DETROIT (AP) — Chrysler Group LLC says it has fired 13 plant workers a Detroit TV station caught drinking alcohol and smoking what appeared to be marijuana during breaks.
Chrysler manufacturing chief Scott Garberding told WJBK-TV in a Sept. 22 report that the automaker identified some of the workers from Detroit’s Jefferson North plant on tape and was pursuing the others.
The automaker said then that it was suspending the workers. On Monday, Chrysler said it fired them.
In a statement, Chrysler said the workers violated its code of conduct.
Chrysler says two other workers got one-month unpaid layoffs.
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (82)
BoatFix
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 9:26pmI bet ya there are more! These just happened to get caught.
Report Post »eteme
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:43pmGeez-us these guys are making our cars?????!!!! I would, however, like to know how the reporter got the lead on this story and if there are more of these workers doing this?? The “on their own time” argument will not work, of course. They went right back to work that is like getting lit before work every day to fly planes. I hate to think of how many cars that they guys have touched.
Now the secondary issue is image. As America is trying to rebound it’s image around the world, we have these workers, who are taking their jobs for granted (when so many would love to have their jobs) are going out and working on cars that their fellow citizens will be driving. I think that GM should recall all of these vehicles and recheck for safety standards. Heaven forbid, a driver gets injured do to the irresponsible, despicable, and down right childish behavior of these “13” workers.
Report Post »christine1997
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:35pmI was Schocked that some liberal women, on Fox news this weekend can’t remember her name. compared them drinking and smoking pot then going to build vehicles for innocent americans to drive… to the stone stockbroker.. I hire My stockbroker so that is my choice, buying a vehicle for my family and trusting that overpaid union workers are doing a great job. well i have no say…..
Report Post »eteme
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:59pmOr like a newscaster’s going out everyday and speaking on issues all drunk…
Report Post »Onward2Victory
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:35pm13 union lawsuits being prepped for filing against Chrysler and WJBK-TV as we speak no doubt…
Report Post »louzyana
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:28pmAre these not union worker being fired? How can the union stand by and allow this to happen, what’s the point of paying dues? Oh… that’s right, dues pay for the buses that ship people to rallies..
Report Post »LastManStanding1
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:20pmFORD Faught Roosevelt on the acceptance of trade unions and only gave in after being threatened by Roosevelt’s Marxist minions, and FORD did it again when they told Washington to take their bailout and you know what with it….The FORD Family knew then what we are finding out now, and stood by their corporate convictions…I am a proud Ford Owner, times 4!
Report Post »SignPainterGuy
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:20pmThere`s nothing new about alcohol and drug abuse; it occurs everywhere there is reasonable expectation of not getting caught – sometimes the thrill of near-discovery is exciting in itself. Union, non-union, hourly, salaried, on or off premises, on or off the clock, rich, poor, middle-class; anyone, anywhere. Unions do make it harder to fire offenders and often get fired-offenders rehired. There`s just no real way to know how widespread the problem is or how often it happens right under your nose !! Same old stuff, different day, different place !! Er, uh, so I`ve heard !!
Report Post »eteme
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:52pmAre you kidding me, they are making motorized vehicles. Do you realize these drunk and stoned men are working on vehicles that fellow citizens and their children are riding in these cars. That is frightful and is dangerous. The union should be outraged at this behavior and for again staining their already tarnished image..
Report Post »Tate
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:06pmI hope their UNION get them their jobs back. Isn’t that what Andy Strein job? Or is that for the African or China worker? Do you think the Mexican working smoke pot? The ones in the feild doing the jobs Amricans won’t do for even $50 an Hour. Ask McCain or Obama.
SEND THE MEXICANS HOME. WE NEED THE JOBS!
Report Post »PaleRyder
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:05pmThe society of entitlement ,that the left has created,now claims some more victims. You are paid wages to work not to smoke weed and drink while on the clock. No sympathy for these losers whatsoever. Millions out of work and these scumbags are abusing a very lucrative career.
Report Post »jcmc
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:59pmI didnt think they could fire people like that Where’s the union there savior!
