Toyota pays workers to "keep busy".

[boomerang]

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.financialweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080818/REG/357947620/-1/TOC">Toyota idles factories ? but can't lay anybody off
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Well, it appears that bad management is not exclusive to just domestic automakers. Toyota will be paying 4,500 workers to not produce cars. What is this world coming to?

Their policy is no layoffs during hard times. Imagine if every company adopted this policy. Bad business anyway you look at it.

 

[wetcat007]

Toyota is in a much better position than many domestic car companies even as the entire industry is slowing in sales. They're paying their workers to do things like cleaning parks, is that so bad?

 

[mugs]

The article said they shut down the plants for 3 months. I think laying off employees that you don't need for 3 months would be bad business. Keeping them around long-term when they're not needed would be bad business. Keeping trained employees around for 3 months, giving them additional training, and having them do some community service work is good business.

 

[KaOTiK]

Kudos to Toyota for sticking to their word. Their workforce will be much more loyal and better overall cause of it.

 

[Passions]

Toyota's reputation grows, Americans love Toyota even more.

Profit++

 

[quangdaika]

Well I can't see anyone complaining about this. I agree that they can do this is because they have the money to spare.

 

[andy04]

They have a surplus of trucks at this moment... eventually they have to make more... layoff costs money too and then training new employees... paying employees for 6 months is not a bad deal

 

[Scouzer]

Good for Toyota. Obviously they wouldn't lay people off for a 3 month plant idle...

Plus it's a safe bet for them: As soon as the market swings upwards, so will they, faster than anyone else. No sense in dumping all their experienced employees.

 

[bignateyk]

How is it bad business??

1) They have the up-front money to spare
2) They save money down the line by not having to re-train workers.
3) They make more money from the added publicity/reputation of paying workers to do community service.
4) Even if they laid them off there would likely be severence pay of at least a month, which is 1/3 the time the plant is supposed to be closed.

edit: p.s. I :heart: my 2008 V6 RAV4

 

[TwiceOver]

Could be worse, like many US auto makers, it could take them YEARS to retool for smaller cars.

I mean c'mon how could US auto makers not see that coming. "Hrm, rather than watching trends I'll scratch my ass till the last minute." :roll:

 

[boomerang]

Toyota is in the business of manufacturing cars and trucks. Paying workers to do anything other than that, is unacceptable in my opinion. The bottom line is all that matters and layoffs will help that bottom line.

Assembly line work can be done by anyone. No education required. The thought of them giving them additional training on work that any numb-skull can do just boils my blood. It makes no sense whatsoever.

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
Could be worse, like many US auto makers, it could take them YEARS to retool for smaller cars.

I mean c'mon how could US auto makers not see that coming. "Hrm, rather than watching trends I'll scratch my ass till the last minute." :roll:

Is this post about U.S. automakers? Stay on topic please.

 

[Row1and]

Other companies should learn from the Toyota. It's nice that they don't lay their employees off during hard times.

Gold Medal for Toyota!

 

[Regs]

Which is funny since Toyota layed off 800 people last week in southwestern Japan. Temp workers, with the hopes of being hired as employees, also get the boot in other lines.

There is also a effect which some over look. What are those suppliers going to do with their work force now that Toyota and countless others are stalling their assembly lines, no longer ordering parts? Its just bad business.

I'm afraid the only thing left is government intervention like back in the FDR days. Unfortunately, if enough people are willing to pay 4-5 dollars a gallon on gas and the only jobs that could be had are where the housing prices are sky rocketing, not many are going to have the buying power to get that 14-17MPG vehicle.

 

[dartworth]

Originally posted by: boomerang
Toyota is in the business of manufacturing cars and trucks. Paying workers to do anything other than that, is unacceptable in my opinion. The bottom line is all that matters and layoffs will help that bottom line.

Assembly line work can be done by anyone. No education required. The thought of them giving them additional training on work that any numb-skull can do just boils my blood. It makes no sense whatsoever.

you go girl...


