Nissan North America on Wednesday announced it is offering what it calls a Voluntary Transition Program (VTP) to its blue and white collar workers at assembly plants in Smyrna and Dechard, Tennessee. The fancy name amounts to an admittedly generous lump sum of between $100,000 and $125,000, depending on seniority, along with medical and car purchase benefits, for employees to leave the job.
“We feel this program is a good opportunity for employees wanting to transition to another phase in life,” Nissan North America’s VP of Manufacturing, Purchasing, Supply Chain Management and Total Customer Satisfaction, Bill Krueger, said in a press release.
The Japanese automaker launched the program as gas prices lower demand for its SUVs and trucks. As of August 11, the Smyrna plant’s truck-making night shift will be eliminated.
Employees will have the choice of taking advantage of the program this fiscal year, 2009, or 2010. Employees have until September 12 to leave during the 2008 fiscal year, and choosing to leave in 2009 and 2010 will reduce the lump sump accordingly, although it is not know by how much.
The Smyrna plant employs 5,500 employees, while the Decherd engine and transmission facility has a workforce of 1,100. It is not known how many employees Nissan hopes to shed with its newest plan.
07/30, 11:54 AM
posted by:
RaineMan
Transition package??!!?? They’re going to pay all their employees to have a sex change?
07/30, 11:59 AM
posted by:
xyunya
^^^Well, 100K is better then castration by GM or Ford
07/30, 12:28 PM
posted by:
elviososa
You have a great idea RaineMan.
07/30, 12:39 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I always thought VTP stood for ‘very tight pussy’ but then my amateur gynecological career came to a screaching halt when I got married.
07/30, 1:09 PM
posted by:
ktulu
They R getting fired
but $100k-plus will help U trasnition.
07/30, 1:35 PM
posted by:
xyunya
johnnycanuck, at least you tried and experimented.
07/30, 6:19 PM
posted by:
jonnycat
Take it and run.
07/30, 6:38 PM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
^ x2. This is a gift. If they fight it with strikes and picket lines Nissan will cum all over their faces and leave them with nothing but a faceful of white gold.
07/30, 8:19 PM
posted by:
desertdweller
So much for the Japanese trying to build their vehicles here in the US. Next will be Toyota at their truck plant! They just figured out tt’s still cheaper to pay Japanese children to build their vehicles.
07/30, 9:14 PM
posted by:
gbb
Asian cars suck.
07/31, 9:25 AM
posted by:
xyunya
desertdwelller, you need come out of desert once in a while. Japan is highly educated and civilized country. There is no child labor. And even 100K in Tennessee is a large chunk of cash. I wonder how much GM & Ford give for their laid off workers; something tells me it is less then that.
gbb, what about cars made in US? Like those from Tennessee? You think they much worst then Mexican? or you prefer Chevy/Daewoo (Korean)? Just wondering.