I didn't write the following and I don't know the author but it is so so true.
Posted by an active worker.
As I grabbed my grease soiled lunch cooler and stepped out of my GM truck to head into work at Delphi Packard Electric I had to stop for a moment to digest the sight of a nearly 1/2 mile long 1/8 mile deep parking lot that was literally empty. I reflected for a moment on 2 American brothers, with the knowledge and ingenuity to develop high voltage ignition cable that in the early 1900's was only available abroad. From those beginnings in a factory near downtown Warren, Ohio evolved the largest automotive electrical wiring and component business in the world.
Eventually the North River Road complex became the center hub of all engineering and development. Some of greatest advances in automotive electronics were birthed right here I thought. At its peak nearly 15000 American workers filed through these doors. The huge parking lot that I gazed upon once filled to its capacity with American workers now looked like a deserted scene from an apocalyptic movie.
What happened to my country?
The regal blue engineering and research facility now totally empty. American engineering, and manufacturing skills built this once huge empire with blood, sweat and gears. Once the hard work was all complete and the business model set, little by little the corporate heads began to whittle away at this empire. Not for the sake of survival but for the seemingly insatiable desire to line their pockets in excess at the cost of each and every American worker, union and salaried that they could eliminate.
What happened to my country?
I couldn't help but get a bit emotional as I reflected on my own family members that had helped to build this empire and the excitement I felt when I was hired into the fold. The future looked grand here at Delphi Packard. But now each day is greeted with more uncertainty of the future of this once great American icon of business. No committment from a company whose intranet pages are loaded with the investments and accolades of plants in China, Mexico, S. America, Morocco, Turkey, Romania. The smiling faces pictured amongst brand new equipment and facilities. While the US operations makes more product per employee and higher quality percentages with equipment dating back in some cases to the 1950's.
What happened to my country?
Delphi Packard should no longer even be considered and American company with how it has forsaken it's homeland. So as I continued my walk on that cold January afternoon up the sidewalk towards the turnstiles, I could almost hear the voices and footsteps of the thousands of former employees that walked this same sidewalk, where now just a few hundred remain.
The sad part is, this same scenario, in different scales of severity is being played out all over the manufacturing base of this "once" great nation. For the sake of making a chosen sect of the American populous extremely wealthy they have forsaken Joe and Jane American. What they are beginning to realize though is that Joe and Jane American are the people who drive the American and world economy. Not the Ceo's and other corporate heads. Take away Joe and Jane's livelihood and you have the America that you see now.
What happened to my country?
Well I'm sure we may not all agree on the answer to that question. But one thing is for sure. The United States of America has changed drastically in the last 15 years and in my opinion not for the better. Greater empires have fallen. God Bless America....
Showing posts with label Delphi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Delphi. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Five Minutes of Recognition
This Thursday a congressional committee will get to hear from a former Delphi engineer about the plight of the salaried retirees from GM/Delphi. I am one and this article really sums it up better than any other I have read or that I have tried to relay myself.
Obama said that it was going to be tough, that there would have to be sacrifices made by all. He was referring to the restructuring of the auto industry.
Well, I will totally disagree with him on that in part. Yes there has been some sacrifiing but not on all fronts. His hinchmen, as well as Bush's, have really stepped up to the plate. You start with Paulson and George's give away of money without rules and you end with Barrack's favorite son Geithner writing new rules and defying the law.
Tell the lady in this article that she is going to make sacrifices that are equal to all that worked for these companies. If you can do that and sleep at night then you don't have American blood running through your veins.
Equality, the UAW and IUE/CWA members got their top-up pension funds. They got a reduced healthcare program. I didn't say eliminated, I said reduced. Some call it catistrophic, I call it healthcare. They pay more upfront but their monthly premiums reflect it. They went from about $25 a month for a premium to $125 approximately. Yes, their out of pocket is double mine but if I didn't qualify for HCTC I would be paying $1600 premiums monthly. I just started paying $320. Sometime after Jan. 1 I get to find out what my pension will go to. I'm currently get less than a third what the lady in the article gets and with fewer years of service. My only advantage is I have 12 years on her. It's a jump ball situation.
GM was put into backruptcy by the government. Delphi was in bankruptcy all by themselves way ahead of the economic melt down. Both are out of bankruptcy now and Delphi is no long an American company in my books. They have a ticker symbol on Wall Street but manufacture nothing here. GM, they closed some plants, shut down dealerships and, are buying more tires from China thus shutting down an American tire supplier. Obama said this would be a taxable offense if companies took or sent work outside the US. Well, let's see, did GM get taxed for this procedure, hell no. Obama is taxing China 35% import duties, wow! He made them mad and we actually have people in congress saying that was too much. He had the opportunity to go higher.
I understand that these issues are somewhat touchy but.....These same stone throwers argued that GM should have stood up to the unions years ago and took the strikes they were threatened with. Why didn't they yell foul, tax 'em more instead of be careful, don't make them mad. What are they going to do, sell our bonds, guit buying our currency, send us more toys polluted with chemicals?
I voted for Obama and the jury is still out as to whether that was a wise choice. It wasn't his opponent that I voted against, it was the party. Way too radical. Heck, Cheney doesn't know he's out of office yet.
Read: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/business/27delphi.html?_r=1&hp
Obama said that it was going to be tough, that there would have to be sacrifices made by all. He was referring to the restructuring of the auto industry.
Well, I will totally disagree with him on that in part. Yes there has been some sacrifiing but not on all fronts. His hinchmen, as well as Bush's, have really stepped up to the plate. You start with Paulson and George's give away of money without rules and you end with Barrack's favorite son Geithner writing new rules and defying the law.
