Thank you Sen. Portman !! As Delphi retirees (I agree with Freeatlast) we greatly appreciate your efforts to fix this pension injustice which was created by the US Treasury's auto task force, the PBGC and GM for political expediency. Since their collaborative efforts created this disparity of treatment of former co-workers (now retirees) from the same organization, it is only appropriate that they be part of the solution. Last night I watched Stephanie Cutter, Obama's deputy campaign manager, applaud the GM Bailout as a success and specifically noting how there was "shared sacrifice" in the process. Well, the 20,000 Delphi salaried retirees who lost 30-70% of their earned pensions and were shameless deemed to have "no commercial value" beg to differ with this assessment. It is factually false. There is NO valid rationalization for disparate treatment, but the Auto Task Force, PBGC and GM took a different view of fairness and equity in the United States of America! ALL retirees should be concerned with the precedents set in this case, and are urged to inform yourselves, get engaged, speak out, and VOTE !!
According to the USDOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, In 2011, the union membership rate--the percent of wage and salary workers who were members of a union--was 11.8 percent. Are you suggesting that this minority of American workers/retirees should be treated more favorably by the US Government than those 88.2% who are not in a union? While I respect contracts and applaud the UAW for having the foresight you mentioned, in bankruptcy there are no guarantees and GM was in such dire financial straits that taxpayers had to bail them out. And remember, the bankruptcy judge merely approved the plan that was developed and submitted to the court by GM, US Treasury, and the PBGC (with input from the UAW but NOT the Delphi salaried retirees). So, again I ask you - WHY was GM involved in the Delphi bankruptcy? If it was because of the UAW agreement you correctly mentioned, then WHY were the salaried retirees even part of the discussion? The fact that we were is proof of GM's ongoing relationship with Delphi and our pensions as well as the UAW's. No other suppliers were part of this discussion. We are happy for our union friends, neighbors, and former co-workers, and want only simple fairness and equity of treatment. Taxpayer money should never be used to favor one group over another.
Contrary to your statements, there is most definitely an ongoing relationship between GM and Delphi. If there were not, why would the US Treasury's auto task force, PBGC AND GM have interfered with the Delphi bankruptcy process? And why would the Bankrupcy Court have agreed? And why did they make determinations about Delphi retirees as part of the GM bankruptcy process? And why were the interests of these retirees ("splinter" union and non-union) not represented during these discussions? GM was party to unfair, unjust and disparate treatment of middle class UNION AND NON-UNION retirees from Delphi, yet you say they have not been in a relationship for 10 years. The FACTS do not support your faulty assertionS! VOTERS MUST PROTECT ALL RETIREES AT THE POLLS !! These are YOUR taxpayer dollars being used by GM which requires fundamental justice, fairness and equity FOR ALL !
"Lets put some perspective on health care for Delphi salary retirees. They qualified for Voluntary Employee Benefit Associations (VEBA) following the approval of the bankruptcy court judge."
Did you know that Delphi dumped 100% of our health and life insurance (leaving us with NOTHING) and it was only thru our own efforts and an arduous battle that we convinced Judge Drain to allow us to set up our own VEBA? And did you know that we have IUE and USW retirees participating in our VEBA at our invitation (it was to our mutual benefit to do so)? And did you know that the DSRA lobbied heavily for an increase in the HCTC to 72.5% -- which benefits tens of thousands of UNION and non-union retirees and laid off workers ACROSS AMERICA? And did you know that ours was the FIRST HCTC-Qualified VEBA in the U.S.? And everyone should understand that without this VEBA and the HCTC, thousands in our communities would suffer severe financial and emotional hardship? We are ALL in this together!
VOTERS SHOULD WATCH THIS ISSUE CLOSELY AS IT WILL INFLUENCE THE OUTCOMES OF LOCAL AND NATIONAL ELECTIONS !!
Points well taken but not complete or totally accurate. Issue is about fairness and not union vs. non-union. In fact, union leaderships have publicly expressed agreement and support for the salaried retirees. Once the US government took over control of GM (61% ownership by taxpayers) the expectation of fairness for ALL is amplified and becomes a Constitutional issue. Our government should NOT be in the business of picking winners and losers, yet they did just that with car dealerships, salaried workers, union workers, and others -- with salaried employees and many profitable car dealerships deemed and treated as "losers" by our government. This should concern all Americans!
