(Music plays) >> Layoffs in Kokomo and the ripple effect of the autoworker strike.

A teacher pages you in written -- a teacher pay disputed much more than one occasion.

A suburban in demonic is leaving the seat anymore.

From the television studios at WFYI, it's Indiana Week In Review for the week ending October 20, 2023.

>> Visit made possible by the supporters of the Indiana public broadcasting stations.

>> This week, Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep and Chrysler is temporarily laying off more workers across two plants in Kokomo.

Indiana public podcasting Adam Yahya Rayes reports the layoffs come as the United Auto Workers union is in its fifth week on strike at the Stellantis assembly plant in Toledo, Ohio.

>> The two Kokomo plants produce castings and transmissions, many of which are used to make jeeps in the Toledo assembly plant.

A week after the strike began, Stellantis announced 300 of those plans will be temporarily laid off.

Without the assembly using the parts built in Kokomo, the company says it has to reduce production due to storage constraints.

The company says it is still facing the same issue now, leading to additional temporary layoffs at both plans to avoid making parts that have nowhere to go.

As of Friday, about 830 people taken off the Kokomo production lines.

The ability return to work once the strike ends.

In past statements, the UAW called spitefully layoffs and slanted mortars Ford and General Motors of choice to attempt to squeeze members to settle for less.

>> Is the UAW using an effective strike strategy?

It is the first question for our Indiana Week In Review panel.

Democrat Terri Austin, Republican Mike O'Brien, Jon Schwantes posted Indiana Lawmakers, and Niki Kelly, editor-in-chief of the Indiana Capital Chronicle.

I am Indiana Public Broadcasting Statehouse Bureau Chief Brandon Smith.

Mike O'Brien, this is a very different street strategy we have seen from autoworkers in the past.

Instead of saying we are going on strike everywhere, it is picking and choosing the response at the plants, trying to go where they don't think they are going to go it on their toes.

They want a GM to use the battery plants.

They said they would not strike in more places as a more characteristic approach.

Is it effective?

>> It certainly allows you to strike for a longer period of time.

The old model of your all going on strike, see you on the picket line.

The underlying strategy that is the same, even though we have new tactics, is who blinks first?

Who runs out of money first?

At what point does the union workers go you are out of money at home.

We need to wrap this up.

Take deal >> I should note, so far, the union is relevant to folks in Kokomo.

You are not eligible in Indiana for unemployment pay if you get laid off strike of your unit.

The union has been paying its $500 a week, which is what you would get on employment benefits.

>> Not what you're getting at $32 an hour working in the plant.

>> That money will run out at some point.

>> Is the strategy working?

Maybe some people are going back to work, or they are trying to target the high- margin facilities where they make pickup trucks or make parts for the things, it allows you to do that because you are not inflicting that kind of economic pain on the entire union, although hundred 50,000 UAW workers.

The politics of this are fascinating because Biden gets to play it both ways.

On one hand he has these proactive strategies and millions of dollars that are incentivizing them to move to green and battery promotion.

The UAW is looking down the line saying we don't need that many workers anymore, but then he is on the picket line.

All of this is connected.

We talked about that couple weeks ago, the environmental and economics are connected in this.

>> Talking about the strike strategy, the benefit it seems from the strike strategy of the past, where we are all going out, is incredible visibility.

It also had the ripple effect across those communities, far beyond the plants themselves.

In so many of these places, the plants are the hearts of those communities.

In that sense, it does not feel as visible.

I don't think as many people are noticing paying attention that the strike is going on, but you don't have the same immediate economic impact in a lot of those communties beyond the plants themselves.

I will ask the same question.

Is this an effective strike strategy?

>> I think it is.

Related to the fact of whoever relays first, but more importantly, this helps keep the members one, working, as long as possible.

And they are strategic about when they are trying to strike.

It helps save union resources so they can pay their members longer, and I think people, the union is cognizant.

The only people that really matter is whether they are paying attention or not, are the negotiators and the union.

The big three.

When they are at the table, the pressure will be felt, I believe.

I think Sean is doing a great job with this, quite honestly.

A strike is difficult all the way around everybody.

>> What struck me early on in this process was, they said from the beginning, this is our strategy, they started striking it in various targeted places, and they held out.

They have the GM plant or concession about battery plants and unionizing workers there.

They said they would hold off on strikes.

Now we have not seen a lot of new ones announced.

Now they are saying instead of bouncing weekly, it could come in any day at any moment.

How do you view that?

>> I think in the beginning it was a little better.

It was rolling and gaining momentum.

