Auto Workers Paid Not to Work

Oct 18, 2005 0 Replies

More interesting news about your precious General Motors, which you said was in excellent health:



Jobs bank programs -- 12,000 paid not to work Big 3 and suppliers pay billions to keep downsized UAW members on payroll in decades-long deal.



By Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News Morris Richardson II / The Detroit News



WAYNE -- Ken Pool is making good money. On weekdays, he shows up at 7 a.m. at Ford Motor Co.'s Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, signs in, and then starts working -- on a crossword puzzle. Pool hates the monotony, but the pay is good: more than $31 an hour, plus benefits.



"We just go in and play crossword puzzles, watch videos that someone brings in or read the newspaper," he says. "Otherwise, I've just sat."



Pool is one of more than 12,000 American autoworkers who, instead of installing windshields or bending sheet metal, spend their days counting the hours in a jobs bank set up by Detroit automakers and Delphi Corp. as part of an extraordinary job security agreement with the United Auto Workers union.



Rest of the story:

formatting link



Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required