Chrysler is shutting down all 30 of its manufacturing plants starting next week

[cali]

The shutdown will last for a month. talking about it now on CNN with Ron Gettelfinger, President of the UAW.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, my ass.

[tekisui]

1. One month for sure, or one month at least?

[cali]

4. It sounded like it was one month for sure

but really, in this economy anything can happen.

[VolcanoJen]

2. Barney-Cam!! Barney-Cam!!!!

This White House of ours makes me ill to my core.

Clearly, the Administration has decided to drag its feet, send Chimpy over to Iraq for a victory lap (spoiled by a shoe-thrower), and they're comfortable with appearing aloof. They'd love for their last act to be destroying the UAW.

"What about the children" is something you don't hear so much anymore, eh?

[4 t 4]

3. Oh No, I was so afraid for all those workers

Merry F ing Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[VolcanoJen]

5. 46,000 employees immediately affected

Also, do NOT buy the growing meme that these workers will be paid while "temporarily" laid off, which is the meme Wolf Blitzer has been pushing. That is absolutely false. Chrysler is shedding the responsibility over to state unemployment, and the workers will receive supplemental payments from Chrysler.

But they are NOT receiving their full union salaries, no matter how much it's going to piss off Wolf Blitzer to be called out.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/moneybeat/2008/12/chrysler-to-tem.html

This will impact 46,000 UAW workers, according to Chrysler. Chrysler says these employees will receive state unemployment benefits as well as supplemental payments from Chrysler during the layoff according to a union negotiated formula.

These 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.

[madrchsod]

6. 85% of their wages and healthcare

this was expected once gm shut down

[endarkenment]

7. From looking at google new business page over the last few days

the shutdowns are not just in Detroit and not just cars. Lots of manufacturers are halting production - a sure sign that they have inventory they aren't moving - and that means we are now in a classic recession/depression tailspin where layoffs, shutdowns, and slowdowns feedback into further demand reductions and more layoffs shutdowns and slowdowns. 2009 is not going to be a lot of fun.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

8. Who cares about that stuff? Some guy is giving a 30 second prayer.

:sarcasm:

[cali]

12. it is par for the course that something like that would get far more attention here

it's easier to wrap your mind around, and not as scary.

[trof]

9. My next door neighbor owns a Chrysler dealership.

I think he would welcome not being jammed up with any more inventory than he already has.

[MazeRat7]

10. Many mfg operations have shutdowns over EOY.

From the article I read on MarketWatch earlier, "Chrysler LLC is extending the duration of a previously planned shutdown due to falling demand for products." Ford has a shutdown planned and I assume (but do not know for fact) that GM will be doing the same. Bottom line, if there is no demand for you product, you have to stop production until your inventory level is reduced.

Sadly, that translates to not paying factory workers and keeping the "office staff" on-board to facilitate sales.

As a side note: I was privy to many details of a pre-Christmas layoff in the semi-conductor manufacturing field in the early 90's. My heart goes out to any worker that is faced with that news. I will never forget the ones I saw that day. It made an impact for life.

Peace,
MZr7

[leftofthedial]

11. They couldn't *give* $700 billion to the fat cats fast enough

WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED


But keep some union workers employed through the holidays?


It's time for that workers' revolution you keep calling me "pathetic" for mentioning.

[cali]

13. it's only pathetic

because it's not a real world solution. And I agree with you about the bailout. I never supported it. It is time to enact laws that curb corporate power and harshly punish corporate malfeasance. Vague calls for "worker revolutions" don't really do anything. Supporting specific policies and reforms like card check, might.

[MasonJar]

14. Thank you, Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning, you two pieces of scum.

What is your excuse? Sure Kentucky has Toyota, but do I not also see Ford there? It is time for you two to live on wages you earn. You certaily do not now.