On Monday, January 28, Chrysler LLC announced buyout offers for 14,000 hourly workers totaling as much as $100,000 each to effect 12 facilities in the Detroit area.

The move is part of the company's plan to eliminate approximately 10,000 union jobs at plants involved in the construction of parts including engines and axles as well as car assembly work.

The offer could potentially be extended to an additional plant idled last week in Warren, Michigan with talks in progress with the United Auto Workers union to include eight more sites nationwide.

Chrysler announced its plans to cut the 10,000 hourly positions in November with a 14 month time line for completion. The announcement followed one last February that slated 13,000 job for elimination. Together the two moves reduce the company's unionized factory positions by almost 50 percent.

A thousand salaried positions have also gone on the chopping block, thus reducing white-collar, contract positions by almost 40 percent.

The buyout offer, which will be good through February 18, is for a lump $100,000 payment with health benefits for six months.

A corollary retirement package option offered to approximately 4,600 workers would include a $70,000 payment as well as an improved pension program and health-care benefits.

All of the moves are part of Chrysler's internal restructuring and reduction plan intended to return the company to a profitable operating position.