Tell the lady in this article that she is going to make sacrifices that are equal to all that worked for these companies. If you can do that and sleep at night then you don't have American blood running through your veins.
Equality, the UAW and IUE/CWA members got their top-up pension funds. They got a reduced healthcare program. I didn't say eliminated, I said reduced. Some call it catistrophic, I call it healthcare. They pay more upfront but their monthly premiums reflect it. They went from about $25 a month for a premium to $125 approximately. Yes, their out of pocket is double mine but if I didn't qualify for HCTC I would be paying $1600 premiums monthly. I just started paying $320. Sometime after Jan. 1 I get to find out what my pension will go to. I'm currently get less than a third what the lady in the article gets and with fewer years of service. My only advantage is I have 12 years on her. It's a jump ball situation.
GM was put into backruptcy by the government. Delphi was in bankruptcy all by themselves way ahead of the economic melt down. Both are out of bankruptcy now and Delphi is no long an American company in my books. They have a ticker symbol on Wall Street but manufacture nothing here. GM, they closed some plants, shut down dealerships and, are buying more tires from China thus shutting down an American tire supplier. Obama said this would be a taxable offense if companies took or sent work outside the US. Well, let's see, did GM get taxed for this procedure, hell no. Obama is taxing China 35% import duties, wow! He made them mad and we actually have people in congress saying that was too much. He had the opportunity to go higher.
I understand that these issues are somewhat touchy but.....These same stone throwers argued that GM should have stood up to the unions years ago and took the strikes they were threatened with. Why didn't they yell foul, tax 'em more instead of be careful, don't make them mad. What are they going to do, sell our bonds, guit buying our currency, send us more toys polluted with chemicals?
I voted for Obama and the jury is still out as to whether that was a wise choice. It wasn't his opponent that I voted against, it was the party. Way too radical. Heck, Cheney doesn't know he's out of office yet.
Read: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/business/27delphi.html?_r=1&hp
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Delphi, GM, Out of Bankruptcy
I guess it's official, Delphi, my former employer, is out of bankruptcy. Four years.
They really went into their final approach this past February when they asked the courts to let them cancel the health care and life insurance of their salaried workers. We, I'm one of them, received a Fed-Ex package almost to the day of their IPO status of 2/5/99. We were given 30 days to make life changing decisions, to find alternate plans and policies for our health care, life insurance and extended care coverage. Those of us that had pre-existing conditions had no choice. Pay the full bill, which there are many who already pay these high fees but we weren't use to this. Some would never have life insurance again, pre-existing conditions make this financially impossible to have. We were never asked to pay more if needed, the bill just went up. But to go up almost 1500% in your budget, in one month, was very hard to handle. We were promised, in a handshake agreement, that we would have these benefits until we reached 65 when medicare kicks in.
We were told we would have supplemental pension monies until we turned 62 and then you would file for social security. On July 31 Delphi and the PBGC decided that the pension should be in the hands of the PBGC which means those not old enough to draw SS were going to loose even more, maybe as much as 50% of their income. Someone that was anywhere from 55 to 62 was going to have a problem. Most of those that were in the youngest group were not ready to retire. They were forced out and hadn't found work yet. This is the economy from hell. They could possibly have kids in college, mortgages, trying to find healthcare, etc.
Well, those that were in charge fared very well with their special retirement packages. They were charged with crimes but got off with slaps on the wrist. They have large homes which are in their wives names. They have even had the nerve to ask the courts to have Delphi pay for their legal fees. They requested approximately 10 million dollars in aid.
Now Delphi is out of bankruptcy, most likely with the help of taxpayer monies through GM. Now, we have an American company with no manufacturing plants in the United States. They will be supplying GM with parts for the cars that are made stateside and off shore. Unfortunately, more and more of the GM brands are being made off shore. Unfortunately GM has even helped some of our tire companies close or have lay-offs this year because they have chosen to buy foreign (Chinese) tires to put on their automobiles. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer.
If you want to know who or what Delphi is, google Delco Products. Home of the first shock absorber. Founded in Dayton, OH. This was their name before being split off from GM. They were also Harrison Radiator, the maker of the automobile air conditioner. Inland, two locations in the Dayton area, made the interiors and safety devices for GM. Delco Moraine supplied the brakes. Fractional electric motors as well as electromotive motors for the railroad trains were made in Kettering, OH, another Dayton suburb. Other suspension parts came from Michigan and the list goes on and on. Delco was a big part of GM.
They really went into their final approach this past February when they asked the courts to let them cancel the health care and life insurance of their salaried workers. We, I'm one of them, received a Fed-Ex package almost to the day of their IPO status of 2/5/99. We were given 30 days to make life changing decisions, to find alternate plans and policies for our health care, life insurance and extended care coverage. Those of us that had pre-existing conditions had no choice. Pay the full bill, which there are many who already pay these high fees but we weren't use to this. Some would never have life insurance again, pre-existing conditions make this financially impossible to have. We were never asked to pay more if needed, the bill just went up. But to go up almost 1500% in your budget, in one month, was very hard to handle. We were promised, in a handshake agreement, that we would have these benefits until we reached 65 when medicare kicks in.
We were told we would have supplemental pension monies until we turned 62 and then you would file for social security. On July 31 Delphi and the PBGC decided that the pension should be in the hands of the PBGC which means those not old enough to draw SS were going to loose even more, maybe as much as 50% of their income. Someone that was anywhere from 55 to 62 was going to have a problem. Most of those that were in the youngest group were not ready to retire. They were forced out and hadn't found work yet. This is the economy from hell. They could possibly have kids in college, mortgages, trying to find healthcare, etc.
