REGION
A Publication By and For the Retired Workers of Region 1A
RETIREE
NEWS
1A
SPRING 2014
volume 26 – no. 1
The More Things Change...
The More They Stay The Same
and union members alike. All
Americans have benefited
from our struggle then – as
they do now. The residue of
making work environments
safer, enduring disrespect, and
suffering through strikes to
gain fairness are part of your
DNA as UAW pioneers. One
of the reasons we started the
Peer Activist program was to educate our
members about the early struggles of the
UAW. We will never take your sacrifices for
granted.
The efforts to impede our mission of
solidarity are not new. Whether it was paid
goons attacking Walter Reuther and other
union members on the overpass, sitting
down in a plant in Flint, or carrying the
The gains we achieved
bodies of our brothers and sisters shot dead
during hunger marches, our history is filled
changed the lives of nonwith courage and sacrifice. It took all of us
union and union members alike. All
working together to make life better for each
Americans have benefited from our
other.
Now we are seeing the attacks on us
struggle then – as they do now.
ramped up again. They are using different
tactics, but their goals of greed remain the same:
health care slashed to nothing, public workers
control the working
across the country rights to organize, pay dues,
people. The more things and pensions and benefits have been legislated
change, the more they
away. They did it before. They are trying to do it
stay the same.
again.
You see the headlines:
Republicans are trying to destroy unions in
retirees in Wayne
the U.S. Congress and in state legislatures. Why
County could lose their
would we support a party that wants to still the
health care benefits,
voice of democracy? If people want a union, why
retires in Detroit city
would you fight to prevent them from having
government could have
that right? How can we support a party that tries
their pensions and
See RORY GAMBLE on Page 11
Director’s
Rory Gamble
Report
W
hen Governor Rick Snyder taxed the
pensions of retirees, many people who
had voted for him were shocked. We
weren’t. Some, by their own hand, have put
people in power who are hell-bent on destroying
unions and its legacy, the middle class. We have
been under attack before, but we place ourselves
at a great disadvantage when people who don’t
care about our issues or future are in charge.
The birth of the union came about because
the everyday American worker was being treated
unfairly and disrespectfully. Whether it was
wages or working conditions, we didn’t have a
voice in our workplace. We needed to be heard
in the halls of congress and the White House.
Many of you remember how we were treated,
how our contributions were dismissed. We
began to organize.
We came together
as a union and
collectively bargained
for fair wages and
benefits, safe working
conditions, and
human dignity.
The gains we
achieved changed the
lives of non-union
“
UAW REGION 1A ON THE RADIO
Join UAW Region 1A Director Rory Gamble and Pastor Ovella Andreas on WDRJ 1440 AM
Every Wednesday from 12:00 noon to 12:30 p.m.
You can also listen online at http://1440wdrj.com/ or on the iPhone with the WDRJ iPhone App (located in the iTunes App store).
You can also go to iTunes WDRJ Mobile Streaming for Android, Blackberry Bold, Nokia Symbian.
Make sure you listen in and tell a friend.
”
2
REGION 1A RETIREE NEWS
Region 1A Retired
Workers Council
ReGION 1A director
Rory Gamble
DIRECTOR’S secretarY
Michelle Best
RETIREE COORDINATOR
Leigh Kegerreis
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
BOB SISLER, LU 6000
Chair
RUDY NELSON, LU 600
1st Vice Chair
RICH EBERHART, LU 3000
2nd Vice Chair
LINDA “Kaye Kaye” HAYES, LU 600
Recording Secretary
ANNE DRAKE, LU 898
Financial Secretary
RICHARD CLAYTON, LU 372
Executive Board Member-at-Large
ALICE “Pat” Garrett, LU 898
Sergeant-at-Arms
TBD
Guide
ELMER DUFF, LU 227
RUDY NELSON, LU 600
Advisory Council Members
STANDING COMMITTEES
Union Label... Linda K. Hayes, LU 600
Legislation............Elmer Duff, LU 227
Editorial..............Anne Drake, LU 898
Bylaws..................Elmer Duff, LU 227
Education.....................................TBD
Veterans.........Rich Eberhart, LU 3000
Civil Rights............ Peaches Anderson,
LU 600
Consumers/Protection Issues........TBD
Finance...............Anne Drake, LU 898
Scholarship............. Virl Dare, LU 245
Women’s......................................TBD
Scholarship
Fundraising................................TBD
Region 1A Retiree News
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
ANNE DRAKE, Editor, LU 898
Bob Sisler, Executive Officio
Published periodically by the Retired Workers Council,
Region 1A UAW, 9650 Telegraph, Taylor, MI 48180.
Address all communications, including change of
address, to: Region 1A UAW, 9650 Telegraph, Taylor,
MI 48180.
All communications become the property of the Retiree
News. Letters to the Editor should be kept to 200-250
words and the Editorial Committee is solely responsible
for selecting any correspondence for reprint in the
Retirees News. All items selected are subject to edit.
SPRING 2014
Advisory Council
Report
By Elmer Duff, Region 1A Retired Workers Advisory Council Delegate
Retirees Have a Big Stake in this Election
members with hope of unionizing Volkswagen.
