Teamsters Protest Fiat/Chrysler, Raise 'Damaged When Delivered?' Banner

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International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Jan 14, 2010, 02:20 ET

Move to Cut-rate Carhaulers Destroys Good Jobs, Can Cause Hidden Damages

DETROIT, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Last night, representatives from the Teamsters Union attended the Automotive News World Congress at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center to protest Fiat/Chrysler and its moves away from longtime professional carhaul companies to cheaper, less-experienced carriers.

During a speech by Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne, protesters unfurled a banner attached to helium balloons reading "Fiat Chrysler: Damaged When Delivered?" The banner remained floating above the audience throughout Marchionne's entire speech.

The banner referred to the report, "Damaged When Delivered?" available at www.CarBuyersBeware.com. The report contains photographic evidence of the shoddy practices being used by alternative carriers to deliver new cars and trucks to auto dealers. The pictures, all taken recently, show the poor practices that can endanger new vehicles' frames, suspensions, tires and more.

"Fiat/Chrysler's actions to move work away from the professional, experienced companies that have safely delivered its cars for years threaten the jobs of 5,000 carhaul drivers," said Teamster Carhaul Division Director Fred Zuckerman. "To save a few dollars per car, they are going to destroy a stable industry that provides good jobs and benefits. And they are also risking their new cars arriving at dealerships with hidden damages due to these cut-rate carriers hauling their vehicles improperly and unsafely."

Nonprofit organizations Consumer Action and Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS) are opposed to these moves as well, stating "one of the most insidious problems American car buyers face is undisclosed damage to new vehicles, which may occur while they are being transported to dealership lots."

In the report, CARS and Consumer Action call on Fiat/Chrysler to "reverse direction and instead of cutting corners on auto shipping, take more steps to ensure that their new vehicles are not damaged en route to dealerships. The car buying public deserves no less."

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters was founded in 1903 and represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters