Posted on 12/11/2005 11:18:40 AM PST by Brilliant
KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) -- At least a thousand people rallied in central Indiana against steep wage cuts proposed by auto parts manufacturer Delphi Corp., which has filed for bankruptcy protection.
Workers say the proposed cuts -- from $27 an hour to between $10 and $12.50 -- are unfair, especially as Delphi has given bonuses to managers and other executives. United Auto Workers officials have said a strike against Delphi appears increasingly likely.
"To the Delphi workers here and everyone else, there are 380,000 union workers in the state of Indiana who will march in this battle with you," said Indiana AFL-CIO President Ken Zeller. "You are not alone."
Workers carried signs that read, "Delphi cooks the books/Workers get BURNED."
Delphi spokesman Lindsey Williams declined comment.
One in three jobs in Kokomo is tied to manufacturing, and the Howard County community is poised to take a heavy blow as its two big employers -- Delphi and DaimlerChrysler -- eye layoffs or pay cuts.
Delphi has been operating under bankruptcy protection since October and is seeking to cut hourly workers' wages by more than 60 percent.
Based in Troy, Mich., Delphi has about 6,000 employees in Indiana, most of whom work at the company's Electronics & Safety Division headquartered in Kokomo.
The company was founded in 1999 as a spin-off from General Motors. With 185,000 workers worldwide, Delphi is the nation's largest auto supplier.
Hmmm... are you promoting class warfare? Hmmm...,..
Delphi was a close part of GM family thus it's employees got wages more similar to GM workers
. Believe me, there will be a line of people a mile long willing to work at Delphi for $12 an hour, no doubt about it.
AND THAT'S A PLUS FOR AMERICA?? You seem happy about this
To All:
Knock off the persoanl attacks
Thanks
I have both a bachelors and masters degree, which I have already stated repeatedly on this thread.
"Would you work for $12 an hour?"
I did hard labor for a lot less than $12 an hour or years, but I went to school at night while I worked during the day and got a couple of degrees, so that now I do not have to work for $12 and hour.
I did it, so can they.
"There are so many anti working class idiots here."
I am not anti working class. I am anti union.
"$12/hour for Delphi workers is not a plus for America."
$10 to $12/hour for unskilled Delphi workers is a big plus for America. It's a sign of failure of big unions and that is something worth gloating over. Unions are the main financial and manpower supporters of the democrat party, so the worse that unions and unions do, the better off the GOP and the nation is going to be. Fewer cowards and traitors in Congress and weaker traitor democrat Presidential candidates will be the result of weaker unions.
"You know nothing about me."
I know that you claimed to not be able to pay your bills with a master degree.
None of the post I read up to this point disputes their right to strike. What I think is being said, 'are they stupid or what?
The price a business can get for its product is not determined by the the seller, but by the buyer.
Regardless of what something cost to make, if it is priced more then a buyer is willing to pay, they will not by it.
A business then has to determine how to make their product for what a buyer is willing to pay. Cost of material is one way, quaility is another, labor is another.
If the business can not (or will not) lower cost, and attempts to sell their product for less then it cost to produce, there is only one result possible. When the capital runs out close the doors.
Labor in this case says, don't look to us to help you lower the cost of the product we make. Ok fine, but if it turns out there is no other place to cut, then in the end, the workers will instead of being employed at $12.00 an hour, will be unemployed at $27.00 an hour. A wage I dare them to find anywhere else.
So stike, but but don't get your panties in a knot when others laugh at you for being stupid.
What forum have you been reading. I certainly do not belive that there is a promise that my hard work will be rewarded.
Compensation for any work performed is based on the value that work brings to the product. There is a further condition on just how many workers are available that can add that same value.
The more technical or knowledge required to perform a given task, the fewer workers there are to do it, the more valuable that labor is.
The less technical or amount of knowledge required means there is a larger pool of individuals available, the less value the labor is. This explains why a brain surgeon gets paid more then a counter person at McDonalds.
It has nothing to do with "how hard you work".
It is up to the individual to make themselves valuable to the business. There are no gurantees.
You want to earn a lot of money, get a skill that will be in demand. (But even this is not a gurantee, as the market can change at any point.)
Rule number 1, life is not fair.
Rule number 2, be prepared for when the bottom falls out.
This company is in an existential fight for survival due to manaagement and labor...let those who wish to leave as those errors are faced go elsewhere.
You nailed that one with a non-union hammer.
"You really have no argument, do you?"
I think I have done a much better job of making the case against unions than you have made the case for unions, but I could be a bit biased.
I agree. Your remarks are very clear, make a lot of sense and those that are disagreeing are just making personal attacks. People have been forming unions since hunters and gathers started living in groups for better survival. A family is a union. People that gather together in his Name are forming a union. The word "catholic" means universal. All the personal attacks sound like bigotry, imho. If anyone prefers to be a loner and not join a union, I respect their choice and by law they do have that choice.
I wonder if those union-haters consider that FR is a union of conservatives as well?
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