Well, those that were in charge fared very well with their special retirement packages. They were charged with crimes but got off with slaps on the wrist. They have large homes which are in their wives names. They have even had the nerve to ask the courts to have Delphi pay for their legal fees. They requested approximately 10 million dollars in aid.
Now Delphi is out of bankruptcy, most likely with the help of taxpayer monies through GM. Now, we have an American company with no manufacturing plants in the United States. They will be supplying GM with parts for the cars that are made stateside and off shore. Unfortunately, more and more of the GM brands are being made off shore. Unfortunately GM has even helped some of our tire companies close or have lay-offs this year because they have chosen to buy foreign (Chinese) tires to put on their automobiles. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer.
If you want to know who or what Delphi is, google Delco Products. Home of the first shock absorber. Founded in Dayton, OH. This was their name before being split off from GM. They were also Harrison Radiator, the maker of the automobile air conditioner. Inland, two locations in the Dayton area, made the interiors and safety devices for GM. Delco Moraine supplied the brakes. Fractional electric motors as well as electromotive motors for the railroad trains were made in Kettering, OH, another Dayton suburb. Other suspension parts came from Michigan and the list goes on and on. Delco was a big part of GM.
Friday, July 31, 2009
The GM/Delphi Saga will never end.
Just watched a story about a man that was asked to leave and sever all ties with GM as a buyout offer. In doing so he was to get a severance payment of $140,000 before taxes. He was to collect NO unemployment, sub pay or anything else. Since then, 10 MONTHS ago he has received nothing and GM filed for bankruptcy. Because he was in the IUE-CWA union vs. the UAW he is now part of the "Bad GM". He has absolutely nothing. Watch this. http://www.wdtn.com/dpp/news/local/GM_employees_falling_through_the_cracks
This is because GM did their usual and did not own up to their responsibility. This is because a judge did not look beyond the three piece suits in front of his court. This is because OUR banking system, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Bros. et al decided profit was more important than honesty. This is because OUR government looked the other way.
So sad.
This is because GM did their usual and did not own up to their responsibility. This is because a judge did not look beyond the three piece suits in front of his court. This is because OUR banking system, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Bros. et al decided profit was more important than honesty. This is because OUR government looked the other way.
So sad.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Cold day in hell for the auto industry
This isn't all about GM going down and thousands of individuals and other smaller companies loosing out. If so, the courts, the Obama administration, et. al. would be looking at the thousands of individuals, union or non-union that are going to suffer from within the company. I don't have the ability to have the exact number but these political heads could give you one, real or fictional, if they wanted to.
Before GM spun off Delco Products to become Delphi, a company just about as old as GM and made up of some of GM's founding fathers, they (GM) had retirees that retired under the GM umbrella. They retired as Delco Products employees, a Division of GM. They were from that other union, the IUE, the one that everyone forgot but is the one that gave up more concessions than any other union in GM's history. Now GM is saying that they don't have an agreement with the IUE/CWA because they don't have any active working members. Well, just how stupid do they think people are. I didn't work there but it was in my community, the GM truck plant in Moraine, OH. Closed in December of 2008 and was the last active IUE covered plant. Note here, the CWA part merged in with the IUE after the IPO of Delphi.. The truck plant received award after award and GM even spent huge sums of money putting in the latest and greatest paint facility. GM closed it for a UAW facility. One that did not have all the credentials, just THE union of choice backing it. You see, there has always been a war of unions in the GM family and the prevailing God Father is the UAW. The ironic thing here is that the hourly members of Delphi, the IUE/CWA union members were taken BACK into GM. I'm sure that the membership as a whole had no idea as to what their next fate was. GM and the UAW reached a VEBA agreement and the IUE/CWA was left out in the cold. GM accomplished what appears to have been the plan in the beginning, to divest itself of the unions. UAW healthcare is now covered by a VEBA plan and the IUE/CWA doesn't exist in their minds. The only thing left is the IUE/CWA pensions being left underfunded and then not funded and then voluntary move to the PBGC like the salaried retirees are getting from Delphi.
If there is truly five year business plans in corporations then one only needs to be in touch with what happened at Delphi starting in 1999. To know and understand how the equipment was being brought in for the next generation of automobile. Seven or eight pieces of equipment would make approximately 1,800 parts in a shift, replacing on piece of equipment that would make up to 5,000 pieces in a shift. Difference besides the obvious, you could pick the seven or eight pieces up and put each one in the back of a heavy duty pickup truck and send them across the boarder. The shock equipment that was in the Woodman Dr., Kettering, OH plant is in Mexico today. The equipment that made struts is still there in plant 14 but is now owned by Tenneco. GM, on all fronts, looks as if it was divesting itself of Delco by forming Delphi but yet they held on to them with buying leverage and other means to the point that they got what they wanted or will get what they want if the courts have their way. GM will be union free so to speak, divested of a company that they only wanted part of and the biggest part....no "legacy" costs to human beings. These aren't stock holder being screwed, they are the real equipment of these corporations. They have blood and sweat running in and out of them instead of electricity and hydraulic fluid. They aren't made of steel but of flesh. They don't breakdown and get repaired with the twist of a wrench or a screw driver, no they get cancer from working around the chemicals that they aren't told about until OSHA or some other form of government warns them. They suffered when the temperatures reach levels over 100 degrees plus day after day in the summer and sometimes year round. They have lost fingers, hands, eyesight and hearing because safety wasn't number one for so many years. And yet, they are looked upon with envy one minute and thrown out as disposable assets the next. No obligation. You got paid. We're keeping our perks. Sorry about your losses.
