Belvidere has been down since early Wednesday morning due to a broken gear in a press in stamping area. Trucks came and removed the dies and such to other Chrysler stamping facilities. There were a lot of trucks though. More than I would imagine would be needed for one press and its dies. Is it possible they are pulling out all stamping? Is it possible they may close the doors at the Belvidere facility? Nobody knew anything on Tuesday, yet the union seemed to know we would be off at that time without notifying the workforce. I can't get any info. I know they have bounced checks and aren't paying suppliers. They intend to cut one shift next Friday. Their supply of vehicles is much higher than that posted on your site. Chrysler bullshit. That's what it is most of the time.
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True, first-hand information can sometimes indeed by hard to find, especially folks on the front lines like this individual. If I worked at the Belvidere facility and had to rely on work there to feed my family, I would be a little concerned after reading that e-mail, union or not.
If this is true, wow then it really looks like maybe its the end for Chrysler.
Perhaps this is the trial run for doing the same thing at Plastech.
I dont believe a single e-mail from one employee can really tell us anything aside from the fact the the UAW worker is left in the dark. I am not really sure how the average UAW worker would be in a position to know hard numbers on Chrysler’s inventory either. Surely sticking your head out into the factory’s parking lot isnt a great way to determine the information.
Also, I would have to say that if Chrysler was bouncing checks to suppliers, I doubt an e-mail from a UAW line worker would have been the first source we would hear it from.
I call Shenanigans!
As a stamping plant employee I know we at GM have a backup plan.An outsider would be shocked at how fast we can move dies,blank steel and tooling 700 miles south.5yrs ago we cooked a massive press.2days down time in cars half a shift in the Truck plant.
Don’t read too much into it folks.
gamper: I am not really sure how the average UAW worker would be in a position to know hard numbers on Chrysler’s inventory either. Surely sticking your head out into the factory’s parking lot isnt a great way to determine the information.
I used to work at the state headquarters of a major national telecommunications carrier, and the janitors always seemed to know breaking news before anyone else…
# geeber :
I used to work at the state headquarters of a major national telecommunications carrier, and the janitors always seemed to know breaking news before anyone else…
It is amazing the things people will leave on their desks, because the “little people” will never see it. However, the lowly cleaners, janitors, etc. are invisible, and have the keys to all of the offices, plus a valid reason to go into said offices…
Bruce
I guess they had to get the stuff down to the ship bound for China.
Unfortunately, primary sources are sometimes even more misleading than flacks. We should not draw too many conclusions from this yet.
“Bounced checks”? That is a serious matter, IF true. If true, why would Chrysler banks bounce their checks? No credit line back ups? No relationships with banks to avoid this? Again, this seems very serious, if true.
I also work in a GM stamping/metal fabrication plant.Sending out dies and the related tooling from one plant to another is common place in regards to a press’ breaking down.Set-up time has actually dropped signifacantly as GM has moved away from “footprint” style lines to the transfer series that are more abundant.
Whats really intresting to hear about the aforementioned press is that it had shuttered assy. production.Did someone not have the back-up plan?If taking the e-mail for what its worth,this press seems to have had a terminal breakdown.Main driveshafts do break with considerable time to allow for repair.It makes me ask the question “does this facality have the resources tobuy the equipment or parts.”
Maybe this is Chryslers attempt to outsource its stampings?
So we are taking emails from employees at the lower levels at face value know? If I send you an email from my company addy that everything is fine and dandy and the numbers you have are wrong and what not, will you publish that as well and take it as seriously?