UAW strikes Delphi.

[Ryan]

http://forums.thecarlounge.net/zerothread?id=2613262

By DEE-ANN DURBIN, AP Auto Writer
12 minutes ago


DETROIT - United Auto Workers members have voted to authorize a strike against auto parts supplier Delphi Corp., adding a new threat to already tense negotiations between the two sides and Delphi's former parent and largest customer General Motors Corp.

The UAW said Tuesday that more than 95 percent of members who voted approved the strike authorization.

UAW members had been expected to approve the measure, which allows the international union to call a strike against Delphi if it feels one is necessary as the two sides bargain over wages. UAW locals were required to complete voting by Sunday.

Delphi spokesman Lindsey Williams said the company intends to keep negotiating with the UAW.

"Their strike authorization vote doesn't change our strategy, and that strategy remains to get a consensual agreement with all of our unions and GM," Williams said.

The UAW is by far the largest of Delphi's six unions, representing 24,000 of the company's 33,000 U.S. hourly workers. The International Union of Electronic Workers-Communications Workers of America, which represents 8,000 workers, also has voted to authorize a strike.

The strike votes give Delphi's unions more weight in their ongoing wage negotiations with the company. Delphi, which filed for bankruptcy protection in October, has proposed cutting its U.S. hourly workers' wages from $27 an hour to $16.50 an hour, or as low as $12.50 an hour if GM doesn't agree to supplement those wages.

Delphi was in U.S. Bankruptcy Court last week asking Judge Robert Drain for permission to cancel its labor contracts after it failed to reach a deal with its unions and GM. Drain isn't expected to rule until next month, and even then, Delphi could continue to keep the contracts in place while negotiations continue.

The union said Tuesday that the vote gives it the ability "to call a strike should Delphi use its bankruptcy court proceedings to unilaterally impose changes to the UAW-Delphi collective bargaining agreements." The union had no other immediate comment.

A Delphi strike could harm Toyota Motor Corp., DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group and other automakers who depend on Delphi parts. But it could paralyze GM, which remains Delphi's largest customer. Analysts have said GM could lose up to $130 million a day during a strike.

GM Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner said in an interview last week that GM has stockpiled some parts but hopes to avoid a strike through negotiations.

"We do have some banks of parts, but we're speaking a matter of days, not months, so it's not a question of avoiding the issue for any significant period of time," Wagoner said.

Wagoner said he also wasn't surprised that the UAW held a strike vote.

"We recognize that everybody has things that are important to them as part of the deal, and they have mechanisms to make those points and enforce them, but we continue to think that sitting around the table and working out the transaction is the right way to go," Wagoner said.

At least one of Delphi's customers has asked the court to block a strike. In a filing last week, International Truck and Engine Corp. said the judge should bar the company's unions from striking because of the negative impact it would have on the entire industry. International Truck said it buys around $46 million in parts from Delphi each year.

GM shares fell 58 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $25.62 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Toyota's U.S. shares slipped 3 cents to $112.76 while DaimlerChrysler's U.S. shares rose 5 cents to $53.46 also on the NYSE.

I hope a judge steps in a nullifies the contracts - Screw the UAW.

 

[robphelan]

[obligatory]unions have far outlasted their usefulness[/obligatory]

hopefully this will force more auto/parts mfgrs south. we could use the jobs.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: robphelan
[obligatory]unions have far outlasted their usefulness[/obligatory]

hopefully this will force more auto/parts mfgrs south. we could use the jobs.

It will better than that, they'll set up shop in Mexico.

Ross needs more of that giant sucking sound.

 

[outriding]

Originally posted by: Ryan


I hope a judge steps in a nullifies the contracts - Screw the UAW.

A few things here..

1) Almost all top level Delphi execs have been given pink slips and new ones are in place

2) Delphi is under a class action lawsuit for forcing employees to buy their stock and shortly after that Delphi stock took a crap.