The non-union parts of Delphi and GM are the salaried individuals. The union parts are of course the IUE/CWA members. GM, the courts, the government all say sorry for your luck or I am here to help protect your rights. The courts say sorry for your luck, the company had a contractual agreement with the union, YOU are nothing more than a "moral obligation". The courts can't make GM or Delphi have morals. There was a time when a handshake was a contract, that's what the salaried people had, a handshake. They would be given dream sheets annually that would show what they received in salary compensation, vacation time, holiday time, their healthcare package and a scenario of what their pension would look like if they continued to put into their 401k along with their GM/Delphi sponsored pension amounts. Now, with the help of the courts, the salaried scum do not have their healthcare and in some cases of this very large entity, GM/Delphi, may loose part of their pension to the PBGC. Let me say here that not all are in this boat. There is language, very similar to the masses of salaried individuals, that gives upper executives everything for life. After making millions a year, they loose nothing. Some of the execs that lead Delphi down the path of failure but really promoted the IPO and the quality of the company as a whole, are even asking the courts to have Delphi pay nearly $10,000,000 for THEIR legal fees. The way it looks is that GM will pay it with the taxpayer help. I was salaried and I had to sign permits for parts of the plant or a piece of equipment was tested for safeness to enter. IF, for some reason the meter was reading wrong and something happened and one of the employees had an accident I was told that I could be sued by him or his family and that I was on my own. I lost many sleepless nights over this worrying. that I could loose everything I worked for.
I agree with this paragraph from the article A Step Closer To Exiting Bankruptcy "That arrogance was a big factor in GMs long slide into bankruptcy. It's also a problem the executives have been working to break down for years. CEO Fritz Henderson knows the change has to continue. GM must become more nimble, responsive to customers, and its leaders must be willing to admit they don't have all the answers." As a former GM-Delco-Delphi salaried employee I have heard these same words time and time again. It is only the last thirteen words that are new. Bringing the Springhill, TN Saturn plant on was a big thing at that time. The union had fought for the right to stop the line to fix a problem in the assembly process. That is why the Saturn was such a dependable vehicle and they could show commercials of taking care of a customer in Alaska where there was no dealership. It gave you the idea that you would be treated like a Rolls-Royce customer.There is the story that a customer tried to think RR for fixing a problem during the night and RR responded that they had never had a problem. He must have been mistaken. I'm not sure what Mr. Henderson means by nimble, do we go back to Iacocca's days and bring a platform to market in months instead of years? Responsive to customers, well they still have the Buick of the older generation and I must say that I am glad they don't have a Cube in their arsenal. The question about the word responsive is, who wanted the SUV's, the public or the manufacturers. VERY profitable on the one side and American big on the other. I remember the noise when they did away with rear wheel drive. After all, rear wheel drive, big motors and huge tanks is as American as you can get.
Bottom line, I can't feel for GM, or any of the other corporations that treat their employees like they were never there unless they made the big bucks. I put 22 years in, all but 2 were with GM, until my heart gave out. Too many hours, twelve plus a day on the floor in the heat and noise? In one year alone the only days I got off were my vacation days and those worked averaged over ten a day. I had a couple of twenty-four hour days to get particular pieces of equipment back up and running. The thanks I got was a letter on Feb. 5th of this year stating that Delphi was filing to dump my healthcare. I was never asked if I would pay more of the monthly fee. I went from $143 a month to $1495 a month and the loss of life insurance as well in the blink of an eye or thirty days, which ever comes first. I also do not trust any politician after this year. There is NO protecting of our pensions going on. The good 'ol boys network will get what they want. After being treated like we, the former GM/Delphi retirees have been treated one tends to start getting involved, or at least should, and discovering things they wish they hadn't. Start with names like Henry Paulson, Robert Rubin, John Thain, Robert Steele, Joshua Bolten, Mark Patteson, Ed Liddy, Jim Cramer, Harry B. Wilson and see what they have in common. I'll give you a hint, Goldman Sachs. The last one is the governments lead counsel in the GM bankruptcy case. There will be an IPO for the NEW GM, will Goldman Sachs get to sell it? Will all those unfortunate retirees get anything for their years of service? Someone is going to make money and it won't be the little forgotten true heroes of the corporate world. It will again be the brotherhood of the corporate world.
Matt Taibii's article in Mad Magazine or you can find it on the net in pdf form should be read by all.
Before GM spun off Delco Products to become Delphi, a company just about as old as GM and made up of some of GM's founding fathers, they (GM) had retirees that retired under the GM umbrella. They retired as Delco Products employees, a Division of GM. They were from that other union, the IUE, the one that everyone forgot but is the one that gave up more concessions than any other union in GM's history. Now GM is saying that they don't have an agreement with the IUE/CWA because they don't have any active working members. Well, just how stupid do they think people are. I didn't work there but it was in my community, the GM truck plant in Moraine, OH. Closed in December of 2008 and was the last active IUE covered plant. Note here, the CWA part merged in with the IUE after the IPO of Delphi.. The truck plant received award after award and GM even spent huge sums of money putting in the latest and greatest paint facility. GM closed it for a UAW facility. One that did not have all the credentials, just THE union of choice backing it. You see, there has always been a war of unions in the GM family and the prevailing God Father is the UAW. The ironic thing here is that the hourly members of Delphi, the IUE/CWA union members were taken BACK into GM. I'm sure that the membership as a whole had no idea as to what their next fate was. GM and the UAW reached a VEBA agreement and the IUE/CWA was left out in the cold. GM accomplished what appears to have been the plan in the beginning, to divest itself of the unions. UAW healthcare is now covered by a VEBA plan and the IUE/CWA doesn't exist in their minds. The only thing left is the IUE/CWA pensions being left underfunded and then not funded and then voluntary move to the PBGC like the salaried retirees are getting from Delphi.
