More UAW workers bankrupt

[NFS4]

DETROIT -- Oscar Gray achieved the good life during 28 years of hard work at Delphi Corp. -- a six-figure income, a nice home in Holly and two vehicles.

But as Michigan's auto industry tanked in recent years, the forklift operator lost huge amounts of overtime pay and gradually sank into financial ruin. Saddled with $469,000 in debt, he declared bankruptcy last month.

Gray isn't alone. Once the symbol of blue-collar prosperity, Michigan autoworkers are going bankrupt in alarming numbers as vehicle production declines and overtime pay dwindles.

The United Auto Workers' legal department has handled the bankruptcies of nearly 10,000 of its members, retirees and their families in Michigan since 2002, according to Detroit News research of court records. UAW lawyers estimate that Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings in Michigan have been growing at a 10 percent annual clip in recent years.

The bankruptcies show that many Michigan autoworkers are failing to scale back their lifestyles in the face of massive changes slamming the state's bread-and-butter industry.

Gray didn't lose his job. His health isn't failing, and he is not going through a divorce -- the typical reasons many declare bankruptcy.

Gray has been losing overtime. His gross pay was cut $16,000 one year, sliding to $87,000, and may dip again because Delphi is considering a Chapter 11 filing.

"You count on something your whole life and then it gets jerked around," Gray said.

While layoffs have soared, it's often autoworkers still on the job who are drowning in debt.

Loss of overtime is one of the top reasons autoworkers have sought bankruptcy protection the past four years, say attorneys for UAW Legal Service Plan. The plan provides free legal aid to UAW members, retirees and immediate family members.

The typical autoworker in Michigan has lost five hours of overtime per week since 1997 -- which means an average annual loss of $10,000 per worker, according to the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth. For workers in the hardest-hit plants, the loss of income can be far greater.

Overtime at major factories, such as Ford Motor Co.'s Wayne and Wixom assembly plants and General Motors Corp.'s Pontiac East plant, has dropped sharply or been eliminated. In years past, workers at those plants regularly clocked significant overtime.

In addition to a drop in overtime pay, annual cash bonuses paid by Detroit automakers to factory workers have declined in recent years as profits have decreased or disappeared. At Ford, where bonuses averaged $6,700 as recently as 2000, profit-sharing payouts averaged $600 for 2004...

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0509/18/A01-318432.htm

 

[Orsorum]

He is in control of his spending and his lifestyle choices, and he apparently had the time and the ability to save for his future and for downtimes. I don't feel sorry for him.

 

[Kalbi]

heh yea...blame the corporation

 

[Kilrsat]

How do you manage to get $469,000 in debt while still pulling in $87,000 per year?

 

[Howard]

Don't feel sorry for him.

 

[Kalbi]

Originally posted by: Kilrsat
How do you manage to get $469,000 in debt while still pulling in $87,000 per year?

And you expect more from an uneducated blue collar worker making $87,000?

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Cry me a river.

 

[DaveSimmons]

But as Michigan's auto industry tanked in recent years, the forklift operator lost huge amounts of overtime pay and gradually sank into financial ruin. Saddled with $469,000 in debt, he declared bankruptcy last month.

Gray didn't lose his job. His health isn't failing, and he is not going through a divorce -- the typical reasons many declare bankruptcy.

Gray has been losing overtime. His gross pay was cut $16,000 one year, sliding to $87,000, and may dip again because Delphi is considering a Chapter 11 filing.

With morons like this is Detroit, no wonder the American automakers are falling apart.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Kalbi

Originally posted by: Kilrsat
How do you manage to get $469,000 in debt while still pulling in $87,000 per year?

And you expect more from an uneducated blue collar worker making $87,000?

Yes. Apparently my expectations of normal human beings are set a bit too high in your opinion.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser
Cry me a river.

Don't shoot the messenger

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: Howard
Don't feel sorry for him.

Neither do I. That's rediculous the amount of debt these people are running up is their own fault.

Also, the UAW has done it to themselves. They've priced themselves out of the market...and almost out of the USA.

 

[Goosemaster]

chap 11 @ $87k

AHAHAHAHHAHAHA..they are gettign what they deserve. If they were smart they would have realized that their positiosn were overvalued and would ahve saved every penny and/or invested it.

They deserve it. No ifs ands or buts about it.

*watches as the medicaid fighter from corner number 1 beats the ever livin' sh!t out of the UAW worker from corner no. 2 for comparing himself to her*

 

[TBone48]

How educated do you need to be to not spend so much more than you make? It's common sense that's lacking, not education.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Kilrsat
How do you manage to get $469,000 in debt while still pulling in $87,000 per year?

Americanism

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

But as Michigan's auto industry tanked in recent years, the forklift operator lost huge amounts of overtime pay and gradually sank into financial ruin. Saddled with $469,000 in debt, he declared bankruptcy last month.

Gray didn't lose his job. His health isn't failing, and he is not going through a divorce -- the typical reasons many declare bankruptcy.

Gray has been losing overtime. His gross pay was cut $16,000 one year, sliding to $87,000, and may dip again because Delphi is considering a Chapter 11 filing.

With morons like this is Detroit, no wonder the American automakers are falling apart.

QFT.

 

[MikeMike]

6 digit income and he operates a fork lift.

HOLY SH1T

 

[Kalbi]

Originally posted by: TBone48
How educated do you need to be to not spend so much more than you make? It's common sense that's lacking, not education.

People who support unions have no common sense. $87,000 for working 40 hours a week doing UAW work is ridiculous.

 

[dartworth]

You will find this is any occupation that works a lot of overtime...I've seen it many times in the building trades

Nothing new here folks...

 

[EyeMWing]

$469000 in debt? What the hell did he buy!?

 

[Mill]

He was making over 100k a year as a forklight operator? I know Detroit can have a bit of crime, but it isn't Iraq!

Fvcking Christ that's insane.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: nourdmrolNMT1
6 digit income and he operates a fork lift.

HOLY SH1T

Hell, I'd take it. He probably only needed a GED

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser
Cry me a river.

Don't shoot the messenger

No, not you.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing
$469000 in debt? What the hell did he buy!?

a distribution center for HSN

Buy in bulk and save:!

 

[dartworth]

Originally posted by: Kalbi

Originally posted by: TBone48
How educated do you need to be to not spend so much more than you make? It's common sense that's lacking, not education.

People who support unions have no common sense. $87,000 for working 40 hours a week doing UAW work is ridiculous.

He is not making $87K on 40 hours...

 

[Rogue]

What a fvcking minute! This guy is a forklift operator and was making over $100,000.00 a year? Gee, I wonder how much of his union dues could have gone into savings or investment vs. being largely wasted on a union happy to help him file for bankruptcy and give him a false sense of security in the job market. I have absolutely NO compassion for this guy and the fact that he's filing for bankruptcy pisses me off. I bet he drives two massive SUVs and spends about $300.00 a month in gasoline. So much for cutting costs and trimming fat to get by, the union should have taken care of me, so now they should help me file for bankruptcy.