We Heard - GM's Secret Mexican Plant, Chertoff, Grassley

Since 06-19-06

We heard THAT General Motors has four plants in Mexico, but has secretly been building a fifth plant there. The global auto giant - facing enormous health and retirement costs in the U.S. - has been diversifying its manufacturing globally for years.

Why the stealth plant? GM execs don't want to upset the UAW which recently cooperated with GM in a buyout plan for employees.

Some 25,000 are said to have taken GM's early retirement plan. Meanwhile, Ford announced it is significantly upgrading its operations in its three Mexican plants.

We heard THAT while Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff's agency might rely on high-tech gadgetry, the secretary himself is strictly low-tech.

"I don't use e-mail," Chertoff said.

"You just get deluged with a lot of garbage."

Chertoff told Paul Bedard, whose Washington Whispers column appears in U.S. News & World Report, that his experience with e-mail was "picking through genuine work e-mails and invitations to baby showers.

"People sometimes think you've gotten something that you actually haven't gotten."

Instead of using electronic mail, Chertoff said, "I rely on people communicating with my staff."

We heard THAT Sen. Chuck Grassley plans to introduce a bill that would give employees of the legislative branch the same whistle-blower protection given to federal employees.

The Iowa Republican is concerned that Capitol employees could be victimized by the lack of this protection, which acts as a check against the covering up of misdeeds, the publication The Hill reports.

At present, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) rules regarding whistle-blower protection don't apply to the legislative branch.

"Unfortunately, whistle-blowers continue to be treated like skunks at a picnic," Grassley said.

"The legislative branch should be no exception to protecting whistle-blowers."

OSHA defines retaliation against whistle-blowers as firing, demoting, blacklisting, denying overtime or promotion, denying benefits, reassignment affecting prospects for promotion, intimidation or reducing salary or hours.