If there is truly five year business plans in corporations then one only needs to be in touch with what happened at Delphi starting in 1999. To know and understand how the equipment was being brought in for the next generation of automobile. Seven or eight pieces of equipment would make approximately 1,800 parts in a shift, replacing on piece of equipment that would make up to 5,000 pieces in a shift. Difference besides the obvious, you could pick the seven or eight pieces up and put each one in the back of a heavy duty pickup truck and send them across the boarder. The shock equipment that was in the Woodman Dr., Kettering, OH plant is in Mexico today. The equipment that made struts is still there in plant 14 but is now owned by Tenneco. GM, on all fronts, looks as if it was divesting itself of Delco by forming Delphi but yet they held on to them with buying leverage and other means to the point that they got what they wanted or will get what they want if the courts have their way. GM will be union free so to speak, divested of a company that they only wanted part of and the biggest part....no "legacy" costs to human beings. These aren't stock holder being screwed, they are the real equipment of these corporations. They have blood and sweat running in and out of them instead of electricity and hydraulic fluid. They aren't made of steel but of flesh. They don't breakdown and get repaired with the twist of a wrench or a screw driver, no they get cancer from working around the chemicals that they aren't told about until OSHA or some other form of government warns them. They suffered when the temperatures reach levels over 100 degrees plus day after day in the summer and sometimes year round. They have lost fingers, hands, eyesight and hearing because safety wasn't number one for so many years. And yet, they are looked upon with envy one minute and thrown out as disposable assets the next. No obligation. You got paid. We're keeping our perks. Sorry about your losses.
The non-union parts of Delphi and GM are the salaried individuals. The union parts are of course the IUE/CWA members. GM, the courts, the government all say sorry for your luck or I am here to help protect your rights. The courts say sorry for your luck, the company had a contractual agreement with the union, YOU are nothing more than a "moral obligation". The courts can't make GM or Delphi have morals. There was a time when a handshake was a contract, that's what the salaried people had, a handshake. They would be given dream sheets annually that would show what they received in salary compensation, vacation time, holiday time, their healthcare package and a scenario of what their pension would look like if they continued to put into their 401k along with their GM/Delphi sponsored pension amounts. Now, with the help of the courts, the salaried scum do not have their healthcare and in some cases of this very large entity, GM/Delphi, may loose part of their pension to the PBGC. Let me say here that not all are in this boat. There is language, very similar to the masses of salaried individuals, that gives upper executives everything for life. After making millions a year, they loose nothing. Some of the execs that lead Delphi down the path of failure but really promoted the IPO and the quality of the company as a whole, are even asking the courts to have Delphi pay nearly $10,000,000 for THEIR legal fees. The way it looks is that GM will pay it with the taxpayer help. I was salaried and I had to sign permits for parts of the plant or a piece of equipment was tested for safeness to enter. IF, for some reason the meter was reading wrong and something happened and one of the employees had an accident I was told that I could be sued by him or his family and that I was on my own. I lost many sleepless nights over this worrying. that I could loose everything I worked for.
I agree with this paragraph from the article A Step Closer To Exiting Bankruptcy "That arrogance was a big factor in GMs long slide into bankruptcy. It's also a problem the executives have been working to break down for years. CEO Fritz Henderson knows the change has to continue. GM must become more nimble, responsive to customers, and its leaders must be willing to admit they don't have all the answers." As a former GM-Delco-Delphi salaried employee I have heard these same words time and time again. It is only the last thirteen words that are new. Bringing the Springhill, TN Saturn plant on was a big thing at that time. The union had fought for the right to stop the line to fix a problem in the assembly process. That is why the Saturn was such a dependable vehicle and they could show commercials of taking care of a customer in Alaska where there was no dealership. It gave you the idea that you would be treated like a Rolls-Royce customer.There is the story that a customer tried to think RR for fixing a problem during the night and RR responded that they had never had a problem. He must have been mistaken. I'm not sure what Mr. Henderson means by nimble, do we go back to Iacocca's days and bring a platform to market in months instead of years? Responsive to customers, well they still have the Buick of the older generation and I must say that I am glad they don't have a Cube in their arsenal. The question about the word responsive is, who wanted the SUV's, the public or the manufacturers. VERY profitable on the one side and American big on the other. I remember the noise when they did away with rear wheel drive. After all, rear wheel drive, big motors and huge tanks is as American as you can get.
Bottom line, I can't feel for GM, or any of the other corporations that treat their employees like they were never there unless they made the big bucks. I put 22 years in, all but 2 were with GM, until my heart gave out. Too many hours, twelve plus a day on the floor in the heat and noise? In one year alone the only days I got off were my vacation days and those worked averaged over ten a day. I had a couple of twenty-four hour days to get particular pieces of equipment back up and running. The thanks I got was a letter on Feb. 5th of this year stating that Delphi was filing to dump my healthcare. I was never asked if I would pay more of the monthly fee. I went from $143 a month to $1495 a month and the loss of life insurance as well in the blink of an eye or thirty days, which ever comes first. I also do not trust any politician after this year. There is NO protecting of our pensions going on. The good 'ol boys network will get what they want. After being treated like we, the former GM/Delphi retirees have been treated one tends to start getting involved, or at least should, and discovering things they wish they hadn't. Start with names like Henry Paulson, Robert Rubin, John Thain, Robert Steele, Joshua Bolten, Mark Patteson, Ed Liddy, Jim Cramer, Harry B. Wilson and see what they have in common. I'll give you a hint, Goldman Sachs. The last one is the governments lead counsel in the GM bankruptcy case. There will be an IPO for the NEW GM, will Goldman Sachs get to sell it? Will all those unfortunate retirees get anything for their years of service? Someone is going to make money and it won't be the little forgotten true heroes of the corporate world. It will again be the brotherhood of the corporate world.
