The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Delphi retirees angry about pension loss, benefit cuts

Retirees and former Delphi salaried employees Tom Rose (left) and Larry Dykes stand where the biggest tool shop in Dayton once stood at the Wisconsin Boulevard Delphi plant.

Chris Stewart/Dayton Daily News Staff Photogra Retirees and former Delphi salaried employees Tom Rose (left) and Larry Dykes stand where the biggest tool shop in Dayton once stood at the Wisconsin Boulevard Delphi plant.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Delphi retiree feels 'disheartened and betrayed' about missing benefits

Supporters trying to keep aviation film festival on this year
4:01 p.m.
Local pharmacist joins online cardiac venture
11:07 a.m.
Over 300 jobs expected from grants to Dayton, Springfield companies
11:47 a.m.
Company trains new workers to prepare for possible $4M contract
2/8/10
New stores coming to Monroe outlet mall
2/8/10
> More headlines

By Thomas Gnau, Staff Writer 12:15 AM Friday, October 9, 2009

Delphi Corp. left bankruptcy protection this week as a leaner company with lower costs and less debt. But salaried Delphi retirees feel they’re the ones left behind.

This year the auto parts producer shed its health care and life insurance obligations to salaried retirees and released all employee pensions to an agency backed by the federal government.

That means about 700 salaried Delphi employees in the Dayton area must live on reduced pensions and pay their own insurance.

Salaried Delphi retirees — many of whom spent most of their careers working for General Motors Corp. — are watching in disbelief as their hourly Delphi counterparts hold on to some health benefits and some pension support from GM. They’re watching as their salaried GM counterparts retain pensions, if not health benefits.

“We’re not talking about taking anything away from the unions,” said Den Black, a Dayton-area native and interim head of the 6,000-member Delphi Salaried Retirees Association. “What we’re talking about is getting what we earned.”

Robert “Steve” Miller, Delphi’s former executive chairman, acknowledges the anger that salaried retirees feel.

“I regularly apologize to many salaried retirees who send me e-mails,” Miller said in a recent Wall Street Journal interview. “They say things like, ‘May you rot in hell. How are you ever going to be able to face your maker?’ ”

Lindsey Williams, spokesman for the new Delphi Holdings LLP, said the issue was part of another company’s history.

“Delphi Corp. worked diligently to find a workable solution to its pension funding issue that would allow the company to exit Chapter 11,” he said.

Keep reading: 'I feel disheartened and betrayed

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

The people that are hurt the most by this are the individuals that retired years ago. They have become accustomed to a lifestyle with benefits that were expected to continue through retirement. Now they must pay for their own insurance on a limited income. I have been working with people like this to find companies that can offer them affordable coverage with no loss in benefits. If you or anyone you know can use these services feel free to contact me at 866-455-8452.

Greg
10:54 AM, 10/15/2009

REPORT ABUSE

PERSONNELL would not let salaried people who had bargaining unit time return to the bargaining unit .They did let a select few transfer back to GM plants..This was total discrimination...They even let new hires who hired in after the Delphi Spin-off transfer to GM Plants..What is wrong with this picture? If they would have BEEN up front and not stole what rightfully belonged to Their so-called" " Thank you for your 25 years of dedicated service award." Which makes me sick to look at!

Delilah Bailey
2:24 PM, 10/12/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Hello -- Hello -- Delphi union-represented hourly retirees will receive their FULL PENSIONS! However the PBGC shorts them on what they were promised, GM will make up the complete difference! NO SUCH LUCK FOR THE SALARIED! This was engineered by the Obama Treasury Department and Obama Auto Task Force. Guess we're livin' in an Obama Paradise!

Tom
9:50 AM, 10/12/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Before a movie star goes on stage, she has to have a contract. Before a man or woman goes to work in a factory, they sign the dotted line that they will work hard and come to work on time and daily. The company signs a union contract that they will provide a safe working place, pay decent wages, provide earned vacation pay, and provide Health care. Too bad some smart lawyer can't hold them to that contract. l guess if the government takes control of the company, everyone but the exec's gets -O-

WAR
10:44 PM, 10/10/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Barbara, I think that the delphi guys have to pay all of their health insurance costs and have their pensions reduced. So their world is a little more "real" than your at this time.

MikeM
10:29 AM, 10/10/2009

REPORT ABUSE

There is 1 additional comment

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.