UAW LOCAL 160
JERRY GILLESPIE, President BECKY L. ERVIN, Financial Secretary-Treasurer
VOLUME 48, ISSUE 2
what’s INSIDE
CAP Chairman’s Report..............2
Financial Secy-Treasurer............ 3
Retiree Chairman’s Report.........4
District 1 Report..........................8
EAP Reps Report..........................9
HI Tech Report............................10
Women’s Committee.................11
Coming
events
steak-out
saturday, september 20th
Sponsored by the Women’s Committee.
Site-wide holiday
gathering/meal
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4th
Taking place at Local 160’s Union Hall.
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14th
FALL 2014
No injury, no death, was no accident
I
t started as just
hundreds of stranded shoppers at
a light shower
the neighboring Lowes shopping
that Monday
center, unable to reach their cars
morning, August
due to parking lot flood waters,
11, 2014. By midand patrons inside restaurants
afternoon that day,
along Van Dyke climbing onto
many of us started
tables to escape the rushing waters.
thinking “ok enough
And then there was the Warren
rain already.” And
Tech Center. Flood waters had
by early evening,
wreaked havoc in surrounding
as I peered out the
neighborhoods, so it only stood
window of my 93
to reason we as well would not
year old father’s
escape nature’s fury. As the flood
apartment where I
ACTING President waters rose that Monday night in
had gone to check on
building basements and parking
him, watching the flood waters rise in
lots across our work site, members
surrounding parking lots put my level of came together to help each other in
concern into overdrive.
many heroic ways. There are stories the
And so it came, unprecedented rain
local news did not report, but have been
in just a very short time. Our tri-county
repeated to us at our Local 160 Union
area had been hit hard with 5, 6, and
Hall. Here are just a few.
even 7 inches of rain in a very short
One such incident that has emerged
period of time. Horror stories started
was that of a UAW Facilities employee
to emerge. Cars had been swallowed
who thought quickly enough to shut
up with flood waters on local freeways,
down the electrical power to their
DAVID
small
Taking place at Local 160’s Union Hall.
building as flood waters rushed in,
avoiding electrocution and quite
possibly even death to fellow employees.
Other such incidents reported to us
at the Local were that of employees
on site who were unable to reach their
vehicle in flooded parking lots, and were
in turn given rides home by fellow UAW
employees, all the while risking the loss
of their own vehicle in flood waters,
or injury to themselves, in order to get
their Union brother or sister home safe,
as unprecedented rains continued falling
on area roads and highways. Many other
heroic situations occurred on site that
night. Disregarding loss of personal
property, or injury to themselves, our
members did what it took to help their
co-workers. Under the most extreme
and adverse conditions, Union members
stepped up to help one another. On that
unprecedented stormy night across the
Warren Tech Center, no injuries and
no deaths was no accident.
In solidarity we stand!
ENDORSEMENTS
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 1776
FENTON, MI
UAW PROPERTY – ILLEGAL TO DUPLICATE
MARK SCHAUER – Governor
UAW Local 160
28504 Lorna
Warren, MI 48092
TECH ENGINEER
LISA BROWN – Lieutenant Governor
C
O
N
G
R
E
S
S
Gary Peters
U.S. Senator
ERIC SCHERTZING
U.S. House of Reps
RICHARD BERNSTEIN
MI Supreme Court
SANDER LEVIN
U.S. House of Reps
BILL MURPHY
debrORAH THOMAS
BOBBY McKENZIE
BRENDA LAWRENCE
MI Supreme Court
U.S. House of Reps
MI Supreme Court
U.S. House of Reps
TECH ENGINEER
Page 2
FALL 2014
Get Registered to vote and Vote! ALEC is counting on you NOT to
I
week. When your
t’s that time
only objective is
again 160!
to make money at
Election
any cost no matter
season is upon us
who gets hurt,
and you can’t watch
it won’t be these
a single hour of
CEO’s back yards
TV without seeing
that the frack well
some form of
gets dug in. It will
political ad come
be yours or your
across the tube.
family members.
You might ask
It will not be the
where do these
CEO’s kid sitting
guys get all that
CAP CHAIRMAN in an overcrowed classroom
money to pay
with 40-50 kids in it. It will
for all those TV
be yours and your neighbors.
commercials? Well, over 4 years ago,
And it won’t be the CEO’s or
there was a Supreme Court ruling
their political cronies whose
called Citizens United that ruled that
insurance gets cut or pay gets
corporations were allowed to spend as
cut; it will be yours after they
much money as they wanted to try to
get us to vote for who THEY wanted.
Bust Your Union and take away
If that wasn’t bad enough, ALEC is
your voice in the workplace!
behind a lot of these Republican attack
And believe me, they’d like
ads. Who is ALEC, you ask? ALEC isn’t nothing more than to pay you
a person. It is the American Legislative
less and work you more, with
Exchange Council and its main goal
less benefits.
is to connect corporate lobbyists with
The Right-to-Work (for less) law
State legislators to push corporatethat was passed by Michigan politicians
written legislation into state law books
contained verbatim language from an
in all 50 states.
ALEC model bill. Our Governor Rick
What happens when corporations
Snyder was backed by Dick DeVos
write their own laws? I can tell you it’s
and the Koch brothers, who also fund
nothing good for working people, like
ALEC. They are also pouring a lot of
those of us who cash our check every
dough into Terri Lynn Land’s campaign
JARON
garza
UAW LOCAL 160
28504 Lorna • Warren, MI 48092 • Phone: (586) 751-4474
EXECUTIVE BOARD
RETIREE CHAPTER
President................................. Jerry Gillespie
Vice President............................. David Small
Recording Secretary..................Nicole Jones
Financial Sec’y-Treasurer........... Becky Ervin
Trustee Chair........................... Alan Reynolds
Trustee............................... Angela Bia-Shock
Trustee.................................Sharon Fishburn
Sergeant-at-Arms..........Clarence Michowski
Guide............................................ Steve Rawa
Retiree Board Delegate....... Dennis J. Henry
GM Chairman............................Earl Fuller, Jr.