It seems to have slandered right now.

We are now seeing any addition, but we are not so seeing any process -- we are asking any progress.

I think in the beginning it was sort of working, but I am wondering as we are going on, whether they have to make the hard decision about, is this worth all of us going to the picket line?

By the way, I feel bad for the people who happen to be in the strategic plants.

They have been off, a lot of their brethren are still getting to work and bring money home to their families.

There is a little bit of unfairness within the union, which you do with the strategy.

Not everyone is feeling the pain.

>> That is the other thing I wanted to talk about.

I will ask you, John.

The idea of "We are all or all not striking yet.

yet."

Here you have been folks who have been on strike for weeks, and some folks who are in their jobs.

There is a monetary difference in what you are getting because of that.

As much as the union is trying to help.

Does not create a potential problem long-term?

>> It may, and there is something ironic about the scenario you described.

One of the sticking points for the unions is the notion of tiered pay for employees.

For those who are employed for 10 years, I don't know the particular time threshold, but somebody who is eight, gets into the, and that pays more than somebody who has been there for less than that time.

Essentially, they were battling one of their primary thrusts here is to ensure everybody is treated equally.

There is a bit of irony there.

As far as the notion of diminished visibility, I think we can all agree, it has been diminished.

But, that may be due to factors beyond the control of the union.

We are dealing with several other stories.

There is only so much oxygen in the room, to use the cliche, and news media attentions gets carved.

Other things are prioritized.

Crises overseas, crises...

There are some other issues.

It is like when you want to get attention, you always put out a new release if you are a PR on a day when nothing is happening.

If you want to have a strike, you want to make sure you are having a maximum impact in terms of the impact of how this is hurting your employees and why they are doing what they are doing is painful.

If other things are going on, it is hard to break through.

>> Time from your feedback.

Each weekly post and unscientific online poll question.

Do you support UAW strike against Ford, GM, and Stellantis?

A, yes, B common.

Last week we asked if the announcement of the second electric vehicle plant in Indiana will help the recent Indiana Commerce Secretary Brad Chambers his bid for governor.

31% say yes, 69% say no.

If you would like to take part in the poll, go to WFYI.org/IWIR.

A legal dispute between teachers union enrichment and the school ration may set an important precedent for how educator slaries are negotiated across the state.

Indiana public broadcasting Kiersten Adair - reports the dispute is over the timing of supplements or payments and on top of base salaries.

>> The Richmond community schools board recently set up temporarily supplemental payments to teachers for this school year.

Generally, districts can legally make such payments without union approval, if the local teachers Association alleges the district is binding state labor law.

It argues these payments should have come after legally required base salary negotiations.

Jennifer Smith-Margraf is part of the Indiana State teachers Association.

>> Paying out statement in advance to groups can affect how much money is left to put onto base wages.

And that really matters.

>> If the state education board rules the state did nothing wrong, it may open the door to more districts and limiting the negotiating power to lasting salary increases.

>> Terri Austin, regardless of how the state labor board rules, which could take quite a while, how likely is it the general assembly steps into this?

>> I never want to predict what the general assembly will do stop (Laughter) >> The truth is, it would not surprise me.

It would be consistent with the philosophy of the majority that we treat teachers as free agents, and an attempt to weaken or dismantle union negotiation power.

Right now, they can only do wages and benefits.

The point is that if you take this money off the top, like they do with the voucher program and charter school funding, then there is less money down below, to pay individual teachers.

Teachers are not overwhelmingly, teachers lovableness, but they do not like being pitted against one another.

I can tell you that.

Having spent three weeks in a classroom at the beginning of the school year, they want to work together as a team.

There is nothing worse for the culture of a school and a school environment, then to have people negotiating behind everybody else's back, and it also gives the opportunity for favoritism and less favorable results for everybody.

>> I am not going to ask anybody else to opine on whether or not this is actually legal.

This is the core of this dispute.

Is this allowed in Indiana's current rules?

I am not going to ask anybody about that.

We will find out eventually if it is, if the general assembly just decides to make the policy a little more clear.

To the points that Terry just raised, if you are a school administrator, this is great.

But are you running the risk of creating a more negative culture in your school by seemingly trying to pin teachers against each other?

>> Sure, yeah.

I think that was part of the downside of dismantling the statement of position dismantling collective arguing.

You do give them pick and choose what benefits and ancillary benefits as a teacher.

But, it is curious to me how the act of this whole thing is.

The legislature, Overman Holcomb spent these cycles agonizing over how do we make sure that this ever increasing share of the budget and the increased by billions, as a percent, more in the last two cycles, especially since we had all of this extra money.

