Chrysler reinstates 13 fired employees

12/12/2012

DETROIT — Chrysler Group LLC says it has bowed to an arbitrator’s ruling and reinstated 13 employees at Detroit’s Jefferson North Assembly Plant who were fired after a TV station broadcast footage of them apparently drinking and smoking marijuana during breaks.

WJBK-TV broadcast the story in September, 2010.

Chrysler said the fired workers followed grievance procedures under the company’s contract with the United Auto Workers union. The company said that after two years of review, the arbitrator found “insufficient conclusive evidence to uphold the dismissals.”

Chrysler said it disagrees with the decision and the workers’ actions aren’t representative of its 27,000 employees. The UAW has said it doesn’t condone drinking or drug use on the job.