Petition and Newspaper Ads Build Community Support for Fairness at Delphi

Dissatisfied with the pace of talks with Delphi Corp., IUE-CWA has mounted an e-mail petition drive to demand that the auto parts maker bargain fairly with its workers.

"I am outraged that Delphi is using the bankruptcy process as a substitute for good faith bargaining with its workers' representatives," the petition reads. "Delphi needs to do right for all its stakeholders and that starts with good faith bargaining and a commitment to pay livable wages with decent benefits, not with leading the race to the bottom."

The union is encouraging members and supporters to sign and send the petition from the union's website at www.iue-cwa.org.

IUE-CWA also launched newspaper ads and Internet advertisements in cities where Delphi plants employ union members, building community support with the message: "If Delphi rips up our union contracts, it rips up our community."

"Delphi is charting a collision course with its actions. And it's not just workers who will suffer, but our customers and communities as well," the ads point out.

On March 31, Delphi asked the federal bankruptcy court to throw out its union contracts. The company is seeking to drastically cut salaries, freeze pensions, shift more health care costs to workers and eliminate 5,000 of 8,500 IUE-CWA represented jobs.

Henry Reichard, IUE-CWA Automotive Conference Board chairman, said he hopes a new contract and severance package can be negotiated, but pointed out that members have voted overwhelmingly to strike if their contracts are cancelled. The court is not expected to decide on Delphi's request before June 1.