/ Banking bailout. Who needs those incompetents? I for one would not miss them.
Bail out the Auto Companies WITH Teeth attached.
STFU about Unions fault this, fault that.
Get rid of the incompetent WHITE COLLAR workers.
Place Caps on Executive compensation.
MAKE them produce Eco friendly, fuel efficient, alternative energy vehicles NOW.
Oh, and bring our Brave Girls and Boys home from those hellholes in the east and give them jobs in Energy or Automotive Technologies.
There, now eveyone is happy and working (well maybe not the bankers and brokers, but like I said before.. phuckem they made thier beds) except of course the repugs wont be happy, because everyone else is.
December 17th, 2008 at 9:40 pmOnce again, you folks shoot off your collective mouth BEFORE getting all the facts.
First, most (if not all) of you do not understand the difference between exempt, salaried professionals and non-exempt, hourly workers.
Second, just because a car company has to idle some plants doesn’t mean the rest of the business has to grind to a halt! That would be stupid.
Last, but not least, what’s the problem with attempting to save the company so the workers CAN come back? Don’t worry, they will be paid a certain amount even if they don’t work. It’s in their contract.
December 17th, 2008 at 10:27 pmUnfortunately, the only class warfare being waged is coming from the left; from the “working class” if you will.
Groupism = marxism.
December 17th, 2008 at 10:30 pmMerry F ucking Christmas…
December 17th, 2008 at 11:17 pmHow about we take about $100B back from Wall St. and pass it to Detroit instead?
December 17th, 2008 at 11:37 pmMore War on the middle class and the people that can least afford it……Imagine that.
December 18th, 2008 at 1:27 amI hope all those union bashing people see the value of a union now. Had there been no union, all those non-white collar workers would’ve been up shit’s creek without a paddle.
They might be up shit’s creek now – but at least they have a paddle or two to try and steer thru the crap.
December 18th, 2008 at 8:44 amTo expand a bit on what Tim Vaculik wrote, in a large manufacturing plant, most of the white collar workers are not in management. They are as he writes, “exempt,” that is exempt from being required to be paid overtime. If a project requires 50 or 60 or even more hours a week to complete they get the same pay. Even if the engineers, buyers, sales peronel, etc. at the plant are not in the office, they will still be required to complete the projects they are assigned when they get back, and will be putting in a lot of extra hours a week to complete them by their deadlines. If Chrysler did dock their pay, they may be able to argue that they are not exempt and are required to be payed overtime.
December 18th, 2008 at 9:46 amTimmey
December 18th, 2008 at 11:29 amArgus,
Exempt only means you do not get overtime. It does not mean you get paid for NOT working. Exemption is classified Federally people, so if your position meets the criteria, then you have no argument for getting paid overtime.
END OF STORY
It looks like the union got to greedy. Many bluecollar workers have people lined up who can do their jobs. Not so with the white collar workers.
December 18th, 2008 at 11:32 amDoes the Chrysler management know that they don’t actually have any of the bailout money yet? Way to go, for public support.
December 18th, 2008 at 12:54 pmRandomChaos, As I tried to explain, many of the white collar workers they will be working. As an engineer in a large manufacturing plant I have a number of projects that all have deadlines I need to meet. If the plant shuts down, I will still need to meet them. I know this because it has happened to me in the past. I worked at home the best I could and when I was able to get back in the lab, I put in an extra 20 to 30 hours a week. I’d write more, but I’ve got to go out into the plant and pull a couple of thermocouples. By the way most days I need a shower after work.
December 18th, 2008 at 2:09 pmrevolution….America will become Russia of 1918..
December 18th, 2008 at 2:38 pmTim Vaculik Says:
Unfortunaly you show once again just how stupid you are. You arent really telling us what we know and dont are you? You are a moron. You dont know ANYTHING that Rush didnt tell you. It is typical for management to take care of themselves at the cost of hurting workers. As for your claim the only class warfare is coming from the left that MAY have been the single STUPIDEST thing ever written in the English language. You are most incredibly ignorant poster that I have ever read. Morons like you think, and I use that term very loosely that widening the gap between the rich and poor ISNT class warfare but pointing out it is happening IS class warfare because you are stupid and brainwashed. You dont have a clue Timmeh. My goldfish knows more about politics than you ever will. Things dont become true just because the congenitally stupid like YOU repeat them.
December 18th, 2008 at 6:18 pmTim Vaculik Says:
Groupism = marxism.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Not ONLY are you unbelievably stupid you are a selfish moron. We ARE in this together, I hate to break it to someone even as ignorant as YOU but Ebenezer Scrooge wasnt supposed to be a role model. You arent supposed to WORSHIP him you idiotic punk. This is the difference between a society and a large group of people. If you dont want to pull your weight in this society get off the bus we are trying to have a civilization here and cretins like YOU are dead weight.
December 18th, 2008 at 6:21 pm