Chrysler fires protest organizer at MI assembly plant

Chrysler has reportedly fired a Warren Stamping Plant worker for what the company is calling a violation of its code of conduct. Alex Wassell (left), a 20-year veteran with the automaker, was suspended without pay after he was quoted in an article in The Detroit News. The 63-year-old welder repairman helped organize a demonstration against a new work schedule and was protesting outside the Michigan plant on February 28 when he was interviewed. Chrysler then fired Wassell when the paper published his comments. Wassell, has since filed a grievance and says that he's looking for an amicable settlement between his union and his former employer.

Meanwhile, multiple civil liberties groups have spoken out against Chrysler's decision to dismiss Wassell. Both the National Lawyer's Guild and the American Civil Liberties Union have released statements on the situation, with the ACLU saying "Employees have a right to air their grievances, even if that means a public demonstration or a comments to the media."

According to The Detroit News, Chrysler spokesperson Jodi Tinson said that Wassell was fired for "engaging in activity constituting or appearing to constitute a conflict with the interest of the company."

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/12/c...ssembly-plant/

 

they should of fired him... they should be happy they are "forced to work". Millions would do unholy things right now to get a job.

 

The circumstances of this particular case will shake out in the court, but employees have the right to free speech and free assembly in America regardless of the job market.

 

From this article: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...0101/303120318

"Wassell helped organize a protest on Feb. 28 against a new work schedule that opponents say will force many employees to work Saturdays and require others to alternate between day and night shifts. The protest was not endorsed by the United Auto Workers, which has endorsed the alternative schedule."

Now... he's basically a person who said, against even his union, that the conditions are not acceptable, and helped organize the protest.

I am in agreement that he has a right to say what he wants to, as do all the people protesting. That's what makes America great.

HOWEVER... if the union that *represents* him and the others have agreed to the conditions, that makes him a violator of the terms of his union and his employment.

Fired. G'bye stupid. And the others might wanna think about that, it's a simple legal agreement. If the UNION had not accepted the conditions, THEN he has a footing.

Of course, I'm not a lawyer, but that's how I would see that Chrysler is gonna win this... unless a severely Liberal judge is brought in to see to it it goes the other way, because how dare a small lil' guy get punished for talking out of order against his employer/union's agreement...

/This is where the Union hasn't heard it's members and done right by them. And further prove that unions are great when there's an inequity. But suck when there isn't. This is an 'isn't'... because the union got what they wanted, not the people. Go union.