IUE threatens strike against Delphi

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The union is pressuring
Delphi by stopping use of
temporary employees.

By DON SHILLING

VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR

A union representing workers at Delphi Corp. plants in the Mahoning Valley said it has taken the first step toward a national strike Oct. 13.

The International Union of Electrical Workers has notified the auto supplier that it intends to terminate its local and national labor contracts.

"Delphi has not delivered proposals that meet our members' needs," said Jim Clark, president of the Washington, D.C.-based IUE.

The bottleneck in negotiations follows a settlement between Delphi and its largest union, the United Auto Workers. A bankruptcy court judge Thursday approved that contract, which cuts hourly wages from $27 to between $14 and $18.50.

The IUE didn't provide any details of its negotiations.

Willie Thorpe, IUE automotive board conference chairman, said that there is still time to improve the atmosphere of the talks but that the union didn't want to be unprepared for action.

"In our estimation, given the current state of talks, a strike is a real possibility, and we need to act accordingly," he said.

Lindsey Williams, a spokesman for Michigan-based Delphi, told The Associated Press that talks will continue. He said the company didn't plan to comment on communications between it and the union.

The IUE represents about 2,000 Delphi workers, including nearly 700 at Delphi Packard Electric plants in the Mahoning Valley. Local Packard plants produce components for vehicle wiring harnesses.

Pressuring Delphi

The IUE is putting pressure on Delphi by revoking its permission to allow the use of temporary workers. In most cases, the cutoff occurs in two weeks, meaning Delphi must reduce production or hire the workers as permanent employees.

"The union had allowed temporary workers as a goodwill gesture as long as talks toward an acceptable contract were progressing," Clark said. "Hopefully with this action, progress may improve."

In the Mahoning Valley, Packard had about 400 temporary workers on the job at the end of June, though the number fluctuates weekly.

Some of the temporary workers have said they had hoped to be brought on as regular employees when the contract is settled. They are being paid $10 an hour without benefits.

Packard needs the temporary workers because of a large cut in its hourly work force last year. Nearly 3,100 of its 3,800 hourly workers in the Mahoning Valley at the time accepted buyouts and early retirement offers.

Delphi is intending to emerge from bankruptcy court protection by the end of the year with a much smaller manufacturing operation in the U.S.

shilling@vindy.com

Saturday, July 21, 2007