Sen. Portman backing Delphi retirees
Thank you Sen. Portman !! As Delphi retirees (I agree with Freeatlast) we greatly appreciate your efforts to fix this pension injustice which was created by the US Treasury's auto task force, the PBGC and GM for political expediency. Since their collaborative efforts created this disparity of treatment of former co-workers (now retirees) from the same organization, it is only appropriate that they be part of the solution. Last night I watched Stephanie Cutter, Obama's deputy campaign manager, applaud the GM Bailout as a success and specifically noting how there was "shared sacrifice" in the process. Well, the 20,000 Delphi salaried retirees who lost 30-70% of their earned pensions and were shameless deemed to have "no commercial value" beg to differ with this assessment. It is factually false. There is NO valid rationalization for disparate treatment, but the Auto Task Force, PBGC and GM took a different view of fairness and equity in the United States of America! ALL retirees should be concerned with the precedents set in this case, and are urged to inform yourselves, get engaged, speak out, and VOTE !!
February 23, 2012 at 10:08 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Make all Delphi retirees equal
Freeatlast,
According to the USDOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, In 2011, the union membership rate--the percent of wage and salary workers who were members of a union--was 11.8 percent. Are you suggesting that this minority of American workers/retirees should be treated more favorably by the US Government than those 88.2% who are not in a union?
While I respect contracts and applaud the UAW for having the foresight you mentioned, in bankruptcy there are no guarantees and GM was in such dire financial straits that taxpayers had to bail them out. And remember, the bankruptcy judge merely approved the plan that was developed and submitted to the court by GM, US Treasury, and the PBGC (with input from the UAW but NOT the Delphi salaried retirees). So, again I ask you - WHY was GM involved in the Delphi bankruptcy? If it was because of the UAW agreement you correctly mentioned, then WHY were the salaried retirees even part of the discussion? The fact that we were is proof of GM's ongoing relationship with Delphi and our pensions as well as the UAW's. No other suppliers were part of this discussion. We are happy for our union friends, neighbors, and former co-workers, and want only simple fairness and equity of treatment. Taxpayer money should never be used to favor one group over another.
February 21, 2012 at 12:45 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Make all Delphi retirees equal
Freeatlast,
Contrary to your statements, there is most definitely an ongoing relationship between GM and Delphi. If there were not, why would the US Treasury's auto task force, PBGC AND GM have interfered with the Delphi bankruptcy process? And why would the Bankrupcy Court have agreed? And why did they make determinations about Delphi retirees as part of the GM bankruptcy process? And why were the interests of these retirees ("splinter" union and non-union) not represented during these discussions? GM was party to unfair, unjust and disparate treatment of middle class UNION AND NON-UNION retirees from Delphi, yet you say they have not been in a relationship for 10 years. The FACTS do not support your faulty assertionS! VOTERS MUST PROTECT ALL RETIREES AT THE POLLS !! These are YOUR taxpayer dollars being used by GM which requires fundamental justice, fairness and equity FOR ALL !
February 21, 2012 at 10:05 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Make all Delphi retirees equal
BruceG -- Well said !
CompMan stated:
"Lets put some perspective on health care for Delphi salary retirees. They qualified for Voluntary Employee Benefit Associations (VEBA) following the approval of the bankruptcy court judge."
Did you know that Delphi dumped 100% of our health and life insurance (leaving us with NOTHING) and it was only thru our own efforts and an arduous battle that we convinced Judge Drain to allow us to set up our own VEBA? And did you know that we have IUE and USW retirees participating in our VEBA at our invitation (it was to our mutual benefit to do so)? And did you know that the DSRA lobbied heavily for an increase in the HCTC to 72.5% -- which benefits tens of thousands of UNION and non-union retirees and laid off workers ACROSS AMERICA? And did you know that ours was the FIRST HCTC-Qualified VEBA in the U.S.? And everyone should understand that without this VEBA and the HCTC, thousands in our communities would suffer severe financial and emotional hardship? We are ALL in this together!
VOTERS SHOULD WATCH THIS ISSUE CLOSELY AS IT WILL INFLUENCE THE OUTCOMES OF LOCAL AND NATIONAL ELECTIONS !!
February 19, 2012 at 9:59 p.m. permalink suggest removal
My first love-hate relationship — the Chevy Vega
CompMan,
Points well taken but not complete or totally accurate. Issue is about fairness and not union vs. non-union. In fact, union leaderships have publicly expressed agreement and support for the salaried retirees. Once the US government took over control of GM (61% ownership by taxpayers) the expectation of fairness for ALL is amplified and becomes a Constitutional issue. Our government should NOT be in the business of picking winners and losers, yet they did just that with car dealerships, salaried workers, union workers, and others -- with salaried employees and many profitable car dealerships deemed and treated as "losers" by our government. This should concern all Americans!
September 7, 2010 at 11:43 p.m. permalink suggest removal