Chrysler Asks UAW for Four 10-Hour Days

Chrysler LLC is negotiating with the United Auto Workers to put factory workers on four 10-hour workdays to save energy and travel.

Chrysler manufacturing chief Frank Ewasyshyn said the new schedule would affect most of the company’s plants, except those working lots of overtime such as Belvidere assembly in Illinois and the Sterling Heights, Michigan, assembly plant. The rest would likely qualify, he said.

He said the proposal was similar to what some government entities are doing to reduce energy costs. They are shifting from five eight-hour days per workweek to four 10-hour days.

“It reduces their costs and reduces our operating costs,” Ewasyshyn said.

Belvidere makes the Dodge Caliber small car and the Jeep Patriot and Dodge Compass SUVs. Sterling Heights makes the Chrysler Sebring sedan, its convertible variation and the Dodge Avenger.

Chrysler is piloting the plan in a parts distribution center in Atlanta.

Ewasyshyn said he couldn’t immediately provide specific savings, but said it was less than $10 million annually.

Chrysler is talking with the UAW International and the locals representing affected plants to approve the change, Ewasyshyn said.

Filed by David Barkholz of Automotive News, a sister publication of Workforce Management. To comment, e-mail editors@workforce.com.