Union flier: Delphi is looking to sell ignition business

THE VINDICATOR, YOUNGSTOWN
WARREN -- Delphi Packard Electric Systems is looking to sell its ignition business now located in its Dana Street complex, a union flier said.
Officials with Local 717 of the International Union of Electrical Workers met with management this week to express their opposition to the planned sale, the flier said. Union officials asked for information on which jobs may be lost and when it might happen.
Terry Gruver, Local 717 shop chairman, said he could not comment because he had not spoken to the membership about the issue. A Delphi Packard spokeswoman could not be reached to comment this morning.
The flier said John Sefcik, Packard's director of U.S. manufacturing operations, told Gruver about the potential sale last week.
It said it will insist the union contract provisions be followed, including an agreement that the company must provide a job for all workers hired before May 14, 1997.
Packard, which makes wiring harnesses for vehicles, said in February it was laying off 230 hourly workers who were hired after that date because of declining sales. That left it with about 5,200 hourly area workers.
Packard said last month that it intends to eliminate 250 hourly jobs in the next year as part of a restructuring by its parent company, Delphi Automotive Systems.