CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- I urge West Virginia's members of Congress to support passage of emergency loans to America's auto manufacturers.

When CEOs of the Big Three came to Washington and asked for help, they were ridiculed, kicked around and made to feel like a group of bums. Autoworker wages received criticism, even though starting pay is now less than $15 per hour and pension, health care and vacation time have been drastically cut. Yes, there are a lot of overpaid CEOs - even in banking, where Congress has doled out billions - but that's another matter for another day.

The Big Three are asking for only 3.6 percent of the $700 billion that has been authorized, and all players should realize that corporate jets only serve as a distraction. If the auto manufacturers fail, the loss of taxes and increased unemployment along with pension costs might well propel us into a depression. This should not be allowed to happen.

The U.S. auto industry has pulled families out of poverty and lifted them into the middle class. Auto companies have paid good wages, benefits and pensions. By doing so, they have contributed to the well-being of our country. Not only have good wages generated local, state and federal taxes, but unemployment costs to state and federal agencies have been greatly reduced because of guaranteed employment programs, supplemental unemployment benefits and job banks negotiated by the UAW.

This was not always so. In the old days, at the infancy of the union, employers would hire every available local employee and all those they could convince to relocate from Appalachia and Southern states to assist in meeting the demand of production. When slack times came, as they always did after the annual introduction of new cars, workers were laid off and forced to accept meager help from relief agencies. The UAW realized that the suffering of workers, communities and government could be relieved if employers managed their plants better and produced at an even level rather than in spurts. The guaranteed annual wage program (which morphed into job banks) proved to be successful, and benefited union members, companies and the government agencies that formerly had picked up the slack.

As long as we are assessing blame, let's not forget that Congress has contributed greatly to auto's problems. Trade laws that Congress enacted have failed to address unfair issues and made it impossible for U.S. builders to compete. Labor, environmental and safety standards were sought to be included in NAFTA and CAFTA, but Congress said no. Thus, U.S. manufacturers footed the bill for these government-mandated standards and tried to compete on the down slope of the unlevel playing field.

All competing auto companies are located in countries that provide health care to their citizens, whereas GM, Ford and Chrysler pay this cost for their employees. Congress has been lobbied to correct this inequity by providing national health care, but pleas have largely fallen on deaf ears.

Now, the auto CEOs and the UAW president come not to condemn Congress for putting them in this mess but to ask for help in their time of need. When they return in December, along with large helpings of criticisms, they should be given a small serving of "thank you and your employees for years of contributions to our country."

During World War II, auto plants were transformed to manufacture personnel carriers, tanks and airplanes, as well as heavy artillery and the other machines of war that helped keep us free. Historians have said that auto and steel saved us from communism. Steel is now gone and auto might be our last bastion. We should thank this final industry for providing good jobs, paying taxes and lifting hundreds of thousands of Americans out of poverty.

The companies and their employees are not asking for a handout, they are asking for a hand up, through a loan that will be repaid.

Sparks, of Ronceverte, is a retired legislative representative of the United Auto Workers union.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- I urge West Virginia's members of Congress to support passage of emergency loans to America's auto manufacturers.

When CEOs of the Big Three came to Washington and asked for help, they were ridiculed, kicked around and made to feel like a group of bums. Autoworker wages received criticism, even though starting pay is now less than $15 per hour and pension, health care and vacation time have been drastically cut. Yes, there are a lot of overpaid CEOs - even in banking, where Congress has doled out billions - but that's another matter for another day.

The Big Three are asking for only 3.6 percent of the $700 billion that has been authorized, and all players should realize that corporate jets only serve as a distraction. If the auto manufacturers fail, the loss of taxes and increased unemployment along with pension costs might well propel us into a depression. This should not be allowed to happen.

The U.S. auto industry has pulled families out of poverty and lifted them into the middle class. Auto companies have paid good wages, benefits and pensions. By doing so, they have contributed to the well-being of our country. Not only have good wages generated local, state and federal taxes, but unemployment costs to state and federal agencies have been greatly reduced because of guaranteed employment programs, supplemental unemployment benefits and job banks negotiated by the UAW.

This was not always so. In the old days, at the infancy of the union, employers would hire every available local employee and all those they could convince to relocate from Appalachia and Southern states to assist in meeting the demand of production. When slack times came, as they always did after the annual introduction of new cars, workers were laid off and forced to accept meager help from relief agencies. The UAW realized that the suffering of workers, communities and government could be relieved if employers managed their plants better and produced at an even level rather than in spurts. The guaranteed annual wage program (which morphed into job banks) proved to be successful, and benefited union members, companies and the government agencies that formerly had picked up the slack.

As long as we are assessing blame, let's not forget that Congress has contributed greatly to auto's problems. Trade laws that Congress enacted have failed to address unfair issues and made it impossible for U.S. builders to compete. Labor, environmental and safety standards were sought to be included in NAFTA and CAFTA, but Congress said no. Thus, U.S. manufacturers footed the bill for these government-mandated standards and tried to compete on the down slope of the unlevel playing field.

All competing auto companies are located in countries that provide health care to their citizens, whereas GM, Ford and Chrysler pay this cost for their employees. Congress has been lobbied to correct this inequity by providing national health care, but pleas have largely fallen on deaf ears.

Now, the auto CEOs and the UAW president come not to condemn Congress for putting them in this mess but to ask for help in their time of need. When they return in December, along with large helpings of criticisms, they should be given a small serving of "thank you and your employees for years of contributions to our country."

During World War II, auto plants were transformed to manufacture personnel carriers, tanks and airplanes, as well as heavy artillery and the other machines of war that helped keep us free. Historians have said that auto and steel saved us from communism. Steel is now gone and auto might be our last bastion. We should thank this final industry for providing good jobs, paying taxes and lifting hundreds of thousands of Americans out of poverty.

The companies and their employees are not asking for a handout, they are asking for a hand up, through a loan that will be repaid.

Sparks, of Ronceverte, is a retired legislative representative of the United Auto Workers union.