Chrysler town and country

(Source: The Blade) By Larry P. Vellequette, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio Oct. 23–Chrysler LLC announced early Thursday that it will eliminate approximately 825 employees at its Toledo Jeep Assembly complex because of slow sales of its products. The involuntary layoffs are expected to occur by year’s end, but may be offset by attrition as employees take buyout offers that are expected to be offered, The Blade has learned.

The cut effectively eliminates the second shift at the Toledo North plant, where the Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro are made. Added production cuts — but not job losses — are expected to be made at the Toledo South plant where the Wrangler is made. At this time last year, Chrysler employed nearly 4,000 people in its two plants in North Toledo. By the end of the year, that number could be down to 1,400.

Early this morning, Chrysler LLC formally announced the elimination of the second shift at Toledo North, as well as a related decision to speed up its previously announced closure of its Newark Assembly Plant in Newark, Del., which makes the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen. “The markets are facing unprecedented turmoil and we are in a time of historic change in the auto industry,” Frank Ewasyshyn, executive vice president — manufacturing for Chrysler said in a written statement.

Chrysler said approximately 825 jobs at Toledo North would be affected, and another 1,000 jobs will be lost when the Newark plant closes Dec. 31. Chrysler said it “is committed to working with the UAW to address the represented manpower reductions in a socially responsible manner.