Chrysler Autoworkers Caught on Camera Drinking Beer, Smoking Pot During Break

If the first paragraph of this article doesn't make you see red as an American taxpayer, nothing will:

While taxpayers are footing the bill to keep America's auto industry off life support, an undercover investigation shows illegal activities by Chrysler employees who have enjoyed nearly $15 billion in government money

Take a minute to comprehend that the taxpayers of America, you and me, have given Chrysler nearly $15 billion in our money thanks to Obama and the Democrats in Congress to take over Chrysler. That doesn't include the money Obama gave to to take over General Motors making them Government Motors.

This is what the taxpayer get for our money -- employees on breaks drinking beer and smoking pot? Way to go Obama -- more wasted tax dollars on an auto company which should have been allowed to fail if they couldn't compete. Actually, they should have been allowed to fail the first time instead of President Jimmy Carter bailing them out in the early 1970's. What is with Democrat Presidents wanting to take over private industry? If a company cannot be successful on its own, then it should fail.

We had first hand knowledge of how bad the General Motors plants were in Dayton, Ohio, having grown up in the area and watching people clamoring for layoffs to go hunting every year. Their breaks stretched way past the norm all to turn out inferior products. We would bet similar activities go on at the General Motors plants from stories we have heard. Taking a six-pack of beer to work is kind of telling which my neighbor in Fairborn used to do.

Toyota in the last few years bought a computer system for one of their cars from GM's Delphi plant in Dayton, Ohio, which has led to a recall of Toyota Matrix and Corolla. When the cars hit a certain mileage, the part fails. General Motors another company that was bailed out by Obama who, in turn, shut down Republican car dealers throughout America.

Union workers drove General Motors plants to close in Dayton and other places with their unrealistic demands and shoddy workmanship. We had a 1977 Buick Estate wagon with all the bells and whistles on the car, but there was one slight problem. The radiator was too small for the car and led to numerous other problems. The designers didn't leave room to put a larger radiator in the car. Ford wasn't much better as we had brakes go out on a Taurus at 31,000 miles, but the absolute worst cars we ever owned belonged to Chrysler -- talk about shoddy workmanship. Now we find out what some the union workers at their plants in Detroit do on break -- drink beer and smoke pot.

Our tax dollars at work and Obama goes around praising the Chrysler Auto workers:

Obama spoke July 30 at the plant, where he lauded the American worker, saying, "It's workers like you that built this country into the greatest economic power the world has ever known."

"I want all of you to know, I will bet on the American worker any day of the week." he told the crowd.

"I wish they could see what I'm seeing in this plant and talk to the workers who are here, taking pride in building a world-class vehicle," Obama said, referring to opponents of the multibillion-dollar government auto bailout. "I don't think they'd be willing to look you in the eye and say that you were a bad investment."

UAW workers for the most part have never been known as the most energetic, but are paid much more than they deserve for the work they perform. The workers of the auto industry who do the best jobs are the ones who are not union members and work at plants in Right to Work states. Who does GM shut down of their divisions -- Saturn, their non-union automobile manufacturing.  The productivity is much higher in Right to Work states but they will never be praised by Obama as they are not union workers. Instead Obama praises the Chrysler union workers and the truth comes out. Where is Chrysler management that didn't see this -- pretty hard not to notice what your employees are doing during breaks. Their management can say all they want now how the people will be dealt with, but they were obviously not paying attention.

Chrysler Autoworkers Caught on Camera Drinking Beer, Smoking Pot During Break

Published September 23, 2010
| FoxNews.com

While taxpayers are footing the bill to keep America's auto industry off life support, an undercover investigation shows illegal activities by Chrysler employees who have enjoyed nearly $15 billion in government money.

Dozens of autoworkers in Detroit were caught on camera drinking beer and smoking marijuana before heading to work at the Chrysler plant that President Obama praised in a speech just two months ago.

An exclusive investigation by MyFoxDetroit showed workers at Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, Mich., drinking beer and smoking joints while on a half-hour lunch break at a nearby park.

The investigation -- conducted over several weeks and based on tips from workers at the plant -- outraged the auto giant's top executives who reportedly called the behavior "totally unacceptable."

View video at Fox News

(snip)

Chrysler took $14.3 billion in government bailout money, which includes pre-bankruptcy loans. The company has repaid $3.7 billion.

The plant -- taking up more than 3 million square feet of factory -- employs 2,833 union auto workers. The station's report did not say how many workers were involved in the incident.

Scott Garberding, senior vice president of manufacturing, told MyFoxDetroit that he was "very disturbed" by what he saw in the video.

"I want to make it clear that we at Chrysler take this very seriously," he said in an interview with the station. "For us, this behavior is totally unacceptable and will be dealt with swiftly."

Click here to read more on this story from MyFoxDetroit.com