Coopersville Delphi Workers Surprised by Plant Closing

Workers from Delphi's Coopersville plant are still reeling from Friday's announcement the plant is on a list for closure. Some workers are so angry they plan to picket a speech by Delphi's CEO Steve Miller. Miller is supposed to speak at the Detroit Economic Club Monday.

Some UAW workers, including a group from Coopersville plan to picket the event, to make their views about Delphi's bankruptcy known. News of Delphi's plans to shut down it's Coopersville plant surprised workers. Twenty-seven year veteran Gregg Shotwell says, "We were really surprised that they are going to close the Coopersville plant, that they would announce that. Because it is a profitable plant." Some auto analysts were also surprised by the news. Erich Merkle of IRN says, "I thought the Coopersville plant was relatively safe, to be honest."

Merkle thinks Delphi's plant closure plans may be designed to encourage workers to take the company's buyout offer. He says, "You've got the buyout package sitting out there on the table, which is the $35,000 for people to take their General Motors retirement, and draw their GM pension and retirement benefits. So, my advice to anyone out there right now would be to seriously consider that package because quite honestly I don't think it's going to get any better than that." But longtime Delphi and former GM workers like Gregg Shotwell and Juanita Cadman point out that not all workers are eligible for such a benevolent buyout plan, and they aren't so sure about the plan's future.

Shotwell says, "I am not interested in it at this time. I want the cash up front. Because we can't trust that that money will be there." Cadman, a 21 year employee, says, "If I were to take that, I'm not sure how long I would receive that money because Delphi is in bankruptcy. And I've been reading the recent news that GM may also go bankrupt." Merkle says that is a distinct possibility, especially if Delphi workers decide to strike. He explains, "Essentially what a strike would do is, it would bring GM to its knees. And maybe that's what you want to do. But, if that's your goal, GM may not ever get back up from this. They may not ever get back up." Shotwell realizes that, but thinks Delphi CEO Steve Miller is sabotaging negotiations between workers and the company. Shotwell explains, "He has put workers in a position where they have nothing to lose. And everything to gain by fighting back. It is a game of mutually assured destruction. If we go on strike, we could drive GM into a bankruptcy as well. So, the question is, who has the most to lose? The first rule of the street is, never fight a man who has nothing to lose except his anger. That is the situation that Miller has provoked. He's put workers in a corner where they have nothing to lose except their anger. Those people will be inclined to fight back, and strike is the ultimate weapon.? It's that sense of desperation that will drive some Delphi workers to protest at Millers speech in Detroit Monday.