Josh452

Total Job Loss: Up To 12,500

Manufacturing Actions

Chrysler will eliminate shifts at five assembly plants, and take further volume-related actions at several other facilities. It will:

Drop third-shift operations at Belvidere (Ill.) Assembly Plant in the first quarter 2008. Belvidere builds the Dodge Caliber, Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass.

Drop second-shift operations at its Jefferson North (Detroit, Mich.) Assembly Plant in the first quarter 2008. It's expected that the plant will return to two shifts in first quarter 2010 with the introduction of the next generation of sport-utility vehicles. The addition of a third shift will remain an option, depending on market demand. Jefferson North builds the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Commander.

Drop third-shift operations at the Toledo (Ohio) North Assembly Plant in the first quarter 2008. Toledo North builds the Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro.

Drop third-shift operations at Brampton (Ontario) Assembly Plant in first quarter 2008. Brampton will build the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger. The Dodge Magnum will be discontinued.

Drop second shift operations at Sterling Heights (Mich.) Assembly Plant in first quarter 2008. Sterling Heights builds the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring sedans and Chrysler Sebring Convertible.

In addition, Mack Avenue (Detroit) Engine Plant II will return to a traditional two-shift / two-crew operation in the first quarter 2008 after operating on a three-crew, two-shift, 120-hour-per-week (3/2/120) schedule. Mack II builds the 3.7-liter V-6 engine.

ProudPony

Read that earlier this morning.

UAW negotiations... short strike (like 4 hours or so)...

YUP. They got it ALL RIGHT!

Gettlefinger who?

And Ford is still talking to them...

Boy oh boy, is our economy red hot and rising!
Let's all go buy about $3-billion worth of cheap Chinese crap for the holidays and drive it home in our new imported vehicles and celebrate!


(PS - sorry for the Thursday sarcasm... long week and still 1.5 days to go. )

Eric77TA

I think the Magnum could have had a better chance if they'd given it the new nose last year. Guess that will never make production now. Might have done better as a 300 Wagon with that front clip as well.

CLEAN

The UAW folks that work for GM don't look all that foolish for focusing on job protections NOW do they?

stereomandan

Tough times call for tough measures. It sucks, but it has to happen to keep the business alive.

The item that I don't understand was the 3 crew, 2 shift operation. Seems like there is inefficiency built in there.

Dan

Ken S

You know, I just realized, all three of my past GM vehicles, in my short life, were NOT assembled in the USA... I know there's data showing GM still overall supports more domestic jobs than the import brands......

georgejetson

Rumor has it that the Magnum will stay in production until Feb or March. If you want one (and I might), there's still time.

OutsiderIROC-Z

$h!tty news...

Supergrobo82

Not surprised about the cuts cept for the Magnum. I really liked the new front end on the car. Looked to be a winner especially in SRT form

AdioSS

I've always liked the Magnum If it goes away, that doesn't help the case for a G8 wagon..

Plague

You really aren't opening that can of worms are you?


If a car company needs to cut jobs, it should be able to. No one is forced to work for a car company. Just food for thought.

graham

Amen, brother!

90rocz

Where's all those people now who said the economy is the best it's ever been???

I'm UAW, and I think you're kinda right...people should NOT work for ANY company that is so short sighted that they must continually raise and lower their workforce, period!

They should be able to better forecast the market, work at steadier paces, overproducing slightly in slow periods to have product available to absorb high volume periods.
Lean Production has NEVER made sense, some "fat" MUST be built into a buisness to deal with fluctuations...the money spent is easily outweighed by savings and profits at critical upturns.

91_z28_4me

This highlights one of my major peeves of the UAW membership. They don't work for the UAW they work for the company. Loyalty should be to the company NOT the UAW! Instead of being UAW workers they are Ford, GM, or Chrysler workers!

Geoff Chadwick

I wonder if GM will really take that into consideration when bringing a G8 wagon. I think the Magnum sold pretty well over the past couple years, and knowing GM wouldn't be bringing a huge pile of them over every year, it should still make sense (assuming the AU$ vs US$ problem doesn't get worse).

While the concept interior of the G8 doesn't excite me as much as the new Malibu, it also looks to be miles ahead of the goofy Magnum interior... Again, it might do pretty well in small quantities, and in a time where crossovers are doing well, having a "sport hauler" for Pontiac seems to fit the image.