Comments on: Delphi strike one step closer

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 24 May 2006 00:33:16 +0000

look you guys NAFTA finally caught up to you. So if u want $28.00 an hour, go be a nurse..

By: Bradley Witt

Bradley Witt — Wed, 17 May 2006 23:09:20 +0000

First, a caveat. My father is a GM retiree and our whole family gets very nice health benefits. We are extremely thankful to GM for it. So hopefully GM won’t declare bankruptcy and void its pension and retiree health benefit obligations. Now, to Delphi. Isn’t there a middle ground between the UAW and Delphi management’s positions? First, GM and the other U.S. automakers have been moving toward lean manufacturing for a long time now. How does moving components from Mexico and China, with the long time delays, affect just in time production? Whey not keep the 29 Delphi plants open in the U.S. to serve GM and other automakers. If plants must close, why not close far flung plants in Mexico where the components are of poorer quality and the production lead times are so much longer? That way, with less production coming from Mexico, capacity utilization rates can move up significantly while keeping logistics and holding costs low. At the same time, with the saving of at least twenty thousand union jobs by keeping the plants open, why can’t the UAW and other unions agree to modest wage cuts, from $26-$30 an hour to $16.50 an hour, and drastic benefit cuts, which are the main problem. You could also tie profit sharing in the U.S. to positive free cash flow and supplement wages with profit bonuses in profitable years. Just an idea worth throwing out. Think about it.

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 17 May 2006 19:17:20 +0000

Comment #5 you hit it on the Head – this will have a ripple so BIG and it will mow down all the Job shops, Etc. this will be Ugly to say the least. Hold On!!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 15 May 2006 12:36:01 +0000

I haven’t read one comment on this site that actually addresses the real problems facing Delphi and GM. there is plenty of blame to go around on both sides, but the real culprit here is health care costs. The reason why Toyota is raking in the money and GM and Ford are sinking is because the US suppliers are now having to pay the price for the HUGE popuolation of retired auto workers that the likes of Toyota aren’t burdened with. When these deals were struck with the UAW, no one invisioned people living as long as they do now, nore the skyrocketing cost of health care. GM has basically turned into a health care provider who just happens to make cars and trucks. If the UAW’s Delphi workers strike, they’ll be shooting their fellow UAW workes in the back. If Delphi strikes, GM will be filing chapter 11 within 12 months, and all the other UAW workers for GM will see their labor contracts voided just like Delphi’s. In my opinion, that would be a blessing in disguise.

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 11 May 2006 04:30:28 +0000

Holy smokes, don’t hate the auto worker for making a very nice wage. If the engineers of GM had not been sitting on there laurels and been in step with the world we(the floor) would be building what you want and there would be no question of our pay! We build what management offers. We are ASSEMBLERS! We are not in charge of design, function, style etc. Please, do not criticize the auto worker. We assemble! We assemble to DESIGN! Guess who is responsible for your unhappiness with American Auto Manufacturers…AMERICAN AUTO MANAGEMENT.
Toyota pays Americans 19.00 an hour. They DESIGN GOOD CARS. No one criticizes Toyota labor.

By: Dean

Dean — Wed, 10 May 2006 15:08:55 +0000

Fortunately, or unfortunately, it’s a process that must happen. Strike or no strike, it’s time we revert to the mean. Paying someone that kind of money (absolutley insane) for that kind of work is wrong. We might as well pay landscapers and cooks $30 an hour as well.

They’re lucky they ever got the chance to make that kind of money. And while they were, they should have been saving, knowing that this was too far extended.

Even lottery winners rarely win twice. YOU’RE TIME IS UP. And it’s about time.

By: Randal P Coletrain

Randal P Coletrain — Wed, 10 May 2006 14:22:54 +0000

I work for a Logistics provider for Delphi, and it has a whole plethora of customers other than GM. I am sitting on the fence watching. You’ll see who else gets affected if the strike happens.

By: Thom

Thom — Wed, 10 May 2006 14:00:47 +0000

Another supplier will fill the void eventually. Whether this gets figured out, or Delphi disappears over time, it doesn’t matter in the long run for GM. It will hurt for sure, but other suppliers will step in and take over.
The Delphi Union workers should be scared and thinking of the future. Gone are the days of high wage contract guarantees. I know it sucks for them (I would not want to be making $28 and then have it cut down to $16), but they need to be proactive. Striking will get them nowhere.

By: Pete

Pete — Wed, 10 May 2006 04:38:01 +0000

Thank you Dean and Pruce… I can now imagine what the unions and Delphi mangement must think of each other as these negotiations take place.

It is unfortunate that, ultimately, it is likely the consumer that will end of paying the bill – whether the contracts are voided and a strike takes place or if the contracts are not voided and Delphi goes completely under. Hope for the best.

By: Dean

Dean — Wed, 10 May 2006 02:57:14 +0000

Cut them down to where they should be … I shouldn’t be paying through the nose for a car because these clowns make more than most in society.

It’s time the market adjusts, big time. I’m going to start a monkey farm where I train them and sell them to Delphi and the other suppliers.

Bring in the Mexicans in the meantime.