Tired of months of the auto giant's scheduling of 60-hour workweeks, speedup on the assembly line, and increasing on-the-job injuries, workers at DaimlerChrysler's three Jeep plants in Toledo, Ohio, voted November 13 to authorize a strike if no resolution is reached with the company within 60 days. Eighty-eight percent of the 2,800 union members who voted were in favor of the strike authorization. The three-factory Jeep assembly plant employs 4,200 workers.

Production of the new Jeep Liberty began in June at the $750 million state-of-the-art Toledo North Assembly Plant. At that time, DaimlerChrysler cut production of the Jeep Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler, laying off about 1,770 of 5,650 workers.

One of the demands of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 12 is that the company follow through on its original commitment to add a third shift and call back many of the laid-off workers, instead of continuing the mandatory 10-hour days and frequent overtime on Saturdays. According to Bruce Baumhower, president of UAW Local 12, it now looks like the bosses won't decide on adding a third shift until spring. Another concern is the use of contractors to do work that could be done by union members inside the plant.

The Liberty is one of DaimlerChrysler's "few hot products" according to David Healy, an automotive industry analyst with Burnham Securities. DaimlerChrysler's U.S. unit, the third-largest automaker in America, wants to regain a 14 percent U.S. market share as part of its three-year turnaround plan, after falling to 13.4 percent in the first nine months of 2001. Chrysler chief executive Dieter Zetsche has said strong Liberty sales are vital to the unit breaking even next year and making a profit in 2003.

The union has to give seven days notice before walking out. This would be the first strike since 1977 when the factory was owned by American Motors Corp.  
 
 
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