3) Delphi execs did sign those agreements with the UAW. So why is all the blame put on the UAW?

4) Delphi pulled an "Enron" with employee's 401ks.

5) You complain about UAW high salaries, but some of those places those people work are some of the worst jobs on this planet to work at, so yes high risk jobs do get high pay.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: outriding

Originally posted by: Ryan


I hope a judge steps in a nullifies the contracts - Screw the UAW.

A few things here..

1) Almost all top level Delphi execs have been given pink slips and new ones are in place

2) Delphi is under a class action lawsuit for forcing employees to buy their stock and shortly after that Delphi stock took a crap.

3) Delphi execs did sign those agreements with the UAW. So why is all the blame put on the UAW?

4) Delphi pulled an "Enron" with employee's 401ks.

5) You complain about UAW high salaries, but some of those places those people work are some of the worst jobs on this planet to work at, so yes high risk jobs do get high pay.

1. They probably needed a mgmt change.

2. You cant force people to buy anything a 401k as it is completely voluntary. The lawsuit aooears to be exist onthe complany stock purchase program.

3. I guess you would have preferred the strike then and not now?

4. see number 2.

5. Those that command those high wages should get high wages, those that dont should demand the market value. Market value for all positions. With high wages, let their be high productivity.

 

[aka1nas]

If Delphi signed a stupid agreement, then they should be forced to honor the contract and go out of business so less stupid firms can take over.

 

[trenchfoot]

DETROIT - United Auto Workers members have voted to authorize a strike against auto parts supplier Delphi Corp., adding a new threat to already tense negotiations between the two sides and Delphi's former parent and largest customer General Motors Corp

authorizing a strike is a standard tactic utilized by a preponderance of unions nation-wide.
as a contract negotiator myself with more than a few negotiations under my belt (from both sides of the table) i can tell you straight up that all the authorization does at this time is to give the UAW negotiating team a more advantageous position to bargain from.

everyone from both sides of the table understands this event is not viewed as an imminent threat by anyone except those that would like to use the action for some self-serving purpose; ie- sell more newspapers, propaganda, retaliation, etc.

from the UAW side, this action promotes solidarity and a sense of commitment to the cause. it's as much a rallying cry as anything else. it's also used as a notice to the management team that the union membership is unified and fully supports their negotiating committee.

from the management side the action is seen as business as usual and that there is no apparent dissension within the union ranks that they can exploit. however, some forms of creating dissension amongst the rank and file by management is considered fair game and does not violate the rule of bargaining in good faith.

what's being fed to the public via news releases from both sides is usually meant to gain public sympathy for either side and this is where the public's perception of what' going on inside the negotiations gets skewed. rhetoric and hyperbole is used as skillfully as any political p&r team would by both sides but it's mostly used for acquiring some tactical advantage at the table.

however, if negotiations should break down and an impasse is declared, the strike authorization then and only then becomes a matter of concern.

federal mediation is usually stipulated in most contracts and the impasse is the trip switch for this phase of the negotiations. most negotiations with major issues get resolved here.

from the different contract negotiations i have participated in, i can truthfully say that the highest priority for all parties involved is that a strike be avoided as much as humanly possible; the idea being that after the dust settles, both sides may have black eyes, ruptured spleens, missing teeth,ears and a finger or two, but the apparent winner is the one left standing with one more tooth than the other guy.

however, outside interests occasionally do have a major and sometimes pivotal role in determining the outcome of contract negotiations. especially so in the service industries; ie- pres. reagen firing air traffic controllers, local municipalities blocking strikes by declaring strikers as essential workers, etc.

all told, unions can only exist if there is a need for them.

 

[ntdz]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: robphelan
[obligatory]unions have far outlasted their usefulness[/obligatory]

hopefully this will force more auto/parts mfgrs south. we could use the jobs.

It will better than that, they'll set up shop in Mexico.

Ross needs more of that giant sucking sound.

