Fiat Chrysler employees at Belvidere plant laid off for one week following parts shortage

• By Adam Poulisse
  Staff writer

  Posted Aug. 27, 2016 at 12:01 AM

  BELVIDERE — About 3,800 workers at the Fiat Chrysler plant will be laid off for one week beginning Monday due to a shortage of parts because an Ontario-based supplier was damaged by a tornado.

  The supplier is unable to manufacture gas tanks for vehicles until the damage is cleaned up. As a result, assembly in Belvidere is temporarily put on pause, according to George Welitschinsky, president of United Auto Workers Local 1268.

  "They got hit hard and can't recoup for another week," he said. "It's mother nature, we can't control it. It creeped up on us."

  Those affected will retain their benefits for the week they are off, Welitschinsky said. About 2,000 parts suppliers near the Belvidere plant will also be laid off for the week, Welitschinsky said.

  Employees will receive unemployment plus a subpayment, which adds up to about 95 percent of a worker's pay. Employees are set to return to work on Sept. 6, the day after Labor Day, according to Welitschinsky.

  "It's only going to be a week," he said. "We can't afford a second week."

  A tornado ripped through parts of Windsor this week, ripping roofs off buildings and tearing down power lines. Tornadoes also caused significant damage in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.

  Adam Poulisse: 815-987-1344; apoulisse@rrstar.com; @adampoulisse

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