Interview: How the Chrysler Layoff Will Affect Thousands

Chrysler announced today that they will temporarily close a few plants and cut a shift from another plant after Plastech Engineered Products, Inc. filed bankruptcy last week. The contract between the two businesses ended on Friday. Affected will be over 10,000 workers.

Plastech, the plastic making company, makes grills, engine covers, door panels and safety restraints as well as several other parts for Chrysler, GM, Toyota and Ford Motor Co. Ford however has not ended any contracts with the company as of yet.

As a result, Chrysler's plants in Sterling Heights, Mich., Newark, Del., and Rockford, Ill. will be closing for now while the plant in Toledo, Ohio will cut second shift out of their plant completely.

My neighbor in Flint, Michigan has worked at the Sterling Heights plant for over ten years and will be harshly affected by yet another auto industry cut. That seems to be where Michigan excels in job losses.

"I have worked in Sterling Heights for over ten years. I make an hour drive commute every morning from Flint," says James Carol.

"Now I am going to have to find another job working in the factory until a resolution is resolved. It's not easy to find any job around here in Flint.... at all."

Carol is among hundreds of thousands in the nation who have lost their job due to the automakers. Making ends meet may be harder than he expected. With soaring gas prices and high electric bills, savings may have to be used as a backup funding source.

"I at least have a large amount of money in the bank saved to make my house payments, car payments and utilities for a while," he says. "However that money saved was originally planned for vacations overseas with family over the next several years. So that's a dream shattered now."

"The most devastating part about Chrysler closing down the plants is that in Flint there are no jobs anymore, especially my line of work. It is going to be tough to find work making the top dollar I did in the plant," he states.

Though the Chrysler building in Sterling Heights will be temporarily shut down, Carol does have an idea that he will try before moving on to finding another high paying job.