Privacy worries workers

Thursday, May 12, 2005 JEAN SPENNER THE SAGINAW NEWS


Privacy may become an issue at Delphi Corp. plants if the company pushes to look at the medical records of workers who call in sick.

"To me, as long as they have a doctor's slip that states they are unable to work and bring that in, that should be enough," said John Kolhagen, bargaining chairman for United Auto Workers Local 467, which represents about 1,100 workers at Delphi Energy & Chassis Systems Saginaw Operations, 2328 E. Genesee in Saginaw.

"Delphi wants to challenge that," he said. "They want to know what you're doing in your life. To me it's a privacy issue and should be done between doctors."

Union leaders at that plant and at Delphi Saginaw Steering Systems, 3900 E. Holland in Buena Vista Township, said they learned from media reports that the Troy-based company has threatened to withhold pay or vacation days from hourly employees who refuse to sign waivers releasing their medical records.

Kolhagen concedes there is high absenteeism at his plant, though he wouldn't place a number on it. Industry watchers say absenteeism among hourly workers in the automotive industry runs about 10 percent annually, about three times higher than in other industries.

(Full article at: The Sangina News)