Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Linda Wertheimer intro report on negotiations between United Auto Workers Union and General Motors. The UAW conceding certain benefits, GM agreeing to pass lower costs to consumers. Senate Hearings held during recess on issue of Unemployment in Auto Industry.
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Lee Price, U.A.W. Economist, testifying to Senate Committee, says that much of the Auto Industry job loss may be permanent. A large portion of the people who lost their jobs will never return. The level of employment that we had in early 1979 will never be re-attained. And that s the facts of life.
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Auto parts factory with idle machines. Workers leaving a Fredericksburg, Virginia DELCO plant. Workers walking to parking lot. They have just suffered layoff.
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Bill Coffey, VP UAW Local 2123, Fredericksburg, VA, The US auto workers, the United Auto Workers, made the auto makers. We built Detroit. We built America. Now for these people to go on the street and suffer, really is a shame, because we made Detroit what it is.
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Nancy Temple, Delco Plant Worker, "Well I really don t think that there s any one certain party or group that you can blame it on. It s just the way the economy is going right now. Everything s slow."
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Alonzo Johnson, Delco Plant Worker, "I'm still gonna keep my plans as far as building my home and keep a positive attitude about this place coming on its feet, about General Motors getting back on its feet."
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Senate Committee Hearing, Chairman Dan Quayle (R - Indiana). Mayor of Anderson, Indiana, Thomas McMahan discussing the impact of layoffs in auto industry says it hurts younger workers with young children and high debt the most. "People who are laid off are the younger ones. The younger ones, these are the ones with the families and so forth. They probably are just beginning to buy a house, they have very little equity. Probably owe a lot of money and so forth. They got to do something. Up until this year of course, with sub benefits and TRA, they got along pretty well but that's gone now."
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
John Mutz, Indiana Lieut. Governor says that 28 percent of Auto jobs in Indiana have been lost. "Employment in Indiana has actually shrunk during the last three years indirectly related automobile jobs from 135,000 to 98,000. That is a direct loss of 28% of individual livelihoods."
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Will Carter, an Indiana Auto Parts manufacturer, "In the past year I've had to lay off some 60 employees or 40% of our workforce. As a small minority businessman, I'm appearing here today to ask the US Congress to take a very close look at the auto industry and all the small businesses which are suffering as a result of the auto industry layoffs."
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Senators and spectators in the Senate Committee Hearing, Chairman Dan Quayle (R - Indiana).
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Senator Don Riegle (D - Michigan) in committee, "I think the key task we face here is to force this issue - the issue of this massive industrial based unemployment and the spreading unemployment across this country - onto the radar screen of the Reagan administration."
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Senator Dan Quayle (R - Indiana). "We need to emphasize re-training and training rather than just the old problem of unemployment compensation, stipends, and income maintenance. Their skills need to be directed toward other industries. They've got to either have on the job training or go into classroom training to adopt skills that they can be productive individually, be productive for the job that they choose and to be able to provide for their families. And that is what is the thrust and the theme of these hearings. To get the facts and the information on the table to begin a serious national dialogue about a very serious problem we have in this country."
Lawmakers - January 14, 1982
Paul Duke and Linda Wertheimer - discussion of auto industry and unemployment -no money in budget for any kind of program to benefit auto workers. Discussion of far-reaching network of auto industry employment that affects almost all communities in America. Impact of "tradition" in auto industry, makes it hard for auto workers to consider moving or switching occupations.