Ex-Chrysler workers out of a job come Friday - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Seventy-three workers at the Toledo Wrangler paint facility are out of a job this Friday, mainly because they're not allowed to collect a Chrysler pension and paycheck at the same time. Gonzalez Contract Services currently operates the paint facility at the plant, but Chrysler will take over operations starting December first.

Of the 175 employees at the paint facility, 73 are former Chrysler employees.  Many of them said they left Chrysler in 2006 because they were told, "they could work at the paint facility for as long as they wanted to".  Seven years later, that is not the case.

The remaining 102 workers will be able to keep their jobs, just transferring employment to Chrysler.  Many of the ousted workers believe this was a move to keep costs low.  Local union officials proposed a measure in the new contract to suspend those workers' pension payments while they maintained employment to Chrysler, but that measure was rejected.  Local 12 President Bruce Baumhower says the new employees that will replace the 73 will be hired at a lower starting salary than the former employees would have earned.

The International Union overwhelmingly supported the recent move, and even local workers losing their jobs say they voted in favor of the ratification because they wanted to see others keep their jobs.  But those ousted workers say they don't like the way Chrysler handled the situation, saying they'll never look at the company the same.

Each of those workers have been offered a severance package from Gonzalez Contract, but the details of the amount were not disclosed. Chrysler officials told 13abc this measure was governed by a union agreement, and once the newly negotiated contract runs out, company officials could discuss a new one with union workers.  Chrysler officials do stand by their policy however, that employees are not allowed to collect a pension and paycheck at the same time.