3rd Party Chairman................... Willie Brown
Women’s Committee Chair.........Denise Blue
Chairman.............................. Dennis J. Henry
Vice Chairman............................... Bob Mayer
Financial Secretary......... Daisy Winston-Hall
Recording Secretary................... Donna Esch
Trustee......................................Paul Friedrich
Trustee................................ Chet Wilamowski
Trustee..........................................Tony Serino
Altnernate Trustee.............. Jack Schoenherr
Guide...........................................Gerald Rowe
Sergeant-at-Arms........................ Fred Conlon
Recreation Committee................... Jim Souva
Education & Fair Practice..... Paul Boulanger
Election Chairman................. Eugene Tercha
By-Laws Committee....................... Lee Taylor
EDITORIAL POLICY...
Ken Corrigan
Citizenship, Organizing &
Membership Committee........... John Mayes
The UAW TECH ENGINEER is published by UAW Local 160 in the interest of its members to
further the aims and programs of your Local and to promote the policies and programs of the
International Union, UAW. This is a vehicle that brings to you, on a regular basis, the views and actions
of the leaders you elected so you can evaluate them. The Editor reserves the right to edit any article
and to reject all materials submitted which are not in the best interest of the membership. All articles
should contribute positively to the welfare of this Union and its members; we will accept no attacks on
any Union Leader or Member. The Editor reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement
which is deemed objectionable. Publication of advertisements in this newspaper does not necessarily
signify endorsement by UAW Local 160.
– Becky Ervin, Editor, UAW TECH ENGINEER
trying to smear Gary Peters who helped
save the auto industry.
The bottom line is we need to get
out the vote in this election. If we
don’t, the effects will be devastating and
irreversible for not only the state but
the nation. These corporations and their
lobbyists and bought politicians would
love to kill the Labor movement in this
country and repeal most labor laws that
Union members have fought and died
for! This is not about job creation or
economic development as Rick Snyder
and Terri L Land would have you believe.
This is about taking away your rights
and perverting democracy so that
corporations have a consistent upper
hand. What is the result? Politicians
who are willing to do the bidding of
corporations after they get elected by
passing anti-worker and consumer laws
and create a race to the bottom, as well
as passing voter restriction laws and
gerrymandering districts so they never
lose future elections! The fix is in and
they are rigging the game at every level.
Teamsters President James Hoffa
said “What they’re doing is basically,
betraying democracy” and he is right as
we here have seen in Michigan in the
last 4 years.
The good news in all of this is that
you have the power to stop all of
this in November by just doing
one thing…VOTE! Your vote is the
great equalizer; they can spend all the
money in the world trying to influence
you how you vote. But if you get
registered and inform yourself with the
truth on these issues and the candidates
running, we can stop them.
The deadline to register to vote in
this November’s election is October
6th. We will have voter registration
forms at the Local and at all upcoming
union meetings.
I challenge all of you to not only talk
about who we are supporting in the
November general election to friends,
family and co-workers, but this year take
someone with you to go vote.
Voting is the most patriotic thing you
can do as an American! Do not let them
deny your right to a true democracy
sisters and brothers. They are counting
on you to stay home! Together, we can
and will win in November!
Vote Mark Schauer for Governor,
Gary Peters for the U.S. Senate and
support all of the UAW-endorsed
candidates. We have to support those
candidates who support us working
families. Let’s GOTV in November and
help secure our jobs for the future and
our children’s education!
Lastly, I’d like to thank everyone who
came out to the Labor Day parade in
Detroit this year. We had an awesome
turnout and everyone seemed to enjoy
the new ideas on food and t-shirt
designs. We look forward to making this
event bigger and better next year for the
membership!
Together, we will win!
TECH ENGINEER
FALL 2014
Local Finances
S
ince taking
office in 2012,
I have been
looking at ways to
improve service to
the membership as
well as finding the
best value for our
dues dollar. Our
Local continues to
be financially sound
and was successfully
audited by our
Trustees this past
June. Thanks to our
Trustees (Al Reynolds, Angela BiaShock and Sharon Fishburn) as well
as our Local Bookkeeper, Kelly
O’Neill, for making sure all was in
order.
Picnic at St. Clair Metropark
Thanks to all of you who
attended the picnic this year. It was
a beautiful day out by the lake and
everybody seemed to have a great
time. There was plenty of food
and fun for everyone and we plan
on making it even better next year.
I would especially like to send
a heartfelt “THANK YOU” to
FINANCIAL SECRETARY- all of our volunteers who make
TREASURER
our Local 160 functions run so
BECKY
ervin
Page 3
smoothly! This year, we had a mix of
the usual dedicated Local 160 Retired/
Elected/Appointed leadership, as
well as many of our rank and file
membership and spouses who selflessly
volunteered their time to make sure the
picnic was successful. Thanks again. We
couldn’t do it without YOU!
Dues Increase
The dues increase that was approved
at the UAW Constitutional Convention
in June has not yet taken effect. The
International Secretary Treasurer’s
Office will advise us of when this will
be initiated.
Elections
Elections are coming up on Tuesday,
November 4th. Please take the time to
get out and vote for UAW-endorsed
candidates! We cannot bargain better
contracts if we don’t have laws that
allow us to do so or laws that uphold
what we have already bargained for.
Walter Reuther said it best... “There’s
a direct relationship between the ballot
box and the bread box, and what
the union fights for and wins at the
bargaining table can be taken away in
the legislative halls.”
– UAW Convention, 1970
Until our next edition, I wish
everyone Happy & Safe Holidays and
keep a look out for our calendar before
the end of the year!
GM Technical Center of Local 160 UAW
FINANCIAL REPORT
FOR THE PERIOD ENDING JULY 31, 2014
Balance to Account for at 6/30/14................... $581,289.76
Excess Income Over Expenditures........................... $20.00
Balance to Account for at 7/31/14........... $581,309.76
Income
Dues................................................................. $100,574.88
Initiation Fees............................................................ 150.00
Reimbursement - Supplies.................................... 1,894.00
Reimbursement - Phones........................................... 30.50
Interest - Savings Account.......................................... 14.43
*Asset Transfer....................................................... 2,466.72
Recreation Fund........................................................ 799.00
Retiree Fund........................................................... 2,890.70
G.M. Unit Fund....................................................... 3,827.99
3rd Party Unit Fund................................................... 336.27
GROSS RECEIPTS - JULY 2014...................... $112,984.49
*Less - Asset Transfers/Exchanges.....................(2,466.72)
NET INCOME - JULY 2014......................... $110,517.77
Disbursements
GENERAL FUND EXPENSES:
Wages - President S/L......................................... $4,742.52
Financial Secretary-Treasurer............................ 5,118.52
President............................................................ 2,622.92
Clerical................................................................ 6,517.33
Lost Time..............................................................................
