Chrysler: 489 Fenton workers take buyouts

St. Louis Business Journal - 2:18 PM CDT Tuesday, April 10, 2007

As of April 5, a total of 489 employees at Chrysler Group's two Fenton, Mo., plants had accepted voluntary severance or retirement packages, DaimlerChrysler said Tuesday.

Michele Tinson, a spokeswoman for DaimlerChrysler, said 193 hourly workers at the North truck assembly facility in Fenton had accepted one of the offered packages, while 296 at the Chrysler Group's south Fenton assembly plant took the offers.

Chrysler's North Assembly Plant in Fenton employs about 2,300 workers, and its South Plant employs about 3,200.

After announcing in mid-February that 1,300 production jobs are to be eliminated by the second quarter of 2008 at Chrysler Group's Fenton South Assembly Plant, the company said March 21 that its North truck assembly facility in Fenton might also see some job cuts through 2010.

DaimlerChrysler's chairman, Dieter Zetsche, confirmed for the first time April 4 that discussions have taken place with interested parties regarding future options for the company's beleaguered Chrysler Group.

Media outlets reported April 5, that Tracinda Corp. is prepared to make an offer to acquire the Chrysler Group from DaimlerChrysler AG for $4.5 billion.

DaimlerChrysler AG (NYSE: DCX), based in Stuttgart, Germany, operates Mercedes Car Group, Chrysler Group, Commercial Vehicles and Financial Services.