Freightliner Worker Vote Averts Layoffs At Cleveland Plant (saved nearly 1,500 jobs)

[Omaha Steve]

Source: wsoctv

Freightliner Worker Vote Averts Layoffs At Cleveland Plant

POSTED: 11:16 am EDT June 20, 2007

CLEVELAND, N.C. -- Union members have agreed to alternate lay-off weeks between first and second shifts at Freightliner, a move that saved nearly 1,500 jobs at the truck manufacturer.

"Our members came together to protect jobs for all, even at personal loss of available work," said George Drexel IV, president of United Auto Workers Local 3520. "I am proud of the decision our union made."

The vote was held Saturday, when about 89 percent of those participating voted to alternate weeks. Workers maintain full benefits, Drexel said.

Freightliner had filed a notice in May with the state Commerce Department, giving the state a required 60-day notice of a pending "mass layoff" that could occur July 10. The alternate work schedule, which starts July 16, averts that layoff.

Read more: http://www.wsoctv.com/news/13536478/detail.html

[ronhardy]

1. Long live unions!

Long live unions!

[Omaha Steve]

4. Welcome to the DU

Glad to have you on board.

[aquart]

2. What did the CEO give up?

[Xithras]

3. Freightliner is owned by DaimlerChrysler.

And they have a huge new production facility in Mexico. The company is scaling back U.S. production to shift it across the border.

The execs involved got a bonus, no doubt.

[Ikonoklast]

5. Wrong state

No Freightliner plant in Cleveland, Ohio, that I know of.

[cmd]

6. Yep, should have been North Carolina

That sounds like a huge concession to me. I guess in this case the union thought half a job was better than none.