This really got me infuriated. Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal reported (as did other news outlets):

Delphi Corp., the largest parts supplier to General Motors Corp., won court approval to terminate health benefits for thousands of retired salaried employees after arguing the move is critical to keeping its slow-going bankruptcy reorganization afloat.

Ending the benefits to about 15,000 people allows the auto supplier, which has been operating under Chapter 11 protection since late 2005, to wipe out more than $1 billion in liabilities and $70 million in annual cash costs.

A U.S. bankruptcy judge decided in Delphi’s favor at a hearing Tuesday over the objections of about 1,600 retirees, who said in court filings that the auto-parts company can’t unilaterally terminate their benefits. The retirees said that GM, Delphi’s former owner, promised lifetime medical coverage to many employees.

In making his decision, Judge Robert Drain of the Southern District of New York said "every dollar counts" for Delphi. The company, spun off from GM in 1999, is scrambling to finance its exit from bankruptcy court.

"We were very aware this would be a significant hardship imposed on all our retirees," Delphi Executive Chairman Steve Miller said at the hearing.

   15,000 people who had given their energy and commitment to a company–and, then, poof…screw you when it comes to healthcare.

   A few thoughts: first, if this isn’t an example of the need for single-payer healthcare, I don’t know what is. If we had that system, the retirees would not have to worry, or rely on the goodness of a corporation to make sure that they had healthcare in their golden years.

   Second, we really need reform of the bankruptcy laws which are routinely used to shed pensions and attack workers. I know "Reform the Bankruptcy Laws" is not much of a rallying cry (oopppsss, I forgot, we did have "reform" but that was done on behalf of the credit card industry to screw tens of thousands of average Americans–a reform supported by a whole slew of Democrats), but I do think the question of the lack of fairness just screams out to people.

   And, finally, please, spare me the bullshit pouring out of the mouth of Steve Miller. He does not give a rat’s ass about the workers–you might remember–and yours truly reported–that this was the guy who took the company into bankruptcy, and, then, proposed that as part of the plan to get out of bankruptcy, the company would pour hundreds of millions of dollars into the pockets of the top executives through cash bonuses and equity in the company. So, believe me, Miller is entirely prepared to screw every worker in the company if it means lining his own pockets.