Recording Secretary............................................. 455.84
Trustees................................................................... 71.26
Sergeant-at-Arms.................................................... 97.77
Guide....................................................................... 87.50
Committees, Member.............................................. 70.84
Travel, Meals, Expenses, etc.
Financial Secretary-Treasurer............................... 300.00
Vice President........................................................ 300.00
Recording Secretary............................................... 30.00
Trustee..................................................................... 45.00
Sergeant-at-Arms.................................................... 15.00
Guide....................................................................... 15.00
Committees, Member.............................................. 20.00
Executive Board Delegates..................................... 30.00
FICA Match............................................................ 1,603.36
Payroll Taxes.......................................................... 6,906.32
Payroll Deductions Forwarded................................. 340.56
Per Capita Taxes.................................................. 63,932.77
Insurance............................................................... 2,862.68
Refunds Dues/Initiations........................................... 159.18
Supplies................................................................. 3,330.26
Bank Charge................................................................. 3.00
Technical/Support Fees............................................ 854.63
Telephone/Internet................................................. 1,576.43
Maintenance - Office Equip...................................... 383.23
Donations............................................................... 2,000.00
Furniture & Equipment.............................................. 169.59
Pension/Severance - Local....................................... 327.04
Postage......................................................................... 8.26
*Asset Transfer....................................................... 2,466.72
COMMUNITY SERV. FUND EXPENSES:
EDUCATION FUND EXPENSES:
Travel, Meals, Expenses, etc.................................... 600.32
Educational Classes.............................................. 1,250.00
RECREATION FUND EXPENSES:
Picnics....................................................................... 725.75
BUILDING FUND EXPENSES:
Maintenance........................................................... 2,589.62
Utilities.................................................................... 1,519.37
Cleaning Service.................................................... 1,200.00
Supplies.................................................................... 410.33
NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION FUND:
VETERANS FUND EXPENSES:
WOMEN'S COMMITTEE FUND EXPENSES:
Social/Recreational Events....................................... 925.00
RETIREE CHAPTER FUND EXPENSES:
Supplies.................................................................... 826.45
Donations/Gift........................................................... 100.00
Expense Allowance................................................... 420.00
Lunches / Refreshments........................................ 1,236.85
UNIT FUNDS EXPENSES:
General Motors......................................................... 343.92
3rd Party...................................................................... 79.12
DISBURSEMENTS - JULY 2014....................... $119,690.26
LESS - Payroll Deductions...................................(6,725.77)
*Less - Asset Transfers/Exchanges.....................(2,466.72)
NET EXPENDITURES - JULY 2014............. $110,497.77
ALLOCATION OF CASH ASSETS
CHECKING BALANCE PNC 5617.................... $173,844.76
PETTY CASH............................................................ 200.00
SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
Unity C.U. 6090 S-000............................................. 10.81
Unity C.U. 6090 S-005...................................... 66,270.31
Unity C.U. 4849 S-000............................................. 10.00
Unity C.U. 4849 S-005...................................... 42,532.51
Unity C.U. 4850 S-000............................................. 10.03
Unity C.U. 4850 S-005...................................... 83,519.71
Unity C.U. 9510 S-000............................................. 10.00
Unity C.U. 9510 S-005........................................ 1,654.49
PNC Bank 8245................................................ 70,777.59
Central Macomb 1:1531................................... 38,924.43
Central Macomb 1588:2MM............................. 26,504.54
CERTIFICATES
Unity C.U. 6090 S-705...................................... 17,645.52
Unity C.U. 6090 S-713...................................... 59,395.06
TOTAL CASH ASSETS - JULY 2014........... $581,309.76
*Fund Balances*
Current Fund Income Over
Balance Expenditures
General Fund..........................$313,963.81 ($648.97)
Education Fund...........................26,318.61 (1,536.15)
Recreational Fund.........................1,593.88 282.70
Retired Members Fund...............44,507.30 307.40
Building Fund........................... (23,843.64)(1,216.20)
New Member Orientation Fund....3,103.91 15.00
Veterans Fund..................................392.95 0.00
Women’s Committee Fund...........6,033.52 (925.00)
G.M. Unit Fund..........................201,975.47 3,484.07
3rd Party Unit Fund.......................7,263.95 257.15
Total Of All Funds July 2014.......................... $581,309.76 $20.00
Respectfully Submitted by Becky Ervin,
Financial Secretary-Treasurer, UAW Local 160
TECH ENGINEER
Page 4
VEBA
Information
Eleven Things you
didn’t know
about COSTCO...
1
A
COSTCO IS
t our Local 160
ACTUALLY ONE
Retiree General
OF AMERICA’S
Membership
LARGEST PIZZA
Meeting on October
CHAINS
15, 2014, we will have
Although Costco’s
representatives from
current CEO, Craig Jelinek,
VEBA and our other
claims he never touches the
insurance carriers to present
pizza, the super large and
information on any changes
cheesy slices have become
to our health care benefits,
RETIREE CHAIRMAN an American CULT
including our new dental
FAVORITE.
and eyeglass program effective January
Nobody really considers Costco to
1, 2015. Please plan to attend.
be a “pizza chain,” but with more than
400 stores in the United States, all but
Christmas Party
a couple with food courts, it is one the
As in the past, our Local 160
biggest pizza sellers in the country.
Retiree General Membership Meeting
That’s just slightly behind giants such
for December is cancelled. We will
as Chuck E. Cheese and CiCi’s, and far
be having a Christmas party with
more than the roughly 265 locations of
tickets being sold at our October
California Pizza Kitchen. If you feel
and November General Membership
like their food court pizza doesn’t make
Meetings. The ticket prices are the same
Costco a true pizzeria, then maybe
as last year. Dues-paying members’
their “Pizza Hotline,” which allows
tickets are $10.00 and non-members are
customers to call in pizza orders ahead,
$13.00. Each member will be allowed
will convince you.
up to two (2) tickets.