Matt Taibii's article in Mad Magazine or you can find it on the net in pdf form should be read by all.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Why the last post is important
Well, I vented about how I feel I have been treated by my former employer, Delphi/Delco/GM. It's kind of ironic that GM didn't need anymore money due to some obligations that mysteriously went away after a bankruptcy judge in New York sided with Delphi on the issue of Salaried Retires health care obligations. By the way, now Delphi wants to sue the retirees for $20 million because the retirees are trying to appeal the decision of the courts. Isn't this what the courts are for, you file something against me and if I don't like the judgement then I file back to fore stall the outcome or maybe to get it reversed.
If companies like Lehman Brothers and other credit institutions had not falsified information thus helping the greedy banks make more money on the investors money and we had not had this collapse, car sales might still be up enough that Delphi would still have enough business to not be able to show justice in what they are asking for. Maybe they should sue the banks. There is a blog that I think everyone should read. http://moneyplusthoughts.blogspot.com/ Read his background and look at his artwork but mainly, read his postings. Especially the ones on his views of the credit mess. If you have followed this market or lack there of, you will understand where he is coming from and how we got where we are today.
In Automobile Magazine there is an article by Ezra Dyer called Dyer Consequences and subtitled "I AM THE CZAR: A TEN POINT PLAN TO FIX ALL THAT AILS THE INDUSTRY". Point number 3 is as follows: "We should allow giant investment banks to increase their leverage to thirty times their capital, and ratings agencies will get paid by the companies they're rating, conflict of interest that provides incentive to drastically underestimate the risk associated with mortgage-backed securities, thus contributing to a speculative bubble that unrealistically inflates personal wealth. Voila`! Everyone buys cars....What? We already tried that?" Here's a writer in a car magazine that gets the big picture. Why can't congress get it right. Give big bucks to the banks and insurance companies and yell at the auto industry.
I have a couple of pre-existing conditions that the insurance companies just laugh at and say sorry for your luck. Delphi has been kind enough, LOL, to offer to let me 'pay as I go' for my health care and the wife's. When all is said and done it will come to about $1493 a month. If this isn't bad enough they gave us less than 30 days to look around and make decisions. For me it was cut and dry. For others that have no issues that they know of, until the insurance company looks into their backgrounds, they need time to digest what is available. Once you make the decision you cannot express mail or certify your mail to them. They stated they couldn't guarantee the receipt. After 3/27/09 anything received is voided. You could fax it and then call 24 hrs. later to confirm that they received it. Only problem is they posted the wrong number so some didn't go through until there was a correction sent out.
Still more confusion, I got a health card today, only one. I called and the insurance company said that I was the only one listed. I called back to the National Benefit Center and they told me that they had my fax and that it had not been reviewed so they had no idea as to what the card was for. I called the insurance again and they said it was for me and that the wife was good until only 4/1/09. After explaining to them that this could not be related to my 'pay as you go' decision I got "well this was started in January". That tell me that Delphi knew what they were going to do before I got my 'Dear John' letter in February.
I got my last ditch effort in this past week to get all I could out of Delphi's money for my health care. Wasn't by choice. I had my pace maker replaced because the batteries ran out. All day affair but all is better now. Two days ago I thought I would get some more for the money. I had an issue with chest pain, super headache, light headed and nausea. Went into emergency, x-ray's, two CT scans one of the head (didn't find anything there) and then of the chest since I have an aneurysm in the upper loop and they were thinking the possibility of it dissecting. Found I had a spot of pneumonia in my lungs. Here, take these pills and call your doctor on Monday. Have no idea as to what brought this on but it wasn't pneumonia. Bottom line, all is back to normal. It's is just that I knew it was coming and I'm glad I got it over with before something got all screwed up like the insurance cards this morning.
Great day. Suns out and the window is open. It's TDW.........Top Down Weather. I hear the Miata now.
If companies like Lehman Brothers and other credit institutions had not falsified information thus helping the greedy banks make more money on the investors money and we had not had this collapse, car sales might still be up enough that Delphi would still have enough business to not be able to show justice in what they are asking for. Maybe they should sue the banks. There is a blog that I think everyone should read. http://moneyplusthoughts.blogspot.com/ Read his background and look at his artwork but mainly, read his postings. Especially the ones on his views of the credit mess. If you have followed this market or lack there of, you will understand where he is coming from and how we got where we are today.
In Automobile Magazine there is an article by Ezra Dyer called Dyer Consequences and subtitled "I AM THE CZAR: A TEN POINT PLAN TO FIX ALL THAT AILS THE INDUSTRY". Point number 3 is as follows: "We should allow giant investment banks to increase their leverage to thirty times their capital, and ratings agencies will get paid by the companies they're rating, conflict of interest that provides incentive to drastically underestimate the risk associated with mortgage-backed securities, thus contributing to a speculative bubble that unrealistically inflates personal wealth. Voila`! Everyone buys cars....What? We already tried that?" Here's a writer in a car magazine that gets the big picture. Why can't congress get it right. Give big bucks to the banks and insurance companies and yell at the auto industry.
I have a couple of pre-existing conditions that the insurance companies just laugh at and say sorry for your luck. Delphi has been kind enough, LOL, to offer to let me 'pay as I go' for my health care and the wife's. When all is said and done it will come to about $1493 a month. If this isn't bad enough they gave us less than 30 days to look around and make decisions. For me it was cut and dry. For others that have no issues that they know of, until the insurance company looks into their backgrounds, they need time to digest what is available. Once you make the decision you cannot express mail or certify your mail to them. They stated they couldn't guarantee the receipt. After 3/27/09 anything received is voided. You could fax it and then call 24 hrs. later to confirm that they received it. Only problem is they posted the wrong number so some didn't go through until there was a correction sent out.
