President’s Report by Barb Henderson
October 2007
I would like to thank all of our members for being so helpful and understanding during the long two day strike and the ratification. We were ready for the long term, but not really prepared for how big of an undertaking the first two hours were going to be. After all, none of us had ever been through a strike before. Some had gone through strike training, but nothing prepares you for this when you’re right in the middle of it all.
It really helped with everyone pulling together, and the support we received from other unions. I can’t say enough of the many ways our Local 730 OPEIU Secretaries were there to help. And where would we be without our janitor, who made a point of checking in with us throughout the day to see if there was anything needed or taken care of.
Someone once said, “You never want to get good at running a strike”, but we do want to make sure our members are taken care of in the best possible way.
At the executive board we did discuss what worked, what didn’t, what needed to be changed, along with input from the rest of the leadership and membership. We will now have written direction for any future emergency that may arise.
CLUW
I recently attended the CLUW dinner (Coalition of Labor Union Women). I would like to thank them for a job well done. CLUW is a Labor organization that has been around many many years. The local chapter only has one fundraiser a year to raise money to give a local organization a Christmas party called “Our Hope”. Women who are released from jail have no job and no place to go. Our Hope helps them get back on their feet with a new path in life.
Right to Work
I hope everyone picks up a booklet from our informational table to find out the truth about the many differences workers encounter living and working in a Right-to-Work state and to read about these facts and figures for yourself.
In solidarity,
Barb Henderson, President
Local 730, UAW