Dearborn, MI - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) released the following statement this afternoon regarding speeches by United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger and Teamsters President James P. Hoffa during this week’s Mackinac Policy Conference.

“This summer, many Members of Congress are ready to dive in and help American manufacturers, while the President has his head firmly stuck in the sand.

“Very plainly, more must be done to address the challenges facing the American automobile industry and more broadly, American manufacturing. I am delighted that the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce invited Michigan’s labor leaders to participate in the annual Mackinac Policy Conference. Seeing industry leaders stand alongside many of labor’s most important figures, like my good friends Ron Gettelfinger from the United Auto Workers and Jim Hoffa from the Teamsters, tells me this a unique period of opportunity. American labor shares with industry an immense stake in the national debate, particularly on issues such as health care, currency manipulation and climate change. It is vital that labor and industry work together to see that these issues are addressed with a new dynamism.

“This is the time for a real dialogue on how to fix an intolerable system in which American automakers pay two times more per car on health care than on steel and where Japanese automakers openly brag in their annual reports about how currency manipulation gives them a $3,000-$10,000 advantage on their American competitors on every vehicle.

“Industry bears its share of responsibility for having failed to address these problems for too long. The auto industry can no longer sit on the sidelines wringing its hands hoping that others will solve their health care problems. It is time that the American auto industry stands up for itself. I call today for the American auto industry to become actively involved in advocating for national healthcare. I urge my friends in industry to move forward vigorously in a genuine joint effort to achieve a resolution to the problems about which they rightly complain. Labor and industry must force this Administration to be part of the solution. Time is short and these matters can and must be addressed by industry with the help of labor now.”

# # #