Report Post »Huckabee Gingrich 12
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:58pmThe biggest problem with that Cummins engine is that it’s got a Dodge built around it.
Report Post »I’ll never own another Chrysler product as long as I live.
Government owned or not, I‘m a proud GM’er.
tankchaser
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:54pmIf they got fired then good, they were released for cause, so hopefully they won’t qualify for unemployment either. However I am also concerned that this could just be a temporary thing and as soon as the spotlight is switched off it will be back to normal for this plant, a few drunk stoners making cars for the American public. Personal responsibility is a real pain when you have to face the consequences for your actions isn’t it. One more thought, to whose fault it is, well that is obvious its the reporters fault for shining the spotlight on them. Now the union has to boycott the local fox news affiliate.
Report Post »rogerroger
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:43pmDrinking pot and smoking beer is only some of the benefits of unions labor in their short days of easy work.
Report Post »I’m thinking that this plant must produce PT Beer Cruisers to accentuate their Dodge Trucks.
TwoMinuteMan
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:33pmDont believe anything you read about this and only half of what you hear.
They are UNION workers. Period. They will still get benefits and receive a paycheck from the Job Bank. They were just re-assigned. If you think they were actually fired, in the sense that all non-union workers know, you are mistaken.
Report Post »P. Smith
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:32pmI hope the union backs off and let’s these people go. This is more than on the lunch hour. This is about using drugs not just alcohol. Let it be a warning signal to those who feel that wasting the employers time, which it surely would after using the substances, is not acceptable. You would not be at your best to work for the employer or earn your check.
Report Post »ozmanrulez
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:32pmWell what do ya know,the over paid underworked got a slap on the wrist,now we get to pay for them to sit at home for 99 weeks.Well until the union gets there jobs back,its just a temporary setback,OBUMA controls the unions so they will be back to work soon.Just another example of Beaurocracy at work.You know you cant tee off the biggest supporters of your failed presidency by letting ppl get fired.I could go on but whats the use.
Report Post »FreedomOfSpeech
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:31pmTo me, this is offensive only because the auto companies received taxpayer funds to bailout their crappy operations. So, we shouldn’t be paying for their drinking. BUT, this is kind of how it is in the blue collar world. Seems like these guys feel like the same old rules apply. Things are different when you start accepting taxpayer funds.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:25pmI wonder if the UAW will continue to pay them? … or more accurately .. the TAXPAYERS! I don’t think they will be out of work for long .. the UNIONS take care of their own.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 9:54pmProbably send them to Washington to be the poster children on 10/2.
Report Post »TheWidowsSon
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:19pmThis is probably not over. My guess is that the union will have them back to work within a couple of weeks after they agree to some drug and alcahol interventions. They will get back pay for time spent suspended. Just a matter of time.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:31pmYes .. the UNION will take care of them. They won’t be without resources (pay).
Report Post »gopgirl
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 9:18pmI agree with THEWIDOWSSON—–100%
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:13pmIn a statement, Chrysler said the workers violated its code of conduct. “don’t get caught”
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:12pmSo this wasn‘t Bush’s fault ?
Report Post »Eagle07
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 9:24pmI think they think it was they will blame it on the bush tax cuts.The left will say if they didn‘t have the extra money the wouldn’t have been able to by the beer and drugs.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:09pmYou are truly human refuse when the UAW throws you under the bus. Have fun flipping burgers in about 99 weeks, you previously WAY over-paid, unskilled idiots.
Report Post »littlebin518
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 9:23pmI didn’t think you could get unemployment if you were fired!?
Report Post »Midwest Belle
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 10:42pmlittlebin518
Report Post »Yes you can get unemployment when you’re fired – after about 6 weeks waiting period.
DaytonConserve
Posted on September 28, 2010 at 3:03amDepends on the state, how well you document, and the policy violation. How long till the UAW calls a strike to defend their terminated members? Would anyone notice?
Report Post »Lesterp
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:06pmI actually am shocked!
Report Post »empleh
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:04pmGlad to see a decision being made! Surprised it was the right one and it came fast!
Report Post »gbeck2012
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:03pmThis must be Obama’s fault. Stuff like this never happened before.
