Martinrea at impasse with UAW over cuts

Martinrea Heavy Stamping, a supplier to Ford Motor Co.'s Louisville plants, announced an impasse yesterday with United Auto Workers Local 2382 over efforts to cut wages and benefits.

[whitehair]

Not an employee, nor owner,nor a union member.But will Martinrea share the income it makes, with the employees, in this economic downturn,and perhaps this would in turn influence the union and employees??? Why should the employees take so much less in benefits for the work they do,if the plant will not share in the (taking less)??When you cut the wages,cut the pensions,cut the medical insurance,and make it impossible for an employee to support the famiOr? Is it possible the plant should simply go out of business,if not able to make a profit?Maybe the plant is where some losses should be shared??

[whitehair]

Sentinel News today has a closing date of Aug.1 for the Martinrea Plant.Some 250 persons will be on permanent lay off.This means that from the beginning,1250 persons in Shelbyville no longer work at Martinrea.The Mayor has a note also indicating the City will be taking a hit,as a result.This economy is beginning to sift down to everyone,homes foreclosed and for sale,people moving to find work.

The fact the Chrysler Sales here is one not closed is great news for the moment.But,what will they have to sell as Chrysler closes down?

All of this means all of the folks here will be beginning to feel the hurt this Country is in.

What really scares me is the Congress talking about Cap and Trade,and the costs for the average homeowner being between $1250 and $4500 per year more to heat,cool,have lights,etc.for a year ,over and above what it costs now.If we have no income,how can we afford to stay around?And if no jobs,unemployment would not be sufficient to keep a family.

Congress has screwed around and caused this housing bailout business and now instead of doing any help for the average citizen,they argue over how to dump more people out of their homes!About all we can say for Congress is, what a bunch of screw ups.

[need change]

I personally think it started about 10 years ago. A strong union guy bullied and blackmaled enough people into signing the Union petitions. Even then, it only passed by 51%. No one really wanted it. They gave themselves a $6/ hr raise, and the company hasn't really recovered since then. So much that they had to be sold twice. Can't get new business if you are overpriced.
They need to just get rid of the Union and start over. Restructure the plant. Have people re-apply for the jobs at the Company's rate. If they don't have to pay Union dues, they may actually come out all right.
Have you ever dreamed of owning your own company? Don't. No matter how good you are to your employees, and how good the quality of your product it, if a Union comes in, they will destroy you.
I think Unions are good for safety issues, but don't tell people how to run their business. If you don't like it, do like the rest of the world does... find another job.

[whitehair]

According to rumor,the new rate offered is $10 per hour,employee pay for retirement and for medical on their own out of the $10.This means about $400 per 40 hour week,less medical and/or retirement such as a 401.Roughly 60-70$ out of 400 leaves, say ,$330 per week to feed the family,pay the mortgage,etc.Anyone think this is the American dream? Working and going bankrupt at the same time?

[crazy people]

I just can not believe that the people actually were dumb enough to vote for the 56% cut in wages and benefits last night! Don't they realize this was just a scare tactic and the man got what he wanted. How do think they actually live on such cuts? Now this plant will be lowest paid plant in the count and doing harder worker! PEOPLE, YOU WERE DUMB AND JUST GOT SCREWED!

[whitehair]

My source has now advised the new contract is $15 per hour.There are a lot of union giberish in where if laid off,the unemployment is reduced and you will not be paid the supplemental lay off by the union.Union wins!Also the medical is no longer included.Maybe they all think Obama`s new medical bill will force this onto the Company again?Universal health care or get fined?Seems the employees have been taken to the cleaners by the Company,which never intended to close,and the Union.

[Sookie]

I feel so bad for the employees, my dad works there, and is 2nd in seniority, and he has aged 10 years in the last 12 months due to Martinrea not giving a shit about there employees. It makes me sick a company who is once the was the back bone of Shelby County, now has stripped there employees of money, insurance and retirement all my dad has left is his seniority... I wish i could change this for him, I pray for the employees there and DAMN the Canadians from Martinrea!!!

[Sookie]

My dad who is also on the UAW, and a firm believer and knows a lot of what they do as do I, has expressed that if they didn't take that offer from Martinrea, then they risk losing all there benefits, and possibly pension instead of just cut backs, when they refused the offer last time Martinrea wanted to close, or at least threaten, they will eventually be working for next to nothing, but at least they have some health care, and a job to go to right not... Unlike some of the employees looking to file for disability when they are perfectly capable of working, and using the system my dad is a very honest hard working man, not a abuser of the system... and at this day in time a job is hard to come by especially in the automotive field, and when the few remaining employees at least they have something instead of nothing...

[Buck]

Canadian are smarter people first whe take the severance pay 40 thousand or plus and then whe look for work that pays the same or more than the company would offer us. that why all are plant are closing and american are working for peanuts.whe dont need automotive to survive.whe are rich in oil and minning lot of work for us Canadian

Sookie wrote:

My dad who is also on the UAW, and a firm believer and knows a lot of what they do as do I, has expressed that if they didn't take that offer from Martinrea, then they risk losing all there benefits, and possibly pension instead of just cut backs, when they refused the offer last time Martinrea wanted to close, or at least threaten, they will eventually be working for next to nothing, but at least they have some health care, and a job to go to right not... Unlike some of the employees looking to file for disability when they are perfectly capable of working, and using the system my dad is a very honest hard working man, not a abuser of the system... and at this day in time a job is hard to come by especially in the automotive field, and when the few remaining employees at least they have something instead of nothing...

[bud]

Buck wrote:

Canadian are smarter people first whe take the severance pay 40 thousand or plus and then whe look for work that pays the same or more than the company would offer us. that why all are plant are closing and american are working for peanuts.whe dont need automotive to survive.whe are rich in oil and minning lot of work for us Canadian <quoted text>

Buck the Retarded Canuck? It has a ring to it. I thought they taught English up there. Don't trash Canada folks. It's just another state. We just let them think they are a country.

[Jane]

Shame on Martinrea for f**king union. The plant manager and his friends leave work at 11am or 12pm 4 to 5 times a month to go play golf and they going to Z's restaurant eating & drinking and martinrea pays for it, the plant manager is a as****l and he likes to drink and party with his salary friends on company time and company money, but what about the union workers can they go golfing and drinking on company time and money?

[Buck]

Hey Bud the dud dont they teach english and history down in the State !!!!! it's Canadian folks and whe are a country .
Buck the Retarded Canuck? It has a ring to it. I thought they taught English up there. Don't trash Canada folks. It's just another state. We just let them think they are a country.