IUE-CWA Charges Delphi with Bad-Faith Bargaining as Company Seeks to Cancel Contracts

As Delphi Corp. asked a bankruptcy judge to cancel its labor contracts, IUE-CWA charged that the auto parts maker has not bargained in good faith.

"I find it hard to believe that Congress intended to let a company ignore a union for months and then expect them to reach an agreement in one week that radically transforms their wages and other terms and conditions of employment," IUE-CWA Automotive Conference Board Chairman Henry Reichard wrote to Delphi management referring to the company's last-minute delivery of a proposal on March 24, or a week before the filing deadline. Delphi has had no proposal on the table since Dec.19, 2005. "You have not yet given us the information necessary for the evaluation of your proposal. This is not good faith bargaining."

Following Delphi's motion to the bankruptcy judge this morning, Reichard stated:  "IUE-CWA is extremely disappointed in Delphi's decision to file motions in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court today asking for the authority to set aside our collective bargaining agreements and eliminate retiree healthcare and life insurance. Every working man and woman in the United States should share our disappointment and our concern. If left unchecked, actions like this threaten the very existence of the middle class in this country.

"The very people they seek to destroy built the greatest country on earth. We will use every weapon in our arsenal to insure that this is not allowed to happen," he said.

IUE-CWA members at seven of eight Delphi plants over the past several weeks overwhelming voted to authorize a strike if an agreement cannot be reached, but the union cannot legally strike unless the court throws out the existing union contracts.

General Motors, Delphi and the United Auto Workers have agreed to a massive buyout and early retirement program that would pay between $35,000 and $140,000 depending on a number of circumstances. IUE-CWA is assessing the best way to structure such a program for its facilities.

For more information, go to www.IUE-CWA.org.