Of course, their food courts are also
Super Bowl Party
famous for other items, like the hot dog
The Retiree Chapter again will be
and soda combo, which has kept its
sponsoring a Super Bowl Party at UAW
price of $1.50 for almost three decades.
Local 160. The ticket price is $25.00
dennis J.
henry
per person, which includes snacks,
open bar and a buffet dinner. If you are
interested in attending this fun-filled
evening, contact Recreation Chairman
Jim Souva or Retiree Chairman Dennis
Henry.
2
THEY ONCE OFFERED
FULL BARRELS OF JACK
DANIEL’S WHISKEY
Costco regularly rotates their
partnerships with alcohol companies,
so this doesn’t appear to be currently
RECENT RETIREES
July 2014
SeniorityDept.
William S Alonzo...........5/6/1977Design
Robert W. Bates.............8/1/1977 C C O
Ricky Malone.................7/23/1969Warehouse-Vec
Dennis Rackley...............3/29/1976 Parts Fab
Gerald P. Respondek......7/23/1984South Campus
Amealia T. Williamson.....11/20/1972Design
Christopher Yelick...........10/1/1978Mock-Up
August 2014
John J. Moreno.............9/18/1978Warehouse-Vec
Cheryl L. Spiter.............10/2/1978 Parts Fab
September 2014.
Glenn E. MacDonald.....8/30/1976Design
Thank you for your years of service.
Congratulations on your retirement.
available, but there was a time when
you could buy an actual “single barrel”
of Jack Daniels’ whiskey for $8,499.99.
Sam’s Club ended up selling the same
thing, so this wasn’t exactly an exclusive,
but the Walmart-owned brand sold the
barrel for more than $1,100 more than
Costco’s price. Although the barrel is
kind of hard to top, Costco’s Kirkland
brand has also made interesting alcohol
partnerships, such as an official version
of luxury scotch The Macallan. What
makes these Kirkland partnerships
special is that they sell for much
cheaper than the brands usually go for
themselves.
Other non-alcoholic purchases in the
past have included wedding dresses and
a $1 million engagement ring.
3
THEIR EMPLOYEE WAGES
AND BENEFITS ARE WELL
ABOVE COMPETITORS
Costco has been called the “antiWalmart” by publications from The
New York Times to Gawker, and this
is largely because of the way Costco
compensates its employees.
Despite the sagging economy and
challenges to the industry, Costco pays
its hourly workers an average of $20.89
an hour, not including overtime (vs. the
minimum wage of $7.25 an hour). By
comparison, Walmart said its average
wage for full-time employees in the U.S.
is $12.67 an hour, according to a letter
it sent in April to activist Ralph Nader.
Eighty-eight percent of Costco
employees have company-sponsored
health insurance; Walmart says that
“more than half ” of its do. Costco
workers with coverage pay premiums
that amount to less than 10 percent of
the overall cost of their plans. It treats
its employees well in the belief that a
happier work environment will result in
a more profitable company.
“I just think people need to make
a living wage with health benefits,”
says Jelinek. “It also puts more money
back into the economy and creates
a healthier country. It’s really that
simple.”
This treatment of employees
has often upset Wall Street. As
one analyst from Deutsche Bank
wonderfully summed up, “it’s better to
be an employee or a customer than a
shareholder.”
4
THAT SAID, SOME WORKERS
YOU SEE AT COSTCO RECEIVE
LOW PAY AND NO BENEFITS
Costco works through contracting
companies like Club Demonstration
Services for help with certain store
functions. These companies often
FALL 2014
don’t offer benefits and pay much
lower wages than Costco. This appears
to mostly involve the workers who
hand out the much sought after FREE
samples.
Reports have said people from these
third-party contractors count for up to
10 percent of in-store Costco workers,
though this number is unconfirmed.
CDS did not respond to a request for
comment.
5
COSTCO’S FOUNDER WAS
LITERALLY MENTORED
BY MR. PRICE
Founder Jim Sinegal was once
served as executive vice president for
merchandising at one of the original
wholesale retailers, FedMart, and
became the protégé of its chairman, Sol
Price.
Although not quite as directly,
Price’s business was the inspiration for
Walmart as well. Walmart founder Sam
Walton wrote in his book, “Made In
America,” that he named his company
Walmart because of the “mart” in
FedMart.
Price apparently often told a joke
about other retail executives meeting
him and saying, “Sol, you are the father
of everything we have inherited.” To
which Price replied, “I really wish I had
worn a condom.”
Mr. Price started FedMart in San
Diego during the early 1950s and would
also end up creating another warehouse
store called Price Club in 1976, which
Costco would eventually buy.
6
YOU CAN BUY
“DOOMSDAY SUPPLIES”
AND CASKETS AT COSTCO
If you’re feeling particularly morbid
about society’s future, you can always
go to Costco’s Emergency Kits &
Supplies page to order things like
the “EMERGENCY CUBE,” which
provides over 30,000 servings of food
with a shelf life of 25 years. That’ll only
set you back $4,000!
Costco also has a pretty good
selection of coffins that can even be
ordered online.
7
BIBLES AT THE STORE
LABELED AS “FICTION”
FOR A BRIEF TIME
In late 2013, Costco accidentally
labeled a “small percentage” of its
Bibles as “fiction,” which set off
an uproar. The company quickly
apologized, blaming their distributors
for mislabeling the books.
The company has also sold a book
called “The Brick Bible.” It’s like the
Bible, but with Legos.
continued on next page
TECH ENGINEER
FALL 2014
continued from previous page
8
PIE FROM “AMERICAN
PIE” WAS REPORTEDLY
BOUGHT AT A COSTCO
According to IMDb, the apple pie
from iconic ‘90s movie “American Pie”
was purchased at Costco. For those
who don’t remember, the scene features
actor Jason Biggs violating an apple pie,
only to have his father walk in and catch
him in the act.
9
COSTCO OFTEN DOESN’T
ALWAYS GET ALONG
WITH BIG NAME BRANDS,
INCLUDING TIFFANY &
CO. AND APPLE
Costco has had a history of conflict
with some famous brands. A shortlist:
Tiffany & Company: In February
of 2013, the jewelry company filed
a multimillion-dollar lawsuit because
Costco was selling rings labeled
“Tiffany engagement rings,” despite the
jewelry not being authentic.
