Chrysler says it will add 1,250 jobs at 2 Detroit factories to make diesel Jeep, muscle car
Chrysler will add 1,250 jobs at two Detroit factories next year — another sign that the once struggling automaker appears to be making a comeback.
The Jefferson North Assembly Plant will get 1,100 new workers and a third shift to help build a Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel model for North America. Another 150 workers will be added when Chrysler reopens the Conner Avenue factory to make a Street Racing Team version of the Dodge Viper muscle car.
“Our future, like the history of our brands, is interwoven with the City of Detroit,” Chrysler Group Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne said Thursday in a statement. “We believe that investing in Detroit is not only the right thing to do, but it is a smart thing to do as we work to write the next chapter in our shared history.”
Chrysler has been using gritty images of Detroit in advertising that highlights its resurgence from a 2009 trip through bankruptcy protection.
Each of the 1,250 new jobs will be filled by new hires. The third crew at the Jefferson plant will start early next year. The Conner Avenue factory reopens later this year.
“Our workers nationwide have had a rough couple of years along with the American auto industry and we are proud to be partners in building a future of success starting right here in Detroit,” said United Auto Workers Vice President General Holiefield, who last year led the union’s contract negotiations with Chrysler.
Frank says: