Grappling with uncertainty in Anderson

A bygone era in automotive manufacturing is upon Anderson.

“I think as far as Anderson’s image goes, the automotive industry is finally at the point where the city won’t have any left except Guide Lamp, and they’re not doing well either,” said United Auto Workers Local 662 president Rick Zachary.

“We have buildings sitting empty and roads not in good shape,” the UAW president explained. “I think Anderson has suffered tremendously. It’s not just the automotive industry, but it’s other manufacturing. If you sit down and research what manufacturing used to be here, you’ll be amazed at what has left town.”

Emge Packing Co., Container Corp. and Nicholson File Co. are examples he noted.

“It’s going to be closed, and that’s for sure,” 37-year employee Jay Dixon said as he walked into Delphi Corp.’s Plant 20 on Monday.

Back in 1969 — when Dixon hired on at General Motors — “anybody with decent grades in high school could’ve gotten a job,” he said.

“Back then there wasn’t the competition today,” Dixon added. “Of course, now everything’s built in Mexico, China. Over there they pay $1 an hour or less. You can’t compete with that.”

With the financially strapped industry hanging onto its bootstraps, it’s going to cost the Anderson employees with either jobs or a wage decrease.

“Anderson’s operation supports Kokomo’s,” said Connie Smith, city of Anderson public information officer. “Kokomo is staying open because they produce a core product line, which are electrical/electronic architecture, that’ll be used for the future. The plants that are closing do not make these core products. Anderson also makes a core product, so the outcome is not known to what’ll happen to these jobs.”

Starters, alternators and horns — core products — made by Anderson Delphi were big business decades ago, Dixon said.

Delphi and UAW will hold a hearing May 9 and 10 to discuss the $16.50 an hour wage proposal along with health care, benefits, overtime pay and representation.

“We’re just sitting to see what happens,” Zachary said. “It’s kind of a day-to-day thing. The big meetings are going on in Detroit between General Motors, Delphi and UAW.

“They want to do away with joint initiatives such as our health and safety programs — really the input that the union has. They just want to dictate what goes on.”

Zachary said a previous wage proposal of $9 an hour was shot down by the membership.

“Working on $9 an hour can’t raise a family — wife and two kids,” said Dixon, who’s accustomed to wages that are triple that.

Dixon, 54, was planning to retire but his future is in limbo. The millwright said returning to GM is possible, or he’ll retire.

“I don’t have a big nest egg, but I don’t have a lot of bills. My house and car are paid for. I guess that’s better than most.”

Shuttered plants aren’t solely an Anderson issue.

“It’s not the way of the Anderson,” Zachary concluded. “It’s the way of the U.S. It’s the way corporate America does business.”