Still more confusion, I got a health card today, only one. I called and the insurance company said that I was the only one listed. I called back to the National Benefit Center and they told me that they had my fax and that it had not been reviewed so they had no idea as to what the card was for. I called the insurance again and they said it was for me and that the wife was good until only 4/1/09. After explaining to them that this could not be related to my 'pay as you go' decision I got "well this was started in January". That tell me that Delphi knew what they were going to do before I got my 'Dear John' letter in February.
I got my last ditch effort in this past week to get all I could out of Delphi's money for my health care. Wasn't by choice. I had my pace maker replaced because the batteries ran out. All day affair but all is better now. Two days ago I thought I would get some more for the money. I had an issue with chest pain, super headache, light headed and nausea. Went into emergency, x-ray's, two CT scans one of the head (didn't find anything there) and then of the chest since I have an aneurysm in the upper loop and they were thinking the possibility of it dissecting. Found I had a spot of pneumonia in my lungs. Here, take these pills and call your doctor on Monday. Have no idea as to what brought this on but it wasn't pneumonia. Bottom line, all is back to normal. It's is just that I knew it was coming and I'm glad I got it over with before something got all screwed up like the insurance cards this morning.
Great day. Suns out and the window is open. It's TDW.........Top Down Weather. I hear the Miata now.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Vent Time
I will try to make this short but that doesn't really matter now does it. This blog isn't read by many.
Today was a big day for me and a few more that 15,000 former and current retirees of Delphi Corporation. On Feb. 4th the corporation asked the bankruptcy court for permission to stop being responsible to the men and women that had worked for them with the understanding that we would receive our health insurance, dental and eye care along with some life insurance that diminished with time. We, the retirees paid into this on a monthly basis to help offset the costs. At no time were we given the opportunity to pay more on a monthly basis until 2/4/09, pay 100%. On Feb. 5, 2009 we received the docket from the law firms representing Delphi via Fed-Ex overnight. It said it all, Delphi would STOP offering any insurance to the salaried retirees on April 1, 2009. On Feb 6, 2009 we got another overnight package, this time from Delphi. It had more explanation as to why THEY HAD to do it. They owed their debtors. What, we aren't considered debtors. I worked for you (Delphi) and retired with a promise and you backed down. Maybe we should have formed a salaried union but we didn't. Maybe we should have said, keep your insurance, pay us more and we will find our own. At least we would have insurance during retirement and pre-existing conditions wouldn't make a difference.
I digress, when the Delphi package came it was like I said, a cheap explanation (pity me) as to why they had to do what they did. They also had made a decision to offer the same insurance you have but you would have to pay for it all. Wow, that helps some, those with pre-existing conditions but it also hurts most if not all. You plan your retirement around what you know and what you think you can expect. To go from $300 a month insurance payments in some cases to $1400 for the same insurance is extreme. There are pensions out there that might pay for that insurance but there will be absolutely nothing left. In fact, those individuals might owe money at the end of the month to survive.
Take a look at your own case right now with your current income. I know many retirees that are getting anywhere from $2400 to about $2800 a month. Lets say you make $4000 a month and you take out 6% state taxes, 20% federal taxes and the $1400 for insurance. That leaves you $1560 a month for utilities, house payment, house insurance food, limited entertainment, cloths etc. A car payment can drop it to $1200 or less left over. You should get the picture....the retirees are not going to make anymore money and they are going to have somewhat the same bills. And NO, they won't get $4000 a month.
Well, like I said, the news came today. The judge found in favor of Delphi. We are loosing our retirement insurance. I personally have three years to medicare. I live with a pacemaker and I am still considered a cancer patient because they keep finding spots that they remove, even though are mostly pre-cancerous thank goodness. All you have to do is see the cost of replacing the pacemaker. I am due one now and my best bet is somewhere over $50,000 since the last one was near $40,000 seven years ago. There are those that are younger than me and have pre-existing conditions. I feel sorry for them.
We did not run Delphi into the ground with bad decisions. We did not give out bad loans. We did not try to get rich in schemes that were unbelievable. We left our company in good stand, in some cases we were forced out by the bankruptcy, not ready to retire with more time left age wise.
It was said but it will never happen, lets take the health care away from all the retirees in the federal government. I'll bet that there would be a reform act then. I'll bet Judge Drain of New York would see a different light then. What gets my goat is that there is some sort of rule or law called 1114 that speaks of this action by Delphi and it is easy to read. It simply states that a corporation in bankruptcy cannot eliminate retirees health care without proper notification and time. We were given 12 days to write letters of protest to the judge. The retirees weren't a formed committee, we are scattered all over the place. We don't have a union that controls all this.
Now I don't care and that is really a bad thing to say. I don't care if and actually hope in someways that Delphi doesn't emerge from bankruptcy. There has been too many greedy hands in the pot from the day GM split them off. Yes, GM is as much at fault as anyone. I don't care if anyone buys a GM vehicle or not. They (GM) complain about their legacy payments, how about their legacy of WHO they are and where they came from. If GM was to start selling cars again do you think the American worker is going to go back to work. Over 60% of the parts supplied to GM come from Delphi. Most of which is in foreign countries now. My former plant in Kettering, OH is in several states...........of Mexico and China. One of these days we will be sending flags, shoes, clothing and toys to these countries. It will be our major exports to the countries with the major manufacturing industries. Cynical, yes, true, possibly. Support NAFTA and we will find out. Support Wal-Mart and we will find out. When you see Made in America in Wal-Mart you will know the tides have turned.