V.P. Jimmy Settles encouraged us to speak up and
tell others of our history. Joe Ashton talked about
the nature of living in a right-to-work state. Cindy
Estrada told us we have been through the fight
and there are 400,000 workers who need to be
organized. Secretary-Treasurer Dennis Williams
stated that four years ago many people had written
GM and Chrysler off, but look where they are now.
Who built the middle class in America and now
who is becoming the underclass? RETIREES. So to
keep or to gain, it’s going to take a fight from us to
support the dues increase and to support V-CAP
and to get out the vote, and it will do us a lot of
good. Also, that it’s time to stand up and fight.
Benefit Trust: January 1, 2010, the Trust was
about $45 billion lower than projected. January
1, 2013, the value of the Trust was way over 56
billion with Ford $15.9 billion, GM $30 billion
and Chrysler $10.3 billion. January 20, 2014, $3.1
billion went into the Chrysler VEBA, and for the
three Companies there was no impact from the
ACA (Obamacare).
Good News: The chained CPI has been taken off
the table.
I want to bring to your attention that if you have
a change of address or you have lost a spouse,
please let your Chapter or your Benefit Express
know.
So, my Brothers and Sisters, we must make sure
our issues are addressed and forge a new direction
with a Democratic majority. But our job will not
be done until we support and get our members to
support the
UAW V-CAP
so that the
concerns of
our unionized
workers and
retirees are
heard.
We as
retirees need
to talk about
COLA. Tell
me what you
think.
I pray that
everyone is
staying safe
this winter.
There have
been a lot
of slips and
falls and, with
this bitter
cold, we are
due for some
warmth. Stay
(L-R) Mildred and Elmer Duff with Debbie Chamberlain (Retiree Dept. Rep.) and Rudy
Nelson (Junior Advisory Council Delegate) at the CAP Conference.
safe.
At the CAP Conference in February, we took
a pledge to make our voices heard by talking to
our loved ones, friends, neighbors and whoever
is willing to listen, to give
to V-CAP and talk to other
retirees to give, to help
members become more
responsive and accessible
to their Local and Retiree
Council. You’ve always heard
that this is the most important
Elmer W.
election in your life and this
DUFF
is very true. With what’s at
stake, we could lose a lot with the wrong people in
office after the next election, from School Board to
the Congress. Starting in Michigan, all 38 Senate
and 110 House seats, Governor, Lt. Governor,
Secretary of State and Attorney General are up for
election, along with some Supreme Court seats.
In the U.S. Senate race, Carl Levin is retiring
and in the 12th Congressional District, John
Dingell is retiring. Both these men are a great
loss to us. Mr. Dingell is the longest serving
Congressman, with 58 years of service to his
district, state and nation. We thank him, especially
the retirees, because he talks about them often,
and the Veterans. We owe him a great deal of
gratitude for all he has done. There are other
important races in the 11th, 13th and 14th. Gary
Peters will give up his seat to run for Carl Levin’s
seat in the U.S. Senate.
At the CAP Conference, we were addressed by
many speakers. Our UAW President excited the
spring 2014
Union Label Committee
By Linda Kay Hayes (Kay-Kay), Local 600
Report
REGION 1A RETIREE NEWS
3
The Struggle Continues
Happy New Year My
Sisters and Brothers,
Have we had a winter
this year. Hope all is well.
The struggle continues; we
are under attack and we are
the grass roots of our great
union. We’ve paved the
Linda Kaye
way, but we must continue
HAYES
to educate our future –
children, grandchildren, great grands. We must
instill in them the meaning of our civil rights and
human rights...the real Union Label.
We at Region 1A will be working with the
American Football Coaches Association in
regards to the National Child Identification
Program that started in 1997. Their goal is to
reach all 60 million children in the U.S. We will
be a part of that. We have started with Phase 1,
working with UAW Ford active. Phase 2 is for
the retirees of all local unions under Region
1A. This kit will help authorities to reunite
missing children with their families. Over 800,000
children are missing every year – that’s one
every 40 seconds. The kit will
cost only $2.85. Our Regional
Director, Rory Gamble, will
match whatever number we
sign up. This is very important.
Each kit will include an Inkless
Fingerprint Kit, DNA collection
swab and a wallet card. So help
Region 1A Retiree Council help
protect our families. At our next
meeting, you will be able to sign
up.
I had the honor of going to
the UAW CAP conference.
“Educate, Organize and
Mobilize” – that’s our constant
(l-r) Pat Garrett, Peaches Anderson, and Linda “Kay Kay” Hayes
prayer. While there, Peaches
on their way to the White House.
Anderson, Pat Garrett and I
went on a tour of the White House. Peaches and
cameras all over the place. You can’t touch it.
I and Rosa Floyd got to see a little more. As we
Saw where the President and First Family go
went through kitchen, cooks waved at us, and
to the bowling alley. Saw the dog, Sonny. It was
a great experience.
Secret Service showed us the President’s breakfast,
The following is a report from my Union
which was all fruit by the way. And I asked, “Can
Sister, Pat Garrett, UAW 898...
