Hmmm...no one really knows at this point if there is a future left at this company. Lets start with a little history first:
Founded in 1984 as a subsidiary of Nihon-Plast Co, Ltd. (Japan), Neaton Auto,located in Eaton OH, has been a top supplier of products to the automobile industry. Neaton supplies such products as:
Steering wheels
Air Bags
Instrument panels and related parts
Ventilators
Interior and exterior trim parts,
all for top producing Auto Manufacturers including Honda, Saturn and Nisson.
Back in the day, Neaton Auto was THE company of choice to work for in the Preble County area. Well, at least one of them. Neaton offered perks including an excellent retirement program, company-wide week long shut downs at Christmas and over July 4th week, yearly cost-of-living raises,excellent vacation plans, attendance bonus, shift premiums, state-of-the-art working enviornment, as well as unheard of extras like tickets to the Beach Waterpark, Kings Island tickets, a company Holiday party, company summer picnic, kids holiday party with Santa and gifts, and much more.
Of course, back in the day we all had opportunities that we took for granted. Opportunities and perks that most of us would kill for now! Neaton Auto employees included. Because, just like GM, FORD, and many other auto manufacturers, Neaton is feeling the pinch. And employees are getting scared.
Cut backs began in December of 2008. All temporary associates were let go. January hit, and raisies were taken back. Attendence bonuses and the like were erased. Then, third shift was deemed "non-essential", and all third shift employees had to make the switch to second or first shift. And all of the sudden, you've got people tripping over each other and the musical chairs game begins. The janitory dept. is scaled back, so now instead of making a part, some folks at Neaton are cleaning the restrooms. But hey, a paycheck is a paycheck in this economy.
"Black Thursday" came up soon enough. Approximatly 30 people were "let go". Call it a lay-off, call it "firing", call it what you want. Around 30 people lost jobs. People with seniority. People with good attendanace and good work history. But, they were all deemed "non-essential". That word seems to come up a lot. Non-essential. Sort-of an umbrella term for whatever or whomever needs to be taken care of.
Last week, word came around the plant that approx. 100 people still need to go. Options are few:
A. Quit now and take a severance. At first sight, a lump sum looks pretty attractive. But believe me, it runs out all too soon. If you dont need or want another job, if you dont need the insurance coverage, if you haven't worked 20 years and racked up more vacation than you'll ever realize anyplace else, this might be the option for you. If not..
B. Take the "voluntary" lay-off. Expect to see 80% of your take home pay in unemployment benefits. 80% ain't bad. EXCEPT: its based on your last 26 weeks of work. And for the majority of Neaton workers, the last 26 weeks of employment has been 32 hours a week. So, 80% of a 32 hour week. Ouch.
C. Ride it out. If Neaton doesn't get enough volunteers for the first two options, the last option will be to fire what is needed to complete the "100 number". Word has it, this will be based upon work performance, as well as overall attendance. So those folks who are good workers and actually SHOW UP to work should have no worries.
My husband is an employee of Neaton Auto. He has been since 1991. So we have seen the heyday of Neaton, and we have seen the bad times now as well. The belt tightening has had an affect on our family, and an affect on our wallet. But he is resolved to ride it out. Because like most things in the world, its all cyclical. Real Estate. Wal-Street. Politics. Gas prices. Crop values. Manufacturing. Its the roller-coaster of life folks.
Neaton Auto has always made wise business decisions. I think the company as a whole has a great head on its shoulders, and the dark time will pass. Maybe that's my own little pipe-dream. It seems like the hope and dream of many in this community though. Time will tell.
Thanks for reading!
Kelley A. Weimer
A house "SOLD" name
Professional Real Estate Services for Preble County OH and beyond; including Eaton, Brookville, Lakengren, Germantown, West Alexandria, Camden and Lewisburg.
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