Buyouts on the table at Mercedes-Benz (Alabama plant)

[Blue_Tires]

Source: The Birmingham News

In another example of the global auto industry slump hitting home in Alabama, Mercedes-Benz said Thursday that it will offer buyouts to employees at its state assembly plant in Vance.

Keep reading for today's story in The Birmingham News.

Mercedes-Benz will offer buyouts to employees at its Alabama auto assembly plant in Vance, as a global sales slump continues to take a toll on the state's automotive industry.

The German automaker informed employees about the voluntary separation program on Thursday. While it will be offered to all employees, only a limited number will be accepted, and the company did not pinpoint that target.

The plant did not announce layoffs. Plant spokeswoman Felyicia Jerald declined to say what would happen if enough employees do not participate in the program.

Mercedes, which employs about 4,000 people at its $1 billion Vance plant, has seen sales slide for the three models produced there: the M-Class sport utility, R-Class crossover and GL-Class full-sized sport utility.



Read more: http://blog.al.com/assembly-lines/2008/10/mercedes_friday.html#more

[jimmil]

1. It is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

This depression we are heading full steam into is not going to peak until next year, maybe third or fourth quarter at the very best. I don't think we will come out of it with the same economy as we know it. The US absolutely cannot sustain the economy the way we have over the last eight years running record deficits, military spending completely out of control, and consumerism being the only engine driving it. When this depression is over this country will be completely changed.