Marcy Kaptur: “tonight I rise on behalf of both current and retired Delphi workers in my district and around our Nation who are…”

“tonight I rise on behalf of both current and retired Delphi workers in my district and around our Nation who are suffering from the financial woes of the largest automotive parts manufacturer in the country. Unfortunately, these Delphi workers are but the latest victims in a series of tragedies for the American worker. What we are currently witnessing, the bankruptcy and subsequent reorganization of Delphi is the fallout from regrettable trade agreements like NAFTA, and CAFTA, and the accompanying influence of some elected officials who are for globalized big business at the expense of the American people, big business built on low wages, no benefits, and no worker safety. Job loss is also due to major auto firms' leadership and executive boards who failed to make fuel efficient vehicles that Americans and the world want to buy. So our workers suffer. Delphi's most recent proposal is to lower wages from $27 an hour to $22 an hour through 2007, and then to $16.50 thereafter. This would be a 40 percent cut in middle-class wages. On Friday, Delphi filed a motion in bankruptcy court asking a judge to void its labor contracts. But how can you ask American workers to compete with a country like Japan which keeps its markets closed, the second largest market in the world? How can you ask our workers to compete with poverty level wages in Mexico and China?…”