Toyota didn't get where they are by making bad decisions...play armchair quarterback all you want.

Are you just trying to troll, or do you have that much hate and discontent for the blue collar worker?

 

[imported_Imp]

Could have them form their own stage production... or whore themselves out to opening ceremonies.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: mugs
The article said they shut down the plants for 3 months. I think laying off employees that you don't need for 3 months would be bad business. Keeping them around long-term when they're not needed would be bad business. Keeping trained employees around for 3 months, giving them additional training, and having them do some community service work is good business.

:thumbsup:

 

[kevman]

make's em look good to everyone, can't argue with that.

 

[boomerang]

Originally posted by: dartworth

Are you just trying to troll, or do you have that much hate and discontent for the blue collar worker?

I don't have hate for blue collar workers at all. Someone has got to do the job.

But it's simple work. How much training does it take? They've been doing the job, and now they're going to be paid to learn how to - do the job? Makes no sense. This sounds like jobs bank kind of work.

Would this make sense to you if you were a stock holder?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: boomerang
Toyota is in the business of manufacturing cars and trucks.

Paying workers to do anything other than that, is unacceptable in my opinion.

The bottom line is all that matters and layoffs will help that bottom line.

Die Toyota Die

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: boomerang
Toyota is in the business of manufacturing cars and trucks.

Paying workers to do anything other than that, is unacceptable in my opinion.

The bottom line is all that matters and layoffs will help that bottom line.

Die Toyota Die

I think I will never be able to understand you.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Originally posted by: boomerang

Originally posted by: dartworth

Are you just trying to troll, or do you have that much hate and discontent for the blue collar worker?

I don't have hate for blue collar workers at all. Someone has got to do the job.

But it's simple work. How much training does it take? They've been doing the job, and now they're going to be paid to learn how to - do the job? Makes no sense. This sounds like jobs bank kind of work.

Would this make sense to you if you were a stock holder?

Why do I get the impression that you haven't done much "blue collar" work as you call it? Do you really think if manufacturers could replace their work forces with unskilled labor they wouldn't?

Yes, if I was a stock holder it would make way more sense for the company to do this as opposed to closing plants and 'downsizing.'

 

[Brovane]

Originally posted by: boomerang

Originally posted by: dartworth

Are you just trying to troll, or do you have that much hate and discontent for the blue collar worker?

I don't have hate for blue collar workers at all. Someone has got to do the job.

But it's simple work. How much training does it take? They've been doing the job, and now they're going to be paid to learn how to - do the job? Makes no sense. This sounds like jobs bank kind of work.

Would this make sense to you if you were a stock holder?

How many auto manufacturing jobs have you held? Just because it is blue collar work doesn't mean that any person can operate the machines effectively.

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: boomerang
Bad decisions not exclusive to domestics.

Unfortunately, multi-billion-dollar quarterly losses are exclusive to domestics.

 

[NL5]

Originally posted by: Brovane

Originally posted by: boomerang

Originally posted by: dartworth

Are you just trying to troll, or do you have that much hate and discontent for the blue collar worker?

I don't have hate for blue collar workers at all. Someone has got to do the job.

But it's simple work. How much training does it take? They've been doing the job, and now they're going to be paid to learn how to - do the job? Makes no sense. This sounds like jobs bank kind of work.

Would this make sense to you if you were a stock holder?

How many auto manufacturing jobs have you held? Just because it is blue collar work doesn't mean that any person can operate the machines effectively.

Yeah, it kills me how the computer nerd crowd thinks blue collar=unskilled. LOL.

 

[Ktulu]

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: boomerang
Bad decisions not exclusive to domestics.

Unfortunately, multi-billion-dollar quarterly losses are exclusive to domestics.

and crippling union contracts. BTW, this would have never flown at a domestic plant simply because the union wouldn't stand for it.