Thread: Kokomo tops U.S. jobless rate increase

Originally Posted by LookOutKokomo

Honestly as much as I have a general disdain for them right now, I'd say a good place to start is GM. They are in a restructuring phase right now. It is time to present Kokomo as a viable option for them for things other even beyond the Delphi brand.

As General Motors remakes themselves, the City of Kokomo should develop a close partnership with the UAW 292, Howard County, IU Kokomo and Ivy Tech, and the citizens of Kokomo where each brings key items to the table:

City of Kokomo, Howard County: Lay it all on the line. Spend any EDIT money available in the form of tax breaks or other incentives to attract an expanded GM presence here. We have a strong workforce and lots of quality people looking for work at no fault of thier own.

UAW: Step forward and show how you are ready to work with GM to bring more jobs to Kokomo. Come to the table with the kind of consessions GM would like to see, but that you can live with also.

Local Higher-Ed: Come to the table ready to hear what GM needs in the form of Human Resources and develop degree programs to support its operations here. Make the adjustments quickly to market needs. Align yourselves with the program.

Citizens of Kokomo: Understand that in order to keep from shifting the tax burden onto yourselves, you will have to deal with a reduction in non-essential services. Do it in good faith that you or your neighbor or a family member may get a job out of it.

There... there's a start. Now, mayor... you figure the rest out. Good luck developing some people skills to lead a partnership like that.

So would you keep all our eggs in one basket with the auto industry or would you try to diversify? I wouldn't put all my money in one industry so why would we put all our jobs in one industry.

Originally Posted by LookOutKokomo

Honestly as much as I have a general disdain for them right now, I'd say a good place to start is GM. They are in a restructuring phase right now. It is time to present Kokomo as a viable option for them for things other even beyond the
City of Kokomo, Howard County: Lay it all on the line. Spend any EDIT money available in the form of tax breaks or other incentives to attract an expanded GM presence here. We have a strong workforce and lots of quality people looking for work at no fault of thier own.

UAW: Step forward and show how you are ready to work with GM to bring more jobs to Kokomo. Come to the table with the kind of consessions GM would like to see, but that you can live with also.

Local Higher-Ed: Come to the table ready to hear what GM needs in the form of Human Resources and develop degree programs to support its operations here. Make the adjustments quickly to market needs. Align yourselves with the program.

Citizens of Kokomo: Understand that in order to keep from shifting the tax burden onto yourselves, you will have to deal with a reduction in non-essential services. Do it in good faith that you or your neighbor or a family member may get a job out of it.

There... there's a start. Now, mayor... you figure the rest out. Good luck developing some people skills to lead a partnership like that.

Well I hate to tell tell you, but its gonna get worse for delphi/GM in Kokomo. They uaw has gave major concessions at this plant. They make almost half of what other GM makes per hour, and very few benefits. As you can see nobody can adjust fast enough to meet market needs. All automobile companies are in trouble, some worse than others.

Do you really think citizens understand? We just had one of the worst economic declines since the great depression, and people still think the mayor should be able to work magic. We have it alittle worse cause we are a one industry town. This town should have been looking to the future years ago!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Well I hate to tell tell you, but its gonna get worse for delphi/GM in Kokomo. They uaw has gave major concessions at this plant. They make almost half of what other GM makes per hour, and very few benefits. As you can see nobody can adjust fast enough to meet market needs. All automobile companies are in trouble, some worse than others.

Do you really think citizens understand? We just had one of the worst economic declines since the great depression, and people still think the mayor should be able to work magic. We have it alittle worse cause we are a one industry town. This town should have been looking to the future years ago!

Yes we should have been looking into the future long ago but the money was good so no one complained. Now that it turned, everyone is a finger pointer. We should all step back and see that we are all to blame. Who has spoke up and said we need to diversify our industry in this town? No one!

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Originally Posted by Unregistered

So would you keep all our eggs in one basket with the auto industry or would you try to diversify? I wouldn't put all my money in one industry so why would we put all our jobs in one industry.

Because we are tooled up for it. And there is an existing relationship. If we were successful with GM, the challenge for leadership would then be to diversify. Five or ten years ago the mantra was diversify, I said it too. Today, the mantra is JOBS. We've trimmed all the fat from the economy we can stand. The situation is dire right now.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Well I hate to tell tell you, but its gonna get worse for delphi/GM in Kokomo. They uaw has gave major concessions at this plant. They make almost half of what other GM makes per hour, and very few benefits.

Sounds like the concessions already made make a pretty attractive situation for GM. What can we do to sweeten the deal?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Do you really think citizens understand? We just had one of the worst economic declines since the great depression, and people still think the mayor should be able to work magic.

Do citizens understand? Probably not. They are kept in the dark. And why didn't Mike Kennedy's dad see this coming?

Kokomo Mayor Reaches Out to Fiat - Newsroom - Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick

Originally Posted by LookOutKokomo

Sounds like the concessions already made make a pretty attractive situation for GM. What can we do to sweeten the deal?



Do citizens understand? Probably not. They are kept in the dark. And why didn't Mike Kennedy's dad see this coming?

Who is Mike Kennedy's dad?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Yes we should have been looking into the future long ago but the money was good so no one complained. Now that it turned, everyone is a finger pointer. We should all step back and see that we are all to blame. Who has spoke up and said we need to diversify our industry in this town? No one!

*

Now, hold on a minute. I wasn't even following Kokomo Politics at that time, but I know different.

Mckillip did exactly that.

I found this article during my blogging days last summer.