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.
"Since their labor obviously is worth $27/HR + bennies, they should have no trouble at all competing for like employment in the market."
Very good point!! I like the way you put that. There is not another company in the US that will pay them $27 an hour for assembly line work.
"Even the reality of bankruptcy is not enough to make the UAW realize that it's killing its own industry and destroying jobs."
Ohhh, but unions are good...oh, my skill is worth that much..oh, unions took the poor children out of the factories and coal mines, oooh--unions are good for the workers........
Southwest is union.
Who says. Even thing is negotiable. And you can negotiate better as a group then alone.
Yeah, the Crips think so too
Of course, BK is a legal alternative for companies who cannot meet their obligations.
Exactly. Imo, it is time to influence the leadership in these outdated unions to understand these ideas instead of just complaining and making personal attacks. Face it, the larger unions are here to stay, so why not get the unions to reform instead of gloating about how they are destroying the company and the American worker.
Nice straw man you have there. This thread is about workers not criminals.
Not saying. LOL! How about you?
But I see Unions as gangs, you don't. Unions had their place before laws were enacted to ensure safety in the workplace. Now they just exist to control management in a gang like style -
Your post illustrates the difference between libs and conservatives. For libs the point is "I have the right to do what I want!" Conservatives would add, "yeah, to be stupid...it's not whether you can, it's whether you SHOULD."
No, I do not as a whole. There are cases, yes. But in an age where management is increasingly pushing labor a union is a good idea ofr a lot of workers.
No, I have a lot of friends and neighbors who do, some in engineering, more in IT.
You're right. The conservatives who belong to unions, (and many do, of course) should get together to make their voice heard. Instead, many seem to be complaining on forums such as this and not doing anything about it. It seems like it is easier to complain and make personal attacks than it is to get out and make changes themselves.
In an age where you can sue McDonalds because their coffee is hot, I do not think we would return to an age of children working in subhuman conditions.
You're talking about government unions, right?
And there are laws regarding unions supporting political candidates. The Dept of Labor watches this very closely.
Very soon, there will be 200,000 union workers in Indiana.
Pushing labor? Could you elaborate on that please
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