Chrysler cuts 1200 workers in Windsor, 90,000 fewer minivans expected
Chrysler is cutting a shift at its Windsor minivan plant in response to slowing sales and a dreadful global economy. The plant will cease its third shift as early as June 24 and 1,200 workers will lose their source of income. The move will directly affect those with 13 total years of service or less. The shift reduction comes after the Pentastar temporarily shuttered the plant for half of December and all of January, followed by a two-weeks-on, one-week-off production cadence. The shift reduction will result in 90,000 fewer Chrysler minivans rolling off the line each year.The Canadian Auto Workers union is reeling from this latest setback, but the 1,200 layoffs is just a fraction of the losses in Windsor over the past year. Windsor's unemployment rate is now at 10.9%, and the city expects to lose another 1,200 auto jobs when General Motors shutters its transmission plant next year.
[Source: The Star]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
JasonD 8:17AM (3/06/2009)
90,000 fewer Chrysler minivans on the road? The roads will be safer as drivers won't have to swerve around the parts they drop.
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Frank 9:22AM (3/06/2009)
I guess VW likes them because the according to Volkswagon the Routan is the HIGHEST QUALITY LAUNCH IN VW'S HISTORY. But maybe your right and it's just that VW is so bad.
Len_A 10:14AM (3/06/2009)
And maybe it's the just the same old tired anti-Detroit nonsense. Find a new song, this one is getting old.
Jake B 2:59PM (3/06/2009)
Hey at least if you bought the Chrysler new it has a lifetime warranty for all of those parts that are supposedly dropping off.
That and you are a Chud.
Soccer Mom 8:57AM (3/06/2009)
Perhaps, if the current generation of Chrysler/Dodge/VW minivans wasn't so ridiculously ugly cheap outdated looking and had better interiors, Chrysler could have hire extra 1200 workers, because there would be demand for 90000 extra minivans on the road.
Chrysler decided to save a penny on interior materials and design. Chickens coming to roost now...
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oZ 11:14AM (3/06/2009)
Plenty of people disagree, given the market share of Chrysler's minivans compared to the competition. It helps that this model year has a noticeable improvement over the previous year. Looks like Chrysler, LLC is doing something right compared to DaimlerChrysler.
TigerMil 10:17AM (3/06/2009)
hmmmm...90K fewer minivans....where's the downside here?
More soccer moms in suburbans? highlanders? odysseys?
It don't matter.
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Kumar 10:48AM (3/06/2009)
Minivans are a good idea for hauling stuff and families when you don't need to tow anything.
Chrysler made the mistake of axing the short version though, thinking that SUVs would pick up the slack for anyone not needing a giant car. With gas prices creeping up, it would be nice to have an option for the short wheel base minivan with a diesel engine in it. Too late of course for that to happen.
I also thought the outgoing shorty minivan should have been reskinned to look like a maxi-PT cruiser. ;)
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Martman 2:00PM (3/06/2009)
I am still driving a 96 and it has been very reliable and a great van to haul the family in.
Enough of the SOCCER MOM b.s. I am a dad of two and I coach soccer and drive the mini van and I am not ashamed of it.
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DADO 12:07PM (3/07/2009)
What is wrong with new minivan?
Does any of you own one?
I have one and quite like it - I set my expectations toward the type of vehicle I decided to get and guess what - Dodge has exceeded those expectations
Gives me what I need - family mover with tons of space
Half a price of Honda or Toyota - can you beat that?
Not sure what you guys expect from minivan and why is driving one such a bad thing
Or maybe yourself aren't sure what to write so lets just write crap about something you haven't even tried (quite sure haven't even sat in one)
Same goes for everything Detroit makes - comments are just crap.
How about for change start writing your own opinions instead of following the trend
I am not in favor of Detroit 3 but c'mon - we cannot just jump on them for eveyrhting they do. There must be something good there
And that comment about VW - that statement is correct. Current vehicle in VW lineup with lowest number of issues.
Maybe minivan is not bad after all - that possibility ever occured to you?
Or, as somebody already said, maybe VW is so bad - which would inlude everything VW and Audi make.
Wow that would be against what Car&Driver (and other crappy automotive magazines in North America) writes.
VW is expensive and comes from Europe so must be good.
This blog is getting redicilous - you guys sound like broken record now.
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