In 2005 workers were making $103K working in the auto industry. Delphi was spun off from GM to reduce costs. Alos remember this is a three year old wage so you can probably add another $15,000 in cost of living adjustments.
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The coming months will be painful for many American autoworkers. Accustomed to a certain lifestyle, they will see their wages cut in half, jeopardizing second homes, college tuitions, and car payments. One blue-collar Delphi worker interviewed by the Detroit News makes $103,000 a year operating a forklift and fears the consequences if his pay is drastically reduced. But many Americans will ask how a forklift operator felt entitled to a six-figure income in the first place (according to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average forklift operator wage in the U.S. is $26,000).
It is an opportune time for political leadership to step to the plate and speak with candor, but the signs are not encouraging.
– November 29, 2005, Labor Pains, Detroit needs to play by market rules. By Henry Payne
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