Apple: Costco stopped carrying
Apple products in 2010, after only
being allowed to sell the iPod in stores
and being barred from selling any
Apple products online. An ongoing
animosity seems to exist between the
companies.
Coca-Cola: After Coca-Cola failed
to give Costco the price they wanted,
the retailer took all of the soda off
their shelves in 2009. This lasted about
a month, until Costco felt they had won
the negotiation battle. In 2013, Costco
pulled Coca-Cola from their food
courts and replaced it with Pepsi after a
similar price disagreement.
Starbucks: Starbucks once failed
to pass along savings to Costco after
a price cut in coffee beans, which led
the warehouse to threaten to pull all of
their coffee products from their stores.
Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz
reportedly called Costco owner Jim
Sinegal and asked, “Who do you think
you are? The price police?” Sinegal
answered, “yes.”
10
THE COMPANY
REFRAINS FROM
HIRING BUSINESS
SCHOOL GRADUATES
Costco makes an attempt to hire
managerial and higher-level positions
from within the company. Some people
who started working on the floor have
even been subsidized by the company
to get their graduate degrees. In an aim
to keep a consistent employee culture,
Costco actually doesn’t hire business
school graduates, according to the
Bloomberg Businessweek profile from
2013.
11
COSTCO IS THE
LARGEST IMPORTER
OF HIGH-END
FRENCH WINES
Costco employs lead wine buyer
Annette Alvarez-Peters, who is
considered one of the most powerful
wine buyers in the world and oversees
the retailer’s massive wine business.
According to a 2012 report by CNBC,
“Costco is the world’s largest importer
of high-end French wines.”
Much like the liquors mentioned
previously, the Kirkland wines are
usually just less-expensive versions of
other well-respected wines.
Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, 2014
With Veteran’s Day fast approaching,
I came upon an article with some
interesting facts about ARLINGTON
CEMETERY, I thought you will find as
interesting as I did.
1. HOW MANY STEPS DOES
THE GUARD TAKE TO WALK
ACROSS THE TOMB OF THE
UNKNOWN AND WHY?
Twenty-one steps. It alludes to the
twenty-one gun salute, which is the
highest honor given any military or
foreign dignitary.
2. HOW LONG DOES HE
HESITATE AFTER HIS ABOUT
FACE TO BEGIN HIS RETURN
WALK AND WHY?
Twenty-one seconds for the same
reason as answer number 1.
3. WHY ARE HIS GLOVES WET?
His gloves are moistened to
prevent his losing his grip on the
rifle.
4. DOES HE CARRY HIS RIFLE
ON THE SAME SHOULDER
ALL THE TIME AND IF NOT,
WHY NOT?
He carries the rifle on the
shoulder away from the tomb.
After his march across the path, he
executes an about face and moves
the rifle to the outside shoulder.
5. HOW OFTEN ARE THE
GUARDS CHANGED?
Guards are changed every thirty
minutes, twenty-four hours a day,
365 days a year.
6. WHAT ARE THE PHYSICAL
TRAITS OF THE GUARD
LIMITED TO?
For a person to apply for guard
duty at the tomb, he must be
between 5’10” and 6’2” tall and
his waist size cannot exceed 30”.
Other requirements of the Guard:
They must commit 2 years of life
to guard the tomb, live in a barracks
Page 5
under the tomb, and cannot drink any
alcohol on or off duty for the rest
of their lives. They cannot swear in
public for the rest of their lives and
cannot disgrace the uniform (fighting)
or the tomb in any way. After two
years, the guard is given a wreath pin
that is worn on their lapel signifying
they served as guard of the tomb.
There are only 400 presently worn.
The guard must obey these rules for
the rest of their lives or give up the
wreath pin.
Their shoes are specially made with
very thick soles to keep the heat and
cold from their feet. There are metal
heel plates that extend to the top of
the shoe in order to make the loud
click as they come to a halt. There
are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the
uniform. Guards dress for duty in
front of a full-length mirror.
The first six months of duty a guard
cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV.
All off-duty time is spent studying
the 175 notable people laid to rest.
In Arlington National Cemetery, a
guard must memorize who they are
and where they are interred. Among
the notables are: President Taft, Joe
E. Lewis (the boxer) and Medal of
Honor winner Audie Murphy (the
most decorated soldier of WWII) of
Hollywood fame.
Every guard spends five hours a
day getting his uniforms ready for
guard duty.
In 2003, as Hurricane Isabelle was
approaching Washington, DC, our
U.S. Senate/House took 2 days off
in anticipation of the storm. On the
ABC evening news, it was reported that
because of dangers from the hurricane,
the military members assigned the duty
of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier were given permission to
suspend assignment. They respectfully
declined the offer, “No way, Sir!”
Soaked to the skin, marching in the
pelting rain of a tropical storm, they
said that guarding the Tomb was
not just an assignment, it was the
highest honor that can be afforded to
a serviceperson. The tomb has been
patrolled continuously, 24/7, since
1930.
In closing, this is our last Tech
Engineer for 2014. We would like
to wish each and every one of you a
Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas,
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year
from myself, Sally, and the entire Local
160 Executive Board.
God Bless and Be Safe.
Christmas
PARTY/
REUNION
Friday, December 5, 2014
at Hatchey’s
It is that time of year for the
Chevrolet/CPC Engineering,
to see old friends again!!!
We will try to make this the
12th Annual Christmas Reunion Party with your help.
Taking place on the 1st Friday of December (12-5-2014)
at Hatchey’s in downtown Utica (rear entrance available)
from 4:00 p.m. til ???
A small buffet for $13.00 and happy hour prices will apply.
Hatchey’s is located at
7759 Auburn Road, Utica, MI
Ph: (586) 991-0408
R.SV.P. to
Jerry “Bear” Podgorniak
(586) 291-5690
Page 6
TECH ENGINEER
LOCAL
160
TECH ENGINEER
FALL 2014
FAMILY PICNIC
Thanks to the following for the generous donations to our
UAW Local 160 Picnic Raffle:
Sterling Insurance
Unity Credit Union
Speedway - 12 Mile Rd.
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Starbucks - Mound Rd.
