Congratulations

Congratulations to Merry Biggs, Co-Chair of the Election Committee.  Also, a big congratulations to Joyce Shabazz who was selected Employee of the Year from the plant.  Joyce is very deserving; she’s never too busy to stop and say hi or to help in any way she can.  Many times I have seen her pick up something on the floor or clean up a small amount of spilled coffee when she could have just as easily walked past it.  Anyone who knows Joyce knows she always goes above and beyond in anything she does.

Plant Visit

The visit from Vice President of N.A.O. went very well (as I thought it would).  I was so very proud of all our presenters.  On the tour, everyone was very professional and really knew their stuff.  As Tim Lee said during the wrap up, “Some things you just can’t bluff.”  Needless to say, Mr. Lee was very impressed.  He also said to tell all our members his boss Rick Wagoner sends his best and really appreciates all our hard work and determination to always be the best. But it’s no longer just good enough to be the best in North America – it must be world wide.

Skilled Trades Conference

Skilled Trades was very interesting.  We were lucky enough to have our President Ron Gettelfinger  speak about legislative bills coming up that are important to our members and families such as bankruptcy and how important it is for a fare trade policy, and how much we are in need of a national healthcare bill.  We need two plans - one short term and one long term.  And to remember that when you buy a car, you’re not just buying a car or cd player, you’re buying a job in your community.  And when you buy a foreign car, you’re just buying a car to get you from point a to point b. 

We also were lucky enough to have two International Vice Presidents speak to us.  Cal Rapson, our GM Vice President talked about the tough time with Delphi.  Delphi has already spent $125 million in legal fees.  Well, when you hire lawyers at $700/hour, it adds up pretty fast.  Yet at the same time they are saying $14/hr for Delphi members is too much.

He also talked about how important it is to get more men and women into skilled trades.  He congratulated all the Journeymen Card Committees for doing such a great job and being so thorough on getting our members their cards.  More than half were minorities and women.

Vice President Terry Thurman is head of organizing and stated the Big Three better come prepared.  We are ready to get what we deserve.  We make up 12% of the total workforce.  We deserve better wages, better healthcare, a voice in the workplace, and our rights on the shop floor.  Corporate greed drives companies to spend billions of dollars on anti union consultants, even though 98% of contract negotiations don’t end in a strike.  The most important legislation for us to watch since the Wagner Act is house bill 800, the Employee Free Choice Act. 

Martha Yoder from MIOSHA inspections shared a lot of numbers with us, such as there are 43 workers injured every minute and 16 die every day.  Workplace injuries cost companies $140 billion per year.  Before we held a moment of silence, Chairman Bill King from Local 659 reported another fatality that occurred the first week of February at their plant.  And during the conference, another fatality was reported from a Ford plant in Ohio.  They both had high seniority. So please be careful on the job and at home. Just take that extra time and think it through.    

Region 1D Leadership Breakfast

I’d like to thank Director Don Oetman, Region 1D, and CAP for inviting our International President Ron Gettelfinger to speak to the leadership.  First off he thanked all our members that helped and voted in the last election.  He also said if our members get the information and are asked, they will vote.  And they do because we all know that “What we gain at the table, we can lose at the ballot box”.

He also talked about many bills we should watch and to contact our legislators before they come up for a vote, such as the Employee Free Choice Act.

There are six International Unions that are being impacted by bankruptcy.  Representative John Conyors and Senator Evan Bayh have been working on a bill addressing this.  We need to stay on top of these and many other issues that affect our members and families.  We can’t expect our leadership to clean up this mess all by themselves.  We must do our part as well.  After all, the first letter in union is “U”.

Giants Award

I would like to congratulate all of the Giants Award recipients, but especially Orin S. Holder who is the Business Agent and Financial Secretary for AFL-CIO Local 70 and represents the Bakery workers.  He was honored with receiving the Martha Reynolds Labor Award for his union activism.  They were all very deserving for their hard work in the community.

Sub Council

We were all disappointed our Vice President Cal Rapson couldn’t make it to report out to us, but we all understand and support his hard work.  Being in negotiations is never an easy job, but trying to sit down across the table with somebody like Delphi is almost impossible.  I have all the faith in the world our UAW leadership will do everything possible to take care of Delphi members as they always have in the past.

Mark Your Calendars

Sunday, February 25

The Civil Rights Committee is holding their annual Black History Program.  The speaker scheduled for this year is Dr. Walter Brame, President of the Grand Rapids Urban League and the theme is, “Civil Rights, the Unfinished Agenda”.  This event is open to other Local’s and family members.

Sunday, March 11

Daylight savings time will start early this year.  Don’t forget to change your clocks.

Sunday, March 25

Everyone is invited to attend the West Michigan Union Label Pancake Breakfast at Region 1D from 9 am to 1 pm.

Citizenship/Legislative Committee

Ten $25 Meijer gift cards will be raffled off March 19.  Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5.

Communications Committee

Just a reminder to check out the Local 730 web site at:  www.uawlocal730.com

Community Service Committee

·        Nascar lapel pins for sale at $5 each; proceeds will go to the Nascar Children’s Charity Fund.

·        Socks will be delivered to the Domestic Crisis Center for Women and Mel Trotter March 28.

White Shirt Day held February 12th

I’d like to thank everyone who participated in honor of the Sit Down Strike.  I’d also like to thank Denise DeBoer for providing extra white shirts.  That was a great idea Denise – thank you.

Barb Henderson, President