Report Post »patriot4ever
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:20pmIt just didn’t get on tape before…I worked for GM in 1977 in Baltimore, MD. Every day at lunch, vans would pull up in the parking lot that had barrels of iced down cans of beer and they sold for $1. The vans had mobs of people surrounding them getting their daily buzz on. It was on the property though, they didn’t have to leave to premises to find the beer vans.
Report Post »tjdavid21444
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:26pmROFLMAO – You are such a predictable tool. I missed any reference in the article to it being Obama’s fault. But adept between-the-lines reader that you are, you picked that up. Very good. Now, for the record, if overpaid union goons want to run another car company into the ground with their bloated salaries and pensions, I guess they’re going to have to do it someplace else, huh? Real funny guys, yeah, let’s go booze it up and smoke weed on our breaks, and then go back and build 2 ton killing machines. Watch for a whole bunch of safety recalls on Jeeps in the near future. Good riddance to those thugs.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 7:30pmIt certainly isn’t the dope smoking, beer drinking employee’s fault, THAT’S for sure. It HAS to be someone else’s fault. Another perfect example of the Left’s mindset. Thanks for the illustration!
Report Post »LastManStanding1
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:12pmOh, Oh….the shoe is onhte other foot and lefties don’t like it….wa, wa, wa….
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:40pmThis is standard operating procedure for MOST factory jobs UNION and NON UNION..just like a 3 martini lunch for many office workers in management.. it‘s the STANDARD for Don’t ask Don’t tell play.. However, the TAXPAYERS didn’t BAILOUT all the OTHER companies nor do the TAXPAYERS OWN 60% of their companies.. and those NON UNION and OFFICE jobs won’t be getting HUGE pensions courtesy of the AMERICAN people who bailed out GM.. There is also the point that assembling a CAR is more libel to ENDANGER someones life if the ones doing the assembling are drunk or high..I will NOT be buying a GM car anytime soon.. BTW it couldn‘t be OBAMA’S fault.. after all he was just paying back the UNION THUGS for getting out the vote.. he didn’t check for any fault with the company and the REASON they made such crappy cars.. I use to drive CHEVY’S all the time.. than the product went DOWN hill…
Report Post »Waiting4George
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:58pmYes, I heard he was their connection.
Drivin’ that Cruiser Built by a Loser…..
Report Post »plunderpower
Posted on September 27, 2010 at 9:57pmNo wonder so many cars get recalled.
Report Post »Chris G
Posted on September 28, 2010 at 1:00amAs a proud pothead, I agree w/ the firing of these employees. Their drinking & toking it up during their lunch break was blatantly irresponsible, not to mention their driving while under the influence & after drinking.
Their pot & alcohol use should have been limited to the privacy of their homes & no where else.
Report Post »bubbamoosecat
Posted on September 28, 2010 at 8:49am@ patriot4ever – Same story here. I worked in a GM plant in Flint, Mich. for a summer back in my college days. A large bunch of those guys were trashed after the lunch break. A few actulay got away with drinking right on the assembly line! On Friday nights, they were given their paychecks before lunch, and I swear half of those guys didn’t come beck for the 2nd half of the shift. No wonder Toyota kicked GM’s butt.
Report Post »nephewofdboone
Posted on September 28, 2010 at 1:38pmI was an AFL CIO millwright apprentice 33 years ago, and I can testify that it’s been going on since woodie guthrie was travelling throughout “our” land singing the praises of communism. Unions are amuck with scumbags, and the good people who are union would do far better without the unions.
Report Post »nothingbuthetruth
Posted on September 28, 2010 at 2:16pmlazy union democrat voters
Report Post »Kalait
Posted on September 28, 2010 at 4:11pmGBeck2012,
Report Post »The fault of the workers being fired is their own. Now wondering what the UAW will do.
tb1234
Posted on September 28, 2010 at 6:37pmNo wonder Chysler cars get the worst car rating. Bet the same goes on at the GM they’re a close second. Sounds like there should be some restriction on leaving the factory ground during the work shift, Kind of like high school they can’t be trusted unsupervised.
Report Post »