The only thing left is for Delphi to turn over my pension to the federal government, the PBGC, and in someways that might be a blessing. At least there would be no more worries as to what Delphi could take away or cheat me out of.
There are 15,200 retirees. Giving each retiree a cash buyout like they have the union workers over the years of lets say one million dollars would be $1,520,000,000. Big number right? They have spent this plus on lawyers since 2005. It's a wash because they say they are going save this and more by screwing the retiree. The only people in this whole mess that cannot win, that Delphi has always taken from to pay for something else, is the salaried worker.
Okay, I done. Well, not really but I am for now. It's never going to be over until.........
This is NOT the retirement I had tried to save for or plan for.
Today was a big day for me and a few more that 15,000 former and current retirees of Delphi Corporation. On Feb. 4th the corporation asked the bankruptcy court for permission to stop being responsible to the men and women that had worked for them with the understanding that we would receive our health insurance, dental and eye care along with some life insurance that diminished with time. We, the retirees paid into this on a monthly basis to help offset the costs. At no time were we given the opportunity to pay more on a monthly basis until 2/4/09, pay 100%. On Feb. 5, 2009 we received the docket from the law firms representing Delphi via Fed-Ex overnight. It said it all, Delphi would STOP offering any insurance to the salaried retirees on April 1, 2009. On Feb 6, 2009 we got another overnight package, this time from Delphi. It had more explanation as to why THEY HAD to do it. They owed their debtors. What, we aren't considered debtors. I worked for you (Delphi) and retired with a promise and you backed down. Maybe we should have formed a salaried union but we didn't. Maybe we should have said, keep your insurance, pay us more and we will find our own. At least we would have insurance during retirement and pre-existing conditions wouldn't make a difference.
I digress, when the Delphi package came it was like I said, a cheap explanation (pity me) as to why they had to do what they did. They also had made a decision to offer the same insurance you have but you would have to pay for it all. Wow, that helps some, those with pre-existing conditions but it also hurts most if not all. You plan your retirement around what you know and what you think you can expect. To go from $300 a month insurance payments in some cases to $1400 for the same insurance is extreme. There are pensions out there that might pay for that insurance but there will be absolutely nothing left. In fact, those individuals might owe money at the end of the month to survive.
Take a look at your own case right now with your current income. I know many retirees that are getting anywhere from $2400 to about $2800 a month. Lets say you make $4000 a month and you take out 6% state taxes, 20% federal taxes and the $1400 for insurance. That leaves you $1560 a month for utilities, house payment, house insurance food, limited entertainment, cloths etc. A car payment can drop it to $1200 or less left over. You should get the picture....the retirees are not going to make anymore money and they are going to have somewhat the same bills. And NO, they won't get $4000 a month.
Well, like I said, the news came today. The judge found in favor of Delphi. We are loosing our retirement insurance. I personally have three years to medicare. I live with a pacemaker and I am still considered a cancer patient because they keep finding spots that they remove, even though are mostly pre-cancerous thank goodness. All you have to do is see the cost of replacing the pacemaker. I am due one now and my best bet is somewhere over $50,000 since the last one was near $40,000 seven years ago. There are those that are younger than me and have pre-existing conditions. I feel sorry for them.
We did not run Delphi into the ground with bad decisions. We did not give out bad loans. We did not try to get rich in schemes that were unbelievable. We left our company in good stand, in some cases we were forced out by the bankruptcy, not ready to retire with more time left age wise.
It was said but it will never happen, lets take the health care away from all the retirees in the federal government. I'll bet that there would be a reform act then. I'll bet Judge Drain of New York would see a different light then. What gets my goat is that there is some sort of rule or law called 1114 that speaks of this action by Delphi and it is easy to read. It simply states that a corporation in bankruptcy cannot eliminate retirees health care without proper notification and time. We were given 12 days to write letters of protest to the judge. The retirees weren't a formed committee, we are scattered all over the place. We don't have a union that controls all this.
Now I don't care and that is really a bad thing to say. I don't care if and actually hope in someways that Delphi doesn't emerge from bankruptcy. There has been too many greedy hands in the pot from the day GM split them off. Yes, GM is as much at fault as anyone. I don't care if anyone buys a GM vehicle or not. They (GM) complain about their legacy payments, how about their legacy of WHO they are and where they came from. If GM was to start selling cars again do you think the American worker is going to go back to work. Over 60% of the parts supplied to GM come from Delphi. Most of which is in foreign countries now. My former plant in Kettering, OH is in several states...........of Mexico and China. One of these days we will be sending flags, shoes, clothing and toys to these countries. It will be our major exports to the countries with the major manufacturing industries. Cynical, yes, true, possibly. Support NAFTA and we will find out. Support Wal-Mart and we will find out. When you see Made in America in Wal-Mart you will know the tides have turned.
The only thing left is for Delphi to turn over my pension to the federal government, the PBGC, and in someways that might be a blessing. At least there would be no more worries as to what Delphi could take away or cheat me out of.
There are 15,200 retirees. Giving each retiree a cash buyout like they have the union workers over the years of lets say one million dollars would be $1,520,000,000. Big number right? They have spent this plus on lawyers since 2005. It's a wash because they say they are going save this and more by screwing the retiree. The only people in this whole mess that cannot win, that Delphi has always taken from to pay for something else, is the salaried worker.
Okay, I done. Well, not really but I am for now. It's never going to be over until.........
This is NOT the retirement I had tried to save for or plan for.
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