Published: May 20, 2009 11:32 pm      

LABOR: Workers, retirees rally at Delphi to get Washington’s attention

United Way President Carol Houwaart-Diez wore a black shirt Wednesday with two words on it: “Live united.”

Houwaart-Diez was one of several speakers at a United Auto Workers rally at Delphi Thermal Systems that drew hundreds of workers, retirees and anyone affected by the auto industry.

The crowd stood united on the lawn of Delphi to send a clear message to lawmakers in Washington D.C. and Albany. Their message: The loss of manufacturing jobs has a negative impact on the Western New York economy and affects more than just the displaced worker.

“Enough is enough,” said Scott Adams, United Auto Workers Region 9 associate president. “We need to stand together and tell your elected officials to stop the bleeding.”

Just 10 years ago, Delphi had 7,000 workers at its Lockport plant, Adams said. Now there are about 1,200 employees. The same trend has been seen all over Western New York, with recent examples such as American Axle and GM Powertrain in Tonawanda, Adams said.

Also speaking at the rally was Lockport Mayor Michael Tucker, a Delphi retiree and a UAW officer for 24 years. Tucker recently spoke with Gov. David Paterson about the importance to the region of manufacturing sites such as Delphi. Tucker said he tells all government officials the very same thing.

“Because they really need to know that auto jobs matter, that manufacturing jobs matter,” Tucker said.

People jammed the auto parts manufacturer’s lawn on Upper Mountain Road, most holding signs echoing the need to save American manufacturing jobs. As the rally continued, some vehicles honked their support as they passed by. Rally attendees came from as far as the Delphi plant in Rochester, with buses bringing throngs of UAW workers from various locations.

William Pienta, United Steel Workers District 4 director, told the crowd his remarks were focused on two different numbers. The first was 7.2 million, as in the number of jobs affected both directly and indirectly by the American auto industry. The second number, 25 million, is the number of people who are impacted by the 7.2 million. The auto industry affects all different kinds of other fields, such as the paper industry or steel industry, Pienta said. It affects the whole community, he added.

“Building a car is more than just building a car,” Pienta said. “The auto industry’s impact is wide and deep. This is not just a Detroit issue or a Big Three issue, this fight matters to us all.”

Chevrolet dealership owner Duane Paddock said about 1,100 General Motors dealerships received notices that they were going to close in the near future, taking more than 100,000 jobs with them. None of the GM dealerships in Western New York were on that list. Chrysler announced 789 dealerships nationwide would also be closing in the near future.

“These are lost jobs that can never be replaced,” Paddock said.

He added that Western New York has shown that it will support domestic automakers with 61 percent market share for General Motors. Paddock said he travels all over the country, and Western New York’s support is abnormal compared to the rest of the country. Only Detroit has a higher GM market share, he said.

One way Delphi affects the community was pointed out in a speech by Newfane High School sophomore Rollin Hellner. Hellner is a member of the Newfane Circuit Stompers, the school’s robotics team. With the help of advisers and mentors, most of whom are Delphi workers, the Circuit Stompers design, build and program a robot to do a task. Delphi is the largest supporter of the team, as well as of the Lockport High School Warlocks robotics team. Hellner told the crowd about the robotics program.

“It’s fun and educational, but it gives us a good idea of what it would be like to pursue a career in engineering and technology,” Hellner said. “Our main sponsors are Delphi and the UAW Local 686. Without them, we could no longer function. But with it we can excel to our full potential.”

Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.