They were always agonizing over Google appropriate this money, but cannot figure out how to get it to the teacher.

It is a matter of our goal or policy that we prefer that, but there was really no way to actually ensure that.

>> They just did not want to do it.

>> Other than completely dismantling collective arguments and taking over salaries was the extreme option.

Now you are in a scenario where the stated goal is $50,000 for teachers.

We give them a bunch of extra money.

That is our goal and expectation.

Now you have a scenario, what if you don't have the money next year?

Now teachers are making less than they made last year.

That was never the goal to make less year-over-year.

We struggle with what is the grateful.

What is the minimum can pay them?

I can see, I think the expectation is Republicans would not touch this.

I think they have to.

>> In terms of talking about the ripple effect, the sort of main event is playing out enrichment.

A similar imbued -- a similar dispute is happening elsewhere.

Does it need to get result a stick?

>> It probably does because this will come up again and again.

So many philosophies in combat here.

Some are not wearing white hats.

For instance, the notion of rewarding performances success is sort of at the core of education as a whole.

That is why you have honorable integrating system and kids are named a valedictorian and why Allstate designations are awarded to certain athletes.

Some could argue, why not give the same recognition and monetary reward to teachers who asked to?

And, is it not logical, therefore people are most familiar with the performance of this teachers may be the people at the local level?

That is one philosophy.

The other problem is you run the risk of pitting one against the other, has been discussed here, and as Terri Austin pointed out, favoritism.

These are not audible ties in the superintendent or HR offices or whatever mechanism is being used today via these dollars.

Personal, they are humans.

Personal relationships come into it.

There will be instances where they are rewarded for the right reasons, and those where it is not.

>> Even not for the wrong reasons, it opens the door for people accusing you about it.

Even if you were looking in some sort of metric, which is really hard to do in education, looking at the metric as a determination of performance for a teacher, but even if you were just using that, is way too easy.

You went to dinner at their house once, so that a... >> Isn't that every teacher fellowship and scholarship students and every attempt to get honest recognition?

>> I think does not have to be either/or.

Why can't we have a middle ground?

Why can't we have a base level where everyone gets a good matrix?

Get a minimum salary?

Gets regular raises?

But then, also rewarded teachers who are doing really well with bonuses.

I think there can be a middle ground.

It is complicated a little, because everyone can see edge.

I can go online and look at someone's because they are public dollars.

I can see what the teacher is baking, versus, I cannot go see what my coworker is making a private business.

>> Again, the other couple getting factories the unions are legally allowed to negotiate, very little anymore, but the big thing they are allowed to negotiate his wages and benefits.

These fall outside of that.

If you are someone who believes in the power of the teachers union to speak up for all of your teachers, it weakens the ability of that.

The teachers union goes "Maybe the system is unfair, but we cannot do anything about it."

The other middleground might be making that part of the negotiations.

>> I think the general assembly would be better off if they turned their attention and energy back to the teacher compensation.

They really need to do that.

>> Three members of the Indiana General assembly have announced this year they will not run for reelection or any other office in 2024, and all three are Republicans from suburbs of Indianapolis.

>> Avon Senator John Crane was the first to announce, saying he decided after considerable prayer and discernment to step away after eight years in office.

One of the longest- serving current lump Chris was next, Colonel representative Jerry Torr, who is going to retire from political office after nearly 3 decades.

Another Colonel representative Donna Schaibley and recently, she will also forgo a recent reelection next year, serving in the house was a privilege.

>> Jon Schwantes, there are not that many competitive statehouse districts left anymore.

Are these three potentially on that list?

>> I think anytime you look Indianapolis and go out in the circles, thenote is where you are going to find the sort of change in terms of demographics.

Keep in mind, we were sitting here maybe 40 years ago at this table, and talked about Marion County.

It was like once County, California.

If you are a Republican you would be elected.

With the exception of some districts, baby at the Council level.

Now, that is the case.

It is a democratic fashion.

I think you are seeing change as the community grows in his education level change and as demographics.

Nothing changes opinions like demographics.

I think because of Indianapolis's growth and its economic development, you would have similar wildcards.

Those districts are not as predictable as they would have been 20 or 30 years ago.

>> Less so perhaps John Crane, who was a fairly conservative figure at the statehouse, but I think Jerry Torr and Donna Schaibley were both fairly moderate replicants.

-- fairly modern Republicans.

At least in Donna Schaibley's district, you have a lot of folks from the right side of the spectrum who had been looking at the seat regardless of whether Donna Schaibley would run again or not.

