Chrysler Group LLC to Pay UAW Employees Balance of Contract Ratification Bonus by Year End

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Nov 30, 2012, 10:30 ET

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Nov. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Chrysler Group LLC announced today that it would pay its UAW-represented employees the second half of the $3,500 ratification bonus on Dec. 21, waiving the financial threshold outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement that would not have made a potential payment possible until first quarter 2013.

Per the national contract Chrysler Group reached with the UAW in October 2011, UAW members were to receive the $3,500 ratification bonus in two equal payments with an initial payment of $1,750 paid upon ratification followed by another $1,750 payment if certain financial goals were met for four consecutive quarters. The Company is waiving that requirement in acknowledgment of the dedication shown by its hourly workforce.

"This waiver of the four-quarter requirement is made in recognition of the tremendous contribution you have all made to the performance of our facilities and to the revival of Chrysler," said Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler Group Chairman and CEO, in a letter to employees. "You have made extraordinary efforts to meet our production needs in order to satisfy the steadily increasing consumer demand for our products. You have also demonstrated a great level of commitment and cooperation in building a solid future for our company, bringing the weight of your professional and personal qualities to the achievement of our goals."

All UAW employees who were eligible for the first bonus payment, approximately 26,200, qualify for the second $1,750 payment. This payment is in addition to the minimum $500 Quality Bonus that will be paid to U.S.-represented employees on Dec. 7. Three facilities – Dundee Engine Plant (Mich.), Toledo Assembly Complex (Ohio) and Portland Parts Distribution Center (Ore.) – will receive $625 for maintaining or achieving certain WCM or quality metrics. The St. Louis Parts Distribution Center (Mo.) will receive $1,000.

"We appreciate Sergio's and Chrysler's willingness to recognize the contributions of our members at this time of the year," said General Holiefield, UAW Vice President of the Chrysler Department. "This additional money in the paychecks of UAW members is well-earned, but it doesn't just benefit them; they will spend that money in their communities, providing a well-needed boost to local economies across the country."

About Chrysler Group LLC

Chrysler Group LLC, formed in 2009 to establish a global strategic alliance with Fiat S.p.A., produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Mopar, SRT and Fiat vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete on a global scale, the alliance builds on Chrysler Group's culture of innovation, first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925, and Fiat's complementary technology that dates back to its founding in 1899.

Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., Chrysler Group's product lineup features some of the world's most recognizable vehicles, including the Chrysler 300 and Town & Country, Jeep Wrangler, all-new Dodge Dart, Ram 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and Fiat 500. Fiat contributes world-class technology, platforms and powertrains for small- and medium-size cars, allowing Chrysler Group to offer an expanded product line including environmentally friendly vehicles.

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SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC