Delphi will shut plants in Germany, Japan, Luxembourg, Sweden, the UK & the US while low wage factories stay open.
“Bankrupt” Delphi will reward executives with a $500 million package.
Pension funds are suing Delphi for fraudulent financial reports.
“Bankrupt” Delphi plans to buy Motorola Automotive.
Workers say: “The bankruptcy was planned. GM wanted to renege on its obligations to workers.... it was the desire to cheat workers out of their life savings.”
Wall Street Journal agrees: “Some analysts have zeroed in on the 1999 spinoff agreement between GM and Delphi. A clause in that agreement gives GM a general, unsecured claim on Delphi’s assets in bankruptcy proceedings.”
"We're not biting the hand that feeds us," the Free Press quotes Delphi worker Gregg Shotwell, "we're biting the hand that slapped us in the face."
Although repeating the claims of David Cole, director of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, who demonizes Shotwell as solely to blame if Toyota doesn't build an engine plant in Michigan; the Free Press did a decent job with this article.
Maybe the Free Press will interview Delphi CEO Steven Miller on a similar personal level, asking what in his childhood led to making a career of throwing people out of work and sending whole industries to developing countries with weak labor and environmental laws.
Read the Free Press article here.
UAW 651 members and supporters protested Delphi's attempt to nullify union contracts and layoff 4800 workers at Flint East on February 16. The Flint Journal in the newspaper box near the rally claimed the rally had been canceled. Why report the news when it's so much easier to just make it up?
Delphi is expected to delay a request for voiding union contracts in hopes of averting a strike.
UAW President Ron Gettelfinger speaking in Flint on White Shirt Day - February 11, the 69th anniversary of the end of the GM Sitdown Strike - said “Delphi will be making a huge mistake if they go to court and void those contracts. We will fight for every job. We will stand together. We will draw strength from these sit-downers.”
For more information Flint Solidarity
The UAW is the last bastion of livable, blue collar, wages in the US. Once strong enough to shut down the industry that powered the American economy the fate of the UAW - and with it working class America - is in the balance. Like the assault on Detroit Newspaper workers the attack on the UAW is aimed at the heart of American unionism.
PBS Newshour report Audio & Video
Protected worker actions
Using safety on shop floor
Organizing for safety
Ditz: Economic earthquake in auto
Martinez: Have you had enough?!?
The reported 51% to 49% vote is too close for some UAW members to trust.
St. Louis, Atlanta & Wixom, Michigan assembly plants, Batavia Transmission and Windsor Casting are closing soon. More close later. 25,000 to 30,000 jobs cut by 2012.
Ford statement scroll way down
Auto crisis is a health care crisis - Labor Research Associates
75% of Americans lack good wages & benefits - Center for Economic & Policy Research
Strengthening America's Auto Industry - Center for American Progress
Minority union strategy
Analysis and reports on NLRB - American Rights at Work
Analysis of GMs shakedown of UAW
Protected concerted activities
New Directions in Auto includes discussion pages
Association for Union Democracy
Legal documents in Delphi filing Includes partial list of creditors.
Labor Law for the Rank & Filer - S. Lynd - complete copy of the best single resource
United Auto Workers
Intl Union of Electronic Workers-CWA
United Steelworkers