Is there a chance that it will be even more in play for Democrats if primaries swing to the right?

>> Yeah, I think this will be fascinating because we have been talking about the demographic changes were a couple cycles.

We are going to have some open competitive seats.

Jerry Torr came close to losing last time, and that was a federal lawmaker with roots in the community.

>> Again, whose votes are generally reflective of... >> Absolutely.

I think it is absolutely possible that possible Democrats can make some gains in there.

Obviously, the Democrats is to break a super majority somewhere, that would take... >> It takes for seats to do that.

>> Absolutely.

>> How much will, one of the hottest Mayor races in Indiana will be back Carmel mayors race, were you have a legitimate Democrat getting an open sea, which has not been true for three decades.

How much will some of these local races this year, tell us about what might be coming in the state has races next year?

>> I think a great deal.

People watching these number are going to dissect the numbers.

It was surprising to me that they announced in October, which essentially shut their fundraising down, which is a little bit of a surprise, quite honestly.

I think that you have got strong candidates that have already announced in two of those three seats, and maybe the handwriting is on the wall, >> Maybe in the case of Jerry Torr.

>> Baby not hunger, but in the consultation of other people it was time to step down.

I think these races are going to have a huge impact.

>> Democrats obviously really have the resources to match Republicans in the state.

That is the reality of the public situation here in Indiana.

Considering there is not a long list of competitive seats, you could potentially put a little more money into races in Carmel and Avon.

Are we going to see it money spent on these places?

>> Oh yeah, you have got to collect money statewide and prioritize it indirect it in places you can make gains.

For Republicans, in these districts, the quality of the candidate matters, period.

If you are not going to win from the right in these communities, you have a guy like Brett Clark and hundreds County, John Crane in central orbit the popular sheriff, great campaigns, he was the underdog when he ran for sheriff.

He has got a great network there.

Danny is in Jerry Torr's seat.

There is no Breitling.

He is the perfect fit for the district.

That quality matters.

>> Traffic fatalities in Indiana are up 17% over the last four years.

While state lawmakers are digging into the data on traffic safety, a study committee adopted its yearly report this week without any recommendations.

>> Even as fatalities increase, the number of speaking tickets and warnings went down eight Indiana 12% over the last four years stop Indiana Criminal Justice Institute execute director Devon McDonald told lawmakers that is not because drivers are slowing.

>> I would probably be that more to law enforcement officers on the road to truly enforce traffic laws in the state of Indiana.

>> McDonald says police have spent is the primary way to reduce feeding, though the state will soon begin to use speed cameras on a few how it works owns.

Besides speed, McDonald says impaired driving is a of crashes and deaths and drug impaired driving now exceeds alcohol impaired driving.

>> Niki Kelly, our study committee still meaningful?

>> Look, there is always an exception to the rule, and have seen an occasional study committee do some work, but the fact is, majority, no.

They show up two or three times, they listen to a few people testify, give them some reports, they make no recommendations, and they collect their little check.

That is what they are.

>> I was talking about the present of Greg over the next couple weeks of getting tough legislation against the finish line.

He told me the reason she gets a lot of tough bills across the finish line in a single session is because by the time he gets to session, he has done eight months of work leading up to it.

That is partly what these committees are supposed to be.

Every lawmaker cannot pay attention to every issue.

They rely on their fellow lawmakers to fill it.

Here is some information, there is a look into.

Just because the study company does not have a recommendation but does not meet they will not be something.

What it be more valuable if the taxpayer to actually say to fellow lawmakers, into this and here is what we should do when it comes time to pass it.

>> That is the idea.

These are set up for progress.

This is exactly what the representative talks about.

This way the groundwork and get the input.

Let's hear all sides tried to put together something that is agreeable so it does not get torpedo between organizations and the start of the reform session in January.

The problem also is, some people treatment, some others treat them as a pressure valve or a way out during the session, where you have a tough issue, but you want to appear something, let's do a study committee.

Then we can say that we did something.

You are studying it.

>> That is Indiana Week In Review for this week.

Our panel is Democrat Terri Austin.

Republican Mike O'Brien.

Jon Schwantes of Indiana Lawmakers, Niki Kelly of the Indiana Capital Chronicle.

You can find Indiana Week In Review's podcast and episodes WFYI.org/IWIR or on the PBS App.

I am Brandon Smith of Indiana public broadcasting.

Join us next time, because a lot can happen in a Indiana week.

(Music plays) >> The opinions expressed are solely those of the panelists.

Indiana Week In Review is a WFYI production in association