I touch the tray?” He laughed and said they have
CAP
CONFERENCE
Pat Garrett, Region 1A
Retiree Delegate
UAW President
Bob King
explaining the
fight ahead.
UAW President Bob King opened the CAP Conference by thanking
the active and retired delegates for the great turnout. Thomas E. Perez,
Secretary of Labor, stated President Obama’s administration is on our
side and the administration is proud to work with the UAW for their
hard work in organizing.
Are We Ready To Fight?
That’s what President Bob King asked the delegates in his opening
speech on the second day of the conference. King was talking about the
extremist: the Koch brothers, Grover Norquist and the politicians they
fund such as Bob Corker and the governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam.
King said in 2014 it will take the resources and participation of all our
UAW brothers and sisters to win this fight. Governors Scott Walker of
WI, Ricky Snyder of MI and John Kasich of OH all want to destroy
collective bargaining and hurt working families in their states.
Congressperson Marcia Fudge (D-OH) told the delegates that she
Minority House
Leader Nancy Pelosi
addressing the
delegates.
is opposed to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement and
will not vote for it. The UAW also opposes the trade agreement unless
changes are made to protect the U.S. auto market and workers’ right to
organize. REMEMBER NAFTA!
On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to take the tour of the White
House. I didn’t get to see the first family, but I did see Sonny, the White
House dog, and I was very excited just to be there.
The UAW Women’s Breakfast hosted by VP Director Cindy Estrada
had a guest speaker, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.
Pelosi stated it has been an endless battle against the Republicans
blocking jobs creation legislation that would help the poor and women.
The GOP says if they give the unemployed a check they won’t look for a
job. Unemployment isn’t a priority for them, but we think not extending
benefits is immoral.
Great conference. We’ve got our work cut out for us, brothers and
sisters.
4
REGION 1A RETIREE NEWS
chapter
15
report
Chair – Chester Overton by Regina Davis
Rosie the Riveter
I would like to take this time to discuss our
“Rosie the Riveters.” Just a little history; they
were real women workers in the World War II
era. From the years 1940 to 1945, more than 6
million women stepped up to fill positions in
factories, shipyards and munitions plants across
America. As our men were being called to serve
our country, these women walked into a strange,
new and challenging world. They worked long
hours building airplanes, bombs and tanks for our
country. Even their clothes changed from dresses
to coveralls. They were young and strong and did
their jobs with the pride of helping their country.
America soon took notice of these great
women as the song “Rosie the Riveter,” written
by Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb, became
popular in 1942. Also in 1942, Westinghouse
Power Company’s J. Howard Miller designed
the famous poster “We Can Do It” to boost the
moral of the workers. Norman Rockwell’s image
of “Rosie the Riveter” appeared on the May 29,
1943 cover of Saturday Evening Post showing
SPRING 2014
a different “Rosie,” but you can still see the
strength and pride within this woman. Now on to
the REAL “Rosies!”
Rose Hicker from Eastern Aircraft Company
in Tarrytown, New York was pictured with her
partner as they set a record number of rivets
into the wing of a Grumman “Avenger” Bomber
on June 8, 1943. Rose Will Monroe is another
“Rosie.” She worked on B24 and B49 Bomber
airplanes at the Willow Run Aircraft Factory in
Ypsilanti, Michigan. Rose Will Monroe appeared
in promotional films for war bonds.
Recently, I was informed that we at Local
15 have our own “Rosie the Riveter” in our
membership, Irene Petras Pudelek. I would like
to now share her story. Irene was 18 years old
when she was hired at the DeSoto Chrysler Plant
(Michigan & Wyoming in Detroit, Michigan) in
September 1943. She and her partner worked on
the wings of the B17 airplanes. Irene was a riveter
and her partner a bucker (the person holding
the sections together as the other shoots rivets).
Irene’s take home pay for 48 hours was $45.56.
On April 29, 1944, Irene married her husband,
Albert F. Pudelek. She continued to work at the
Chrysler Plant until July 1944. Later that fall,
she joined her husband at Hobb’s Army Air
Force Base in New Mexico. Irene then became
a general mechanic’s helper. She worked in a
hanger on the base repairing airplanes. She was
ready for this job because of the experience she
had from the Detroit Chrysler Plant.
Irene worked on the Hobb’s Air Force Base
till April 1945, at which time her husband was
transferred. She then
returned to Michigan
where she started a
family and continued to
be a loving mother. Her
husband retired from
Fisher Body Fleetwood
after 43 years.
I feel honored to know
such a remarkable woman.
I would like to thank all
of those wonderful “Rosie
the Riveters” for their
support of our country
and making their mark
on our lives. Because of
them, I was later able to
become another working
woman in the auto
industry.
– submitted by Regina Davis
“Rosie the
Riveter” Irene
Pudelek
hired in at
the DeSoto
Chrysler
Plant in 1943
and began
working on
the wings
of the B17
airplanes.
chapter
36
report
Chair – JIM MAGGARD
Fair Trade for Workers
and Consumers
It’s time for another article for the paper from
Local 36. Sorry I missed the last one. I was out
of town due to two deaