Time to fight back
DaimlerChrysler zaps 26,000 jobs
By Martha
Grevatt
The writer has worked at the Twinsburg, Ohio stamping
plant of the DaimlerChrysler corporation for 13 years and is an
active member of UAW Local 122.
Jan. 29 should have been like any other "blue Monday" in the
life of an auto worker. For DaimlerChrysler workers in North
and South America it was anything but ordinary.
On that day management informed the work force that it plans
to cut 26,000 jobs--20 percent of the work force of the former
Chrysler Corp.--by the end of February.
While DaimlerChrysler's was the biggest layoff, it was only
one of many throughout the U.S. economy. Seven steel companies,
including Cleveland-based LTV steel have filed for chapter 11
bankruptcy, and LTV nearly shut down all operations in
December.
The slowdown is not limited to the industrial sector.
Amazon.com announced 1,300 layoffs on Jan. 30.
DaimlerChrysler Management immediately tried to minimize
worker response by promising early retirement buyouts to reduce
the number of layoffs. But the bosses stated unequivocally that
the cuts are "absolutely necessary" and that permanent layoffs
would begin Feb. 28.
DaimlerChrysler plans to close six plants. The company says
it will eliminate an entire work shift at seven more.
These layoffs and plant closings will have the deepest
impact on oppressed workers of color worldwide. Of the six
plant closings, three will be in Mexico, one in Argentina, and
one in Brazil.
These workers will be left penniless--with no unemployment
benefits, no pension, no lump-sum buyouts, nothing to show for
their years of super exploitation.
The sixth, Mound Road Engine, is just outside the
predominantly African American city of Detroit, which has
suffered deeply as a result of previous auto plant
closings.
All the U.S. layoffs will disproportionately hit workers of
color and women. They are among the workers with lower
seniority. And they are underrepresented in the less vulnerable
skilled-trades positions.
The impact of these job reductions on currently employed
workers will be lessened by the Supplementary Unemployment
Benefits that the United Auto Workers negotiated decades ago.
After 42 weeks of layoff, workers must be either called back or
placed in a "job bank" where they receive 40 hours pay while
doing "nontraditional" work.
However, workers with less than three years seniority are
not eligible for the job bank. Workers with less than one year
of seniority do not receive SUB.
And funding for both the job bank and SUB could run out
before the contract expires in 2003.
Daimler-Chrysler promised no layoffs
At the time of the merger between Chrysler and Daimler-Benz,
workers were promised that there would be no job cuts.
The Detroit-based Job Is a Right Campaign pointed out in a
leaflet issued after this latest announcement: "Two years ago,
Daimler-Benz, AG, bought out Chrysler Corporation in the
biggest industrial merger ever. In order to get U.S. government
approval for this buyout from the Federal Trade Commission and
the Securities Exchange Commission, and to mute opposition from
the UAW and the public, Daimler-Benz promised that this would
be a merger of equals.
"DaimlerChrysler Chief Executive Officer Schremp now says
that this talk of a merger of equals was simply a
public-relations ploy to get U.S. government approval for the
buyout of Chrysler.
"Chrysler built up a $9 billion reserve for future product
development off the backs of its workers through its lean
production techniques. Now Daimler has taken this fund to
acquire a controlling interest in Mitsubishi, buy Detroit
Diesel, start a sizable joint venture with Caterpillar, buy
into more commercial truck ventures, and make numerous other
purchases in the last two years."
Yet the bosses have the nerve to cry poverty when it comes
to paying workers' wages.
There is no reason to assume that these already drastic cuts
will not be followed by another wave of cuts down the road. The
entire auto industry is heading into a recession, as are the
steel industry and other sectors of the economy. These
immediate effects of capitalist overproduction are coming in
just the earliest stages of a worldwide economic slowdown.
Now, not later, is the time for the auto unions in both
North and South America to launch a struggle to defend their
right to their jobs. If there is less work to perform, whether
it is due to automation or capitalist overproduction, let there
be a shorter work week with no cut in pay.
From Canada to Argentina, workers need a united campaign for
a moratorium on layoffs and plant closings. If the bosses won't
keep the plants open, then let the workers take over and run
them themselves.
DaimlerChrysler workers would do well to follow the example
of General Motors workers across the ocean. 40,000 GM workers
throughout Europe simultaneously laid down their tools Jan. 25
in solidarity with workers whose plants were scheduled to be
closed.
From the AJRC leaflet: "Only the DaimlerChrysler workers can
protect their own jobs and livelihoods! With a recession
looming, launching a struggle to protect the jobs of the
Chrysler workers can set the tone for the coming battles
against the plant and office closings and layoffs which will be
affecting millions of workers in the next period."
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email: ww@workers.org
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