Norton Cohen, Attorney at Law
Buffalo Wild Wings - Mound Rd. Local 160 Retiree Chapter
Sharon Joseph
PMF Technologies
Page 7
TECH ENGINEER
Page 8
Surviving the recent flood
A
the Wednesday after the floods
Brothers and Sisters,
and seeing the level of damage
s the old
that had occurred, I wouldn’t have
saying goes,
believed that operations could
into each
be restored as quickly as they
life a little rain must
were. The extent of damage and
fall. And fall it did.
clean-up required was well beyond
The storms and
anything I had ever seen before.
subsequent flooding
I would also like to
that came on August
acknowledge the superb work
11th were of historic
done by both the Health and
levels. Never in the
Safety group and the Industrial
history of the Tech
Hygiene group in testing and
Center has there
district 1 monitoring for anything and
been an event of
committeeperson everything in order to make
this magnitude, and
sure that we all returned to a
damage throughout
safe work environment. Nobody was
the site was extensive.
allowed to return to the buildings until
As of the time of this writing,
all testing was completed, results met
the Shop Committee is in strong
standards, and an official “certificate of
disagreement with the categorization
occupancy” was issued.
and coding of the “Short Work Week”
It is also important to note that
that occurred. In District 1, grievances
most UAW/GM safety standards
have been written regarding this.
are substantially more stringent then
Hopefully, by the time you read this, the
OSHA and MIOSHA standards. Due
issue has been resolved. However, if
the “snow day” that occurred in January to the time the shops were down, there
will be substantial overtime occurring
of this year is any indication of how
to get back on schedule (provided
quickly a matter of this kind is resolved,
programs are not re-timed). Make hay
then it will probably take a while.
while the sun shines; things still look
One thing I would like to say is that
like they will be slowing down towards
I believe we all owe our Facilities and
the end of the year.
Housekeeping organizations a hearty
One learning that came out of
thank you for all their hard work in
this calamity is that over 30% of our
getting the site up and running again.
membership does not have up-to-date
Our brothers and sisters in Facilities
contact information on file. Needless
and Housekeeping worked tirelessly
to say, this turned out to be a great
and well beyond the call of duty in
impediment in terms of informing
order to get buildings up and running
the membership as to the status of
so we could get back to work and start
returning to work. Updated contact
earning a regular paycheck again.
information can be submitted on
Having toured various buildings on
WALT
jarmoluk
Credit Unions... of the People.
by the People.
for the People.
The appeal of the democratic concept is that it puts people first. As
cooperative financial institutions based on democratic principles, Credit
Unions are true people organizations that serve the common good. The
people who use a Credit Union are its members...and its owners, all with
an equal say.
A Credit Union exists for the sole benefit of its members and among
all financial institutions, stands alone as the only one which operates on a
not-for-profit basis. Take advantage of Credit Union membership. People
always come first at the credit union.
UNITY CREDIT UNION
CU
CREDIT
UNION
7240 East Twelve Mile Road
Warren, Michigan 48092
(586) 573-4110
forms available from the various racks
in the shops and may also be updated
electronically. To do it electronically,
log onto Socrates, click on the “My
Services” tab, then click on the
“Personal” tab, click on “Update” and
enter your current contact information.
Given the general and imprecise
information given on the GM Alert
Line, many of you may have been
kept better informed had contact
information been up to date.
We have a signed Memorandum of
Understanding for the SSO Scope of
Work in CCO. There are copies of it
floating around on the floor and also a
copy posted in the bulletin board.
Even though we have an agreement
as to the scope of work for SSOs in
CCO, it has become apparent that
there are violations of this agreement
occurring. Seems as though some
of supervision does not think this
agreement applies to them. We have
already had to file grievances. I am
asking for you, the membership, to
respect and adhere to the agreement
negotiated on your behalf.
The point is that if you are working
outside of what was agreed upon,
then you may not have the training
or knowledge needed to perform that
job in a safe manner and to the quality
levels required (in addition to violating
your Union brother or sister).
Furthermore, if you are an SSO and
are doing Model Maker work, then you
are cutting your own throat. Why would
management indenture apprentices if
they can get an SSO to work outside of
their classification?
If you are an SSO and are ordered
by a member of management to violate
what was agreed upon, you have the
right to make a committee call. But you
should, however, not defy a direct order
to do a job unless you have convictions
that it would be unsafe. Instead, tell
your supervisor that: “I am performing
this task under protest. I believe that
you are asking me to work outside of
the agreed upon scope of work for my
classification and am therefore violating
another Bargaining Unit member.
Please place a call for my Union
representation.”
With your help, we can finally get this
issue resolved once and for all.
FALL 2014
On a different note, part of the
“grand bargain” that came with the
bankruptcy was the “Competitive
Operating Agreement” or COA.
The COA (as part of the terms and
conditions dictated by Congress)
explicitly made it illegal for the UAW
to go on strike from the time of
bankruptcy until our Agreements expire
on Sept. 15, 2015.
Needless to say, the Union has
not had a level playing field in the
last couple of sets of negotiations.
By the time you read this, we will be
approximately a year away from the
expiration of our Agreements and at
that time a general strike will again
be available as a tool to advance the
interests of the membership.
There is an old rallying cry in the
Union: “One day longer.” What this
phrase refers to is that when out on
strike we will last “one day longer”
than the Company in order to attain a
fair and equitable Agreement. Many of
our newer members have never been
through a strike during their time with
GM. It is important to understand that
many, if not most, of the conditions
and benefits that we enjoy as Union
members were only able to be achieved
via the picket line. In order for us
to regain what we lost during the
bankruptcy in this set of upcoming
negotiations, it may very well come
down to a strike.
The reason I bring this up is that
in order to last “one day longer” than
the company, each and every one of
us should be financially prepared for a
strike. I think a good rule of thumb is
to have enough cash in the bank to pay
all your bills and living expenses for a
month. Strike pay alone may keep you
from starving, but that’s about it.
Many financial advisers contend that
everyone should have enough money
set aside to cover three months of
bills and living expenses in case of a
personal financial calamity. Not only is
having solid finances good for you on a
personal level, I will argue that it is also
part of being a good Union member.
Having sound personal finances diminishes the Company’s ability to subjugate
us both individually and collectively.
