Work on Nitro is under fire - Rally to be held over loss of union jobs

A Dodge Nitro concept vehicle debuted at the 2005 Chicago Auto Show.
Some autoworkers are upset that outside suppliers are doing work that was once in-house.
(BRIAN KONOSKE)

JOE GUY COLLIER, FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER - - As Chrysler Group and UAW officials celebrate the start of Dodge Nitro production in Toledo today, some autoworkers plan to hold a rally to protest actions they say cost the union jobs.

In 2003, UAW workers at the Jeep assembly operations in Toledo agreed to a contract that allowed the DaimlerChrysler division to use outside suppliers for some tasks that traditionally were done in-house, such as paint, body and chassis work.

The agreement paved the way for upgrades and investment in Toledo and new vehicles like the Dodge Nitro. But some workers still are upset.

Calvin Buckmaster, a 53-year-old worker at the Jeep complex and one of the organizers of the rally, said the launch of the Nitro is not a time to celebrate. It's a reminder that good auto jobs in Toledo were replaced with lower-paying jobs at outside suppliers, he said.

The Chrysler Group directly employs 3,400 workers at the Toledo complex, about 1,300 fewer than in 2003.

"No, it's not a good thing for the workers," said Buckmaster, who expects about 200 participants in his rally. "Those were all our jobs. Now, they're not."

The UAW declined to comment about the rally. In 2003, Jeep workers approved the new contract by a 3-to-1 margin. The pact was seen as a way to preserve the brand's presence in Toledo.

The Chrysler Group declined to comment beyond a written statement: "The company and UAW work together in private to address any concerns expressed by UAW-represented employees," it said.

The Nitro is an important new vehicle for the Chrysler Group. It gives Dodge a smaller SUV to go with the Durango, a large SUV whose sales suffered with high gas prices.

The Nitro also represents the improved flexibility of Chrysler Group plants. The unit invested $600 million in the Toledo North Assembly Plant to give it the ability to shift among different types of vehicles. Toledo North already makes the Liberty.

For workers such as Buckmaster, though, the equipment upgrade and outsourcing represent a new phase in the U.S. auto industry. As the UAW and the companies work out future contracts, he said he's afraid more jobs will be moved to outside suppliers.

"You can see the light at the end of the tunnel," Buckmaster said. "The only person that's going to be left working here is the person putting the sticker on the car that rolls off the end."