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Valley GM retirees wait, worry
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UAW 1112 shop chairman Bob Marstellar passes out information to GM/UAW retiree Larry Ayers of Austintown outside Metroplex Hotel in Liberty Tuesday. More than 1,500 retirees attended the meeting to find out details of health care plan.
By Don Shilling
Retirees hope the new GM succeeds so they can keep their remaining benefits.
LIBERTY — Many General Motors retirees accept benefit cuts as necessary but worry about what they will give up next.
“This is just the start,” said Roger Kuhn, 59, of Leavittsburg.
Kuhn, who retired from the Lordstown complex eight years ago, said he expects he will soon be paying for half of the cost of his health-care premiums. Retirees under 65 now pay about $23 a month for insurance coverage.
Kuhn was one of about 1,500 retirees who gathered Tuesday at the MetroPlex Hotel to hear about a revised labor agreement completed just before GM headed into bankruptcy last week. Another 1,500 were expected for an afternoon meeting of United Auto Workers Local 1112.
The other union at the Lordstown complex, Local 1714, had its retiree meeting Monday.
The revised contract calls for retirees to give up their dental and vision insurance but maintains their health-care insurance and pensions.
Retirees said after the meeting Tuesday that they can accept the givebacks.
“It’s OK with me as long as we keep our pensions,” said Christine Asberry, 67, of Campbell, who’s been retired for two years.
GM has said it intends to keep paying pensions despite the bankruptcy.
Not all local retirees have been that fortunate, however.
Delphi Corp.’s salaried retirees recently learned that their former employer plans to drop their pensions under its latest reorganization plan. If that happens, pensions would be paid by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., but many retirees would receive reduced payouts.
The Delphi salaried retirees are having a rally at 9 a.m. Thursday at Packard Electric’s North River Road complex in Warren.
One GM retiree, Bill Anderson, also is concerned about future cuts. He noticed that the revised agreement allows benefits to be changed earlier.
Previously, a trust that is taking over retiree health care next year was able to change benefits in 2012, depending on funding levels in the account. The new agreement allows benefits to be reduced Jan. 1, 2010.
“I’ve made it this far, but I’m worried about the future,” said Anderson, 61, of Canfield, who retired two years ago.
Jim Graham, president of Local 1112, said he was pleased the active UAW members approved the contract, even though it meant some sacrifices by retirees.
“If we hadn’t ratified this contract, it could have gotten a lot worse,” he said.
Mike Emerick, 61, of Austintown said the UAW had to make the deal or else a bankruptcy court judge would have mandated concessions.
“It’s a sacrifice, but we could have lost the whole thing,” he said.
He knows, however, that nothing is certain yet. GM has to emerge from bankruptcy court and survive as an independent company for retirees to continue receiving benefits at current levels.
“It’s hard to say what will happen. Thank God I made a good living when I did. There’s no sense in worrying about it. It’s out of my control,” said Emerick, who retired in 2003.
Dick Heber, 62, of Newton Falls, who retired in 2007, said he will be worried about his future if GM doesn’t survive. But he figures GM will need about two years before its new products take hold in the market and the company is successful again. “There’s a good future for General Motors,” he said.
shilling@vindy.com
Comments
Stay strong GM retirees. You made GM what it is today.
Made GM what it is today! Not sure that's a good thing.
Yes Gm you've made it what it is today. Broke! I'm sorry that GM employees have to pay for their Dental & Vision . It should'nt be problem for the Greedie U.A.W. They've been making it when others could only dream of that. I can't wait until the Goverment takes over their pension plan ! I'm sure the Pension Benfit Guaranty Corp will deal with you people accordingly. You'll finally get what you Scabs deserve ! Maybe you people can work at Wal-Mart as a Greeter. Heck you'd be right at home with that Rat Corporation .
Did I read the above correctly, he retired at 51. He may have to get a real job and work till he dies like the rest of us. Life is hard. How would you survive a real job where time for bathroom breaks are not written into your contract? Oh, and they probably won't let you watch TV on the clock either.
Karma is a beotch and all you people who wish ill will on anyone will have it come back at you. It is despicable that one human being wishes another one misfortune. Grow up, you all act like children.
Also, to above, once you put in your 30 years you can retire, so it is possible he retired at 51.
If he worked 30 years at GM, he ought to be able to pay for half of healthcare.
Yeah, he retired at 51 after 30 years and that in a nutshell is why GM is bankrupt. Sucking the health care and pensions funds potentially longer than he was employed.
Unless you are a retiree at GM, you have no idea what they actually pay, only what you have read. They pay a lot out of pocket for healthcare, not the small amount that was reported. No idea where the number came from, but ask any retiree, they pay a great deal for their own healthcare.
You clowns, you people are all a joke. These ceos and congress make you believe that nobody deserves pensions ,health care,etc... but did you ever see a congresssman give up his raises ,benefits,or any thing during these trouble times...NO.How about ceos... NO .they all claims they deserve their perks but not you.It's time to tell them,we are taking cuts now it's your turn to do the same. If we are all getting third world wages, where is the governerment going to get the tax dollars to run the country?
For all those years we were there for them. Day in day out every day that they needed us. Where are they now that we need them?
If you people bashing GM had the chance to work there you would understand jobs are not all a cake walk ! 8 hours on a line doing the same job over and over is not that easy!!! And hating is a nasty thing Be an American support our people who put there time in at the Gm complex and Every other Factory Union or non Union
You want us to feel bad for these folks. My neighbor is an GM worker and he routinely used to brag and rub it in that his pay package and bennies were better than most. Now that they've cause the company to fail, you want me to now bail them out with my tax dollars for jobs that I couldn't get when the plant was booming because my Dad or Uncle didn't work there and provide a referral! You're kidding right? They made their beds, now let them feel the same pain that most workers are feeling.
I didn't get in there either my dad did not kiss butt! I was a steelworker both plants i worked at closed and that was due to another country purchasing them i didn't complain i went out and got another job i'm feeling no pain i'm doing well if i can say so myself. shouldnt bash because you are jealous Support!!!!
You don't get it. They keep moving good jobs overseas. There will come to a point where there is no good jobs . Just like every company there are idiots that work there. There are bums ,lazy @sses,even where you work .Do I put you in the same category as them..No What is wrong having a good paying jobs with benefit. I doubt anyone, even YOU ,will turn down a job with the same perks that is offer to you. Do you think a Ceo should get paid 80 million dollars a year.What about getting paid 20mil. from a company who's losing money. Congress and the banks cause this mess ,not theunions ,not ford, gm ,etc.Toyota loss more money than Gm ,over 8 billion, did you blame the unions on that too...? Honda and toyota sales are down 35 to 40 % also. Where is the union fault there?
I seldom comment on these matters, as they tend to draw out many brainless union haters who appear to have a difficult time separating reality from real life.
I was pleased to see several comments that display compassion for people and good clear thinking as to where responsibilities lie
Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co. just doesn't have the same ring as the name HUMMER. Oh well, those are the most impracticle vehicles ever made. Bye Bye Hummer...
How long will it be before the honeymoon between Government Motors and the UAW is over? First, with the years of "us against them" there is no way that they are going to stay kissed and made up for long. Second, what is the younger rank and file gonna do when they have to make a decision that may affect the price of the GM stock which they are now owners of. When they make a decision that doesn't agree with the old geezers the geezers will flaunt who makes what hourly rate. That is when the fight starts!!
Old Gettelfinger is already trying to play down the stock ownership thing cause this could undermind his ability to control the nonthinkers.
Can we start a lottery on how quickly the fighting starts and which plant will have the first tiff? It is gonna be fun. I can't wait!