And you can thank Unions for that.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: ntdz

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: robphelan
[obligatory]unions have far outlasted their usefulness[/obligatory]

hopefully this will force more auto/parts mfgrs south. we could use the jobs.

It will better than that, they'll set up shop in Mexico.

Ross needs more of that giant sucking sound.

And you can thank Unions for that.

You can thanks corrupt business practicves from Corps for Unions.

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: ntdz

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: robphelan
[obligatory]unions have far outlasted their usefulness[/obligatory]

hopefully this will force more auto/parts mfgrs south. we could use the jobs.

It will better than that, they'll set up shop in Mexico.

Ross needs more of that giant sucking sound.

And you can thank Unions for that.

You think only union companies set up shop in Mexico? I would venture to say that more non union shops have moved to Mexico than union. My company being the first to come to mind.

To the OP: I wonder if this had anything to do with the fact that management filed for an additional 68 million in bonuses (98 total now) for it's top exececutives to be paid on the same day that wages were to be cut by up to 50% (filed in bankruptcy court. Yet to be decided).

 

[outriding]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: outriding

Originally posted by: Ryan


I hope a judge steps in a nullifies the contracts - Screw the UAW.

A few things here..

1) Almost all top level Delphi execs have been given pink slips and new ones are in place

2) Delphi is under a class action lawsuit for forcing employees to buy their stock and shortly after that Delphi stock took a crap.

3) Delphi execs did sign those agreements with the UAW. So why is all the blame put on the UAW?

4) Delphi pulled an "Enron" with employee's 401ks.

5) You complain about UAW high salaries, but some of those places those people work are some of the worst jobs on this planet to work at, so yes high risk jobs do get high pay.

1. They probably needed a mgmt change.

If you call the old management being under a SEC audit then ok

2. You cant force people to buy anything a 401k as it is completely voluntary. The lawsuit aooears to be exist onthe complany stock purchase program.

That is why there is a class action lawsuit

3. I guess you would have preferred the strike then and not now?

Why are the upper level execs still getting bonuses? If the company was hurting that bad shouldn't they also stop the bonuses?

4. see number 2.

That is why there is a class action lawsuit

5. Those that command those high wages should get high wages, those that dont should demand the market value. Market value for all positions. With high wages, let their be high productivity.
So if a upper level exec signs bad contracts that is ok, but if a few workers in a group slack off that is bad. The bad decesion on the exec effects more people than the handful of UAW workers.

 

[Finality]

Originally posted by: outriding

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: outriding

Originally posted by: Ryan


I hope a judge steps in a nullifies the contracts - Screw the UAW.

A few things here..

1) Almost all top level Delphi execs have been given pink slips and new ones are in place

2) Delphi is under a class action lawsuit for forcing employees to buy their stock and shortly after that Delphi stock took a crap.

3) Delphi execs did sign those agreements with the UAW. So why is all the blame put on the UAW?

4) Delphi pulled an "Enron" with employee's 401ks.

5) You complain about UAW high salaries, but some of those places those people work are some of the worst jobs on this planet to work at, so yes high risk jobs do get high pay.

1. They probably needed a mgmt change.

If you call the old management being under a SEC audit then ok

2. You cant force people to buy anything a 401k as it is completely voluntary. The lawsuit aooears to be exist onthe complany stock purchase program.

That is why there is a class action lawsuit

3. I guess you would have preferred the strike then and not now?

Why are the upper level execs still getting bonuses? If the company was hurting that bad shouldn't they also stop the bonuses?

4. see number 2.

That is why there is a class action lawsuit

5. Those that command those high wages should get high wages, those that dont should demand the market value. Market value for all positions. With high wages, let their be high productivity.
So if a upper level exec signs bad contracts that is ok, but if a few workers in a group slack off that is bad. The bad decesion on the exec effects more people than the handful of UAW workers.

And thats why you have high levels of compensation for the new management.

BTW the UAW sucks, they are going to drag down every business they are associated with.