AUTOMOTIVE SALARIED RETIREES UNITE IN NATIONAL COALITION

 

News Release
Immediate Status
May 14, 2009

AUTOMOTIVE SALARIED RETIREES UNITE IN NATIONAL COALITION


The Presidents of each of the four national retiree associations of GM, Chrysler, Ford, and Delphi announce today the official formation of The National Automotive Coalition (TNAC).  This group has been working together for several months in a ground-breaking effort to unite the voices of the American automotive industry salaried retirees.  On March 24, 2009, this coalition sent a letter to the Auto Task Force appointed by President Obama requesting an audience with them to discuss the concerns of the more than 200,000 salaried retirees from their combined companies.   The Auto Task Force met with The National Automotive Coalition on April 24, 2009.

The purpose of this meeting with the Auto Task Force was to have the salaried retiree recognized as an important group being affected by the restructuring process and to have acknowledgement that this group had already made sacrifices in the loss of their health and life insurance benefits.  The National Automotive Coalition believes their collective efforts in obtaining representation for the automotive salaried retiree was a historical event.  To their knowledge, the automotive salaried retiree has never before had representation in Washington.

The National Automotive Coalition continued their efforts in Washington with visits to the offices of several key senators and their representatives to discuss the urgent need to pass legislation to protect the benefits and pensions of retirees.  According to The National Automotive Coalition, Senator Levin of Michigan and Senators Brown and Voinovich of Ohio are very supportive of their efforts.

At the request of the Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, The National Automotive Coalition participated in a conference call with her on April 29, 2009.  The National Automotive Coalition stated that Governor Granholm is a strong advocate for the automotive industry and offered her assistance to this united automotive group.

The National Automotive Coalition is committed to continuing their efforts to support the American auto industry in its return to profitability and in pursuing equitable solutions to legacy cost issues.  The preservation of salaried retirees’ benefits and the protection of the pension plans are of major concern.  With the escalation of the restructuring process of GM and the recent bankruptcy filing of Chrysler, the salaried retiree needs a response from the Auto Task Force.  The National Automotive Coalition is requesting an immediate response from Ron Bloom and/or other members of the Auto Task Force as to how the concerns of the salaried retirees are being addressed in this current situation.

The National Automotive Coalition is making an all-out effort to reach all salaried retirees.  They encourage all retirees to join their respective association by contacting their group as listed below so that each automotive company will have its retirees united in one association. 

The National Automotive Coalition consists of  Jack Dickinson, President of  GM National Retiree Association Over The Hill Car People, LLC (overthehillcarpeople.com), Don Whitehouse, President of Ford’s FAIR Alliance, Inc. (fairalliance.us), Chuck Austin, President of National Chrysler Retirement Organization (NCRO.org), and Den Black, Interim Chair of Delphi Salaried Retiree Association.

Regards,

Jack Dickinson, President
General Motors National Retiree Association
Over The Hill Car People, LLC
www.overthehillcarpeople.com
 

 

 

Kokomo Tribune News Article About The National Automotive Coalition

 

July Meeting With The Auto Task Force In Washington, D. C.

 

 

Salaried retirees join forces: Groups fighting to save pensions, benefits

 

Saturday, May 16, 2009; Posted: 02:47 PM

May 16, 2009 (Kokomo Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- -- More than 200,000 salaried retirees from the U.S. automotive industry have formed a coalition to fight for their benefits.

-----(The National Automotive Coalition consists of  Jack Dickinson, President of  GM National Retiree Association/Over The Hill Car People, LLC ( www.overthehillcarpeople.com ) , Don Whitehouse, President of Ford’s FAIR Alliance, Inc. (fairalliance.us), Chuck Austin, President of National Chrysler Retiree Organization (NCRO.org), and Den Black, Interim Chair of Delphi Salaried Retiree Association (DSRA) ------- announced Thursday the formation of the National Automotive Coalition (TNAC).

The group met with President Barack Obama's Auto Task Force in April with the goal of having the salaried retirees recognized as an important group being affected by the restructuring of the automotive industry.

Salaried retirees with Delphi lost most of their health and life insurance benefits in April when the U.S. Bankruptcy Court ruled the company could eliminate benefits.

Dennis Black, interim chairman of the Delphi Salaried Retirees Association, said Thursday the formation of the coalition is very important.

"We've got some horsepower," Black said of the 200,000 members. "We are a force to be reckoned with."

Black said the salaried retirees of the four organizations are being urged to meet with their congressional representatives on a face-to-face basis to determine support for their concerns.

"We have a six-point agenda to discuss with each representative," he said. "We want to know if they are for or against us."

Black said the TNAC wants to make sure that in the Chrysler bankruptcy the judge appoints a committee to look after the interest of the salaried retirees.

"We need to keep the pensions from going away," he said. "If the pensions are defaulted on, they should be fully funded."

Black said the other organizations were aware of the fight being waged by the Delphi retirees and communication has been taking place since February.

He said a concern for Chrysler and GM retirees is that a supplemental pension funding plan could be eliminated in the bankruptcy proceedings.

"We want the retirees to avoid financial Armageddon," Black said.

The six points being sought by the TNAC include:

--Extending the Health Coverage Tax Credit to retirees who have lost health insurance without the requirement for pension default to the PBGC (Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.).

--Ensure pension funds that default to the PBGC are fully funded.

--Extend Medicare eligibility to retirees over the age of 55.

--Eliminate the 10 percent penalty for early withdrawal from 401k and IRAs for those over the age of 55.

--Eliminate the 7.5 percent Adjusted Gross Income hurdle for health-care tax deductions.

--Elevate salaried retiree health care and life insurance benefit claims to first priority in bankruptcy proceedings.

--Pass legislation to ensure all earned Other Post Employment Benefits and pension benefits are secured and honored in the future.

"The TNAC is committed to continuing their efforts to support the American auto industry in its return to profitability and in pursuing equitable solutions to legacy cost issues. The preservation of salaried retirees benefits and the protection of the pension plans are of major concern," the group said in a press statement. "With the escalation of the restructuring process of GM and the recent bankruptcy filing of Chrysler, the salaried retiree needs a response from the Auto Task Force."

Ken de la Bastide is the Kokomo Tribune enterprise editor. He can be reached at (765) 454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2331531/

 

 

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