White-collar workers at Chrysler’s parent company Stellantis have reason to be nervous if they ever receive a company notice saying they must work remotely on a certain day.
This is what It happened about 400 of their colleagues on Thursday. The notice informed them that the automaker would “conduct important operational meetings that require special attention and participation” the next day.
“To ensure everyone can participate effectively,” the notice reads, “we have decided to implement mandatory teleworking.” It stated that employees “were required to work from home unless otherwise directed by your manager.” Guy X Auto Show Account general notification on Thursday.
The workers in question were non-union employees in the technology and engineering industries in the United States.
During a remote meeting on Friday, they were told they were being fired.
The automaker, whose brands include Jeep, Ram, Chrysler and Dodge, said in a statement: “As the auto industry continues to face unprecedented uncertainty and increased competitive pressures around the world, Stellantis continues to make appropriate structural decisions around the world.” enterprise in order to increase efficiency and optimize the cost structure.”
One mechanical engineer was fired on Friday spoke about the process anonymously Detroit’s WJBK Fox said, “It was a mass layoff of everyone on the call.” He suspects the real reason for the layoffs is the desire to move jobs to “low-cost countries,” noting that Stellantis outsources many jobs to India, Mexico and Brazil.
Luck contacted the company over the weekend but did not receive an immediate response outside of normal business hours.
But speaking on Thursday Wall Street Journalwhich first reported Regarding layoffs, the company said it will offer affected workers a comprehensive severance package and transition assistance. The company added that the cuts will help it retain critical skills needed to pursue its electric vehicle plans.
The company aims to spend more than $50 billion before the end of the decade to electrify its lineup, despite a recent slowdown in electric vehicle sales and growing demand for hybrids. The company plans to offer eight new electric vehicle models in the United States by the end of the year, and more than two dozen by 2030.
Dismissal etiquette
How to properly conduct layoffs and inform employees about them causes a lot of controversy.
Goldman Sachs cut 3,200 jobs last year, drawing criticism. Employees were reportedly emailed calendar invitations to fake morning meetings, some as early as 7:30 a.m., at the bank’s New York headquarters. When they showed up, they learned that they were being fired in front of their manager.
During Elon Musk’s chaotic takeover of Twitter, some employees found their jobs being eliminated after they were unable to log into the company’s email or messaging systems. Others learned their fate from an (unsigned) email sent after work.
An HR professional criticized Musk’s method, tweeting: “When leaders are so cowardly, it’s because they put their own comfort above that of others, or choose not to do hard, time-consuming work, or both.” It’s weak, it’s pathetic and it’s cruel.”
One user X, answering in a post by “Car Dealership Guy” late Thursday predicted exactly what the notice from Stellantis meant, writing: “Layoffs. My company did exactly that. Much easier (and preferred by most employees).”
However, an anonymous worker who spoke to WJBK said the layoffs were an “absolute” gut punch.