So start preparing now, because a
year will go by before you know it!
NOTICE of CANCELLATION
Please be advised the fundraising SPAGHETTI Dinner,
sponsored by UAW Local 160 Retirees Chapter for the ARC
Detroit, scheduled for Wednesday, September 17, 2014...
HAS BEEN CANCELLED. If you have questions, please
call Dennis J. Henry at (586) 247-7883.
TECH ENGINEER
FALL 2014
10 tips for getting along with people at work
T
Page 9
will note an irresponsible attitude and be wary
he workplace
of approaching you if you continually break
brings together
your promises.
a diverse group
of people, a group
BE KIND AND ENCOURAGING TO
certain to have different
OTHERS
values, expectations and
Never let an opportunity to show kindness
approaches to work.
and encouragement to others pass you by.
These differences can
Praise good work regardless of who did it.
occasionally give rise
Show concern for another’s feelings and well
to tension between cobeing. You will benefit greatly from even the
workers. While it would
smallest act of kindness shown.
be unreasonable to
TAKE AN INTEREST IN OTHER PEOPLE
expect that you will get
Learn about others’ interests, their homes
EAP REPRESENTATIVES
along with everyone,
and families, and even their problems. Gaining
static between you and
the confidence of a co-worker is made much easier
a co-worker can affect the morale and productivity
when you demonstrate that you have a caring attitude.
of everyone, including yourself. Here are 10 tips for
When others are joyful, rejoice with them; when
getting along with people at work.
troubled or in mourning, be sympathetic. Let others
KEEP A TIGHT REIN ON YOUR TONGUE
know you regard them as people of importance.
How you say something counts for far more than
BE CHEERFUL
what you say. How many times have you walked away
We all carry a load of some sort and “misery
from a conversation angry… not so much because
loves company.” Making others miserable is truly a
of what was said, rather the tone of voice used when
disservice. Maintaining a cheerful attitude at all times
saying it? When confronted with a difficult situation,
will make others more comfortable in your presence
always say less than you think. How you handle yourself
and make you feel better as well.
in a crisis will give others confidence in you and in their
KEEP AN OPEN MIND
ability to bring problems and issues to your attention.
Don’t let yourself get pulled into arguments. Being
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PROMISE OTHERS
disagreeable is likely to put others off. They will
If you make promises, you had better be prepared to much prefer to deal with those who have a calm and
keep them, no matter what the cost. The easiest way to
reasoned approach. When confronted with a situation
lose the respect of others is by guaranteeing things that that you either disapprove of or dislike, keep in mind
you are either unable or unwilling to deliver. Others
that you can agree to disagree in a friendly manner.
ken NANCY
jones
kelly
BE MINDFUL OF ONLY YOUR OWN VICES
AND VIRTUES
Refuse to discuss others’ vices or problems. Don’t
allow gossip to rule your life. Tearing down another
to prop yourself up is an extraordinary waste of time;
furthermore, it can be very destructive.
BE CAREFUL OF OTHERS’ FEELINGS
Humor at another’s expense is rarely worth the
trouble. Take into account another person’s feelings
before you poke fun. Things said in jest are often the
sharpest barbs to be felt.
PAY NO ATTENTION TO WHAT OTHERS SAY
ABOUT YOU
Remember, the person making snide or rude
comments about you may not be well informed. Live in
such a way that what is said about you cannot be taken
to heart. Let your own actions determine how others
see you, and they will not believe the negative things
said.
DON’T WORRY ABOUT CREDIT WHICH IS
DUE YOU
Do your best and be the best you can be.
Concerning yourself about how much credit you
receive will only burden you with more stress. Let
others see your work ethic, and you will be able to take
pride and pleasure in a job well done.
When you consider that the average person spends
one third of their lives at work, the ability to create
and maintain good relationships with your co-workers
is important. When things are harmonious, there is
greater teamwork and cooperation, which goes a long
way to making the workday more pleasant.
Ken Jones (986-4166)
Nancy Kelly (751-4474)
IN MEMORIAM
MEMBER
UNIT
SENIORITY
RETIREMENTDECEASED
DATE DATEDATE
MEMBER
UNIT
SENIORITY
RETIREMENTDECEASED
DATE DATEDATE
William Warren
MCD Headquarters 1/6/1970
1/1/2007 4/18/2014
Sylvester Ramsey
VEC
7/24/1984Active
Thomas Balmer
MCD Headquarters 12/3/1956
8/1/1982 5/8/2014
Charles D. Hotary
Design
8/16/1965 6/1/20036/12/2014
Frank Divozzo
MCD Headquarters 4/8/1946
6/1/1982 5/13/2014
Brian T. Haack
Parts Fab
12/17/1979 9/1/2009 6/18/2014
Dale Miller
Engineering
7/17/1978 7/1/20005/16/2014
Edward Keller
MCD Headquarters 9/8/1950
Columbus Steward
CCO
9/14/1972 1/1/20075/21/2014
Stewart M. Robbins, Jr. MCD Headquarters 2/27/1973
Ernst A. Hartlieb
MCD Headquarters 11/7/1983
Allan M. Koluch
6/11/2014
2/1/1986 6/22/2014
10/1/1999 7/1/2014
Robert F. Garretson
Parts Fab
10/13/1986 12/1/2006 7/2/2014
MCD Headquarters 10/16/1978 8/1/2008 5/25/2014
Kenneth D. Tanis
Research
11/10/1967 10/1/19997/5/2014
Victor R. Dolata
Powertrain
5/29/1957 4/1/19975/30/2014
Wilhelm J. Otter
MCD Headquarters 1/16/1956
Alfred E. Gibson
Design
10/21/1968 11/1/19976/8/2014
Nevenka T. Bera
Engineering
6/7/1965 4/1/19817/17/2014
Robert A. Ellis
MCD Headquarters 9/18/1956
2/1/1993 6/9/2014
Lawrence R. Kaiser
Powertrain
11/11/19749/1/1987 7/29/2014
George E. Hartson
MCD Headquarters 1/2/1979
1/1/2007 6/11/2014
Thomas MacLean
CCO
2/23/1971 8/1/19888/15/2014
Edward F. Martin
CCO
6/1/1986 5/23/2014
4/1/1991 7/9/2014
11/12/19841/1/2007 6/11/2014
The Officers, Representatives, Staff and Members of UAW Local 160 wish to extend their deepest
sympathy to the friends and families of these Local 160 Brothers and Sisters for their recent loss.
TECH ENGINEER
Page 10
DATES to REMEMBER
September
17
20
25
28
Retiree General Membership Meeting & Lunch @ 10:00 AM
Women’s Committee Fall Steak Out – 6:00 PM until 1:00 AM
3rd Party Unit Membership Meetings @ 2:00 PM & 3:00 PM
General Membership Meeting @ 10:00 AM
October
9 GM Unit Meetings @ 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM
15 Retiree General Membership Meeting & Lunch @ 10:00 AM
23 3rd Party Unit Membership Meetings @ 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM
26 General Membership Meeting @ 10:00 AM
31Halloween
November
2
4
13
14
19
20
23
27
28
Daylight Savings Time ends – set clocks back one hour
Election Day (UAW-GM Holiday)
GM Unit Meetings @ 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM
Veterans Day Observed (UAW-GM Holiday)
Retiree General Membership Meeting & Lunch @ 10:00 AM
3rd Party Unit Membership Meetings @ 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM
General Membership Meeting @ 10:00 AM
Thanksgiving Day (UAW-GM Holiday)
Day After Thanksgiving (UAW-GM Holiday)
December
4
Site Wide Holiday Gathering/Meal at Local 160
14
Breakfast with Santa
17
Retiree General Membership Meeting @ 10:00 AM
22-23 GM Shut Down
24-31 Christmas Holiday Period (UAW-GM Holiday)
January 2015
1-2
8
19
21
22
25
New Year’s Holiday Period (UAW-GM Holiday)
GM Unit Meetings @ 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (UAW-GM Holiday)
Retiree General Membership Meeting @ 10:00 AM
3rd Party Unit Meetings @ 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM
General Membership Meeting @ 10:00 AM
FALL 2014
A Safe and Injury-Free Environment
Ergonomics Process
•Job Analysis – Identify
unacceptable levels of
ergonomics risk
–First level screening (RFC)
–Second Level analysis tools (when necessary)
–Skilled trades interview form (when appropriate)
•Correction – Implement job
changes
–JETT monitors the correction process
–Reanalyze the job after
corrections have been
implemented
gary
CHRIS
poteete shamoun
HI TECH REPRESENTATIVES
Types of Ergonomic Improvements
•Tooling
•Training & Technique
•Hoists
•Rotation
•Lifts
•Engineering Changes
•Gloves and Pads
•Removing Bad Parts
•Part Presentation
•Administrative Controls
•Platforms
Roles & Responsibilities
•Everyone’s Involvement
–Team Members
–Skilled Trades
–Plant Safety Review Board (PSRB) –Engineering
–GM Health Services
–Production Resources
–Group Leaders
•JETT
–Administer ergonomics program under the leadership and direction of PSRB
–Conduct Job Evaluation
–Conduct Job Analysis
–Recommend Corrections
–Monitor the Corrections
–Re-Analyze Jobs
–Participate in review of equipment and/or process
–Report monthly to PSRB and keep minutes specific to Ergonomics
–Properly Document all QRP’s in the Technical Ergonomics Database (TED)
–Joint UAW-GM decision to intervene
How You Can Help
•Fill out a Quick Response Process form (QRP)
•Report all injuries and illness to Medical
•Talk to your supervisor about job concerns
Conclusion
By working jointly with your supervisor and the UAW-GM Joint Ergonomics
Technician Team (JETT) you can help us reach our goal of keeping everyone safe and
injury free.
For Change of Address, Cut Out and Mail to:
UAW Local 160
c/o Becky Ervin, Financial Sec’y-Treasurer
28504 Lorna
Warren, MI 48092
Name________________________________________________________________
NEW
Address_______________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip__________________________________________________________
OLD
Address_______________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip__________________________________________________________
Last 4 digits of Social Security number______________________ (verification only)
TECH ENGINEER
FALL 2014
“Steak-Out” to fight Breast Cancer
I
Greetings All,
supported this event in
hope everyone has had a
the past can tell you, this
great summer, although it
is always a great time.
is coming to an end. The
Tickets are available at
Women’s Committee will be
the Union Hall or from
hosting their annual “Steakany of the Women’s
Out” on September 20th this
Committee members. All
year. ADVANCED Tickets
profits will be donated to
are $20. Your choice of
breast cancer.
steak, chicken, ribs or a vegan
We are also still taking
option. Dinner includes salad,
donations for the March
baked potato, vegetable and
of Dimes. We still have
dessert. We will supply the
donation buckets at the
WOMEN’S COMMITTEE
beer and set-ups.
CHAIRPERSON Local. With the help
Entertainment this year
from those of you who
is by one of our own Local 160
supported our first “Cinco de Mayo”
retirees, Jimmy Helton and his band
taco dinner fundraiser, we were able to
NIGHTFALL. Please come out
put over $1,600 into that bucket.
and support us. For those who have
I can’t thank all of you enough who
DENISE
blue
Page 11
helped make our first run at
this event a success. We only
are as good as those who
support us, so thank-you,
thank-you, and thank-you!!!
In closing, I would like
to say what a great time I
know everyone had at this
year’s family picnic. Moving
the location to MetroPark
allowed kids of ALL ages
to enjoy all that the park
has to offer and I would
just like to give a HUGE
shout-out to those who
worked so hard to make the
day enjoyable. I can’t say
enough about the dedication
some people have to ensure
that everything we all do
succeeds. You rock!!!!
28225 Mound Road
Warren, MI 48092-3498
13710 Michigan Ave.
Dearborn, MI 48126-3520
(Between 11 & 12 Mile Rd.)
Mancini
Schreuder
Kline, PC
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
1.800.750.5678
Lawyers Working For You
•Worker’s Compensation
•Social Security Disability
•Personal Injury/
Premises Liability
•Vehicle Injuries
•Wrongful Death
•Insurance Disputer
•Medical Malpractice
NO FEE UNLESS WE SUCCEED
CHARLES A. MANCINI
mancini-law.com
(586) 751-3900
FAX: (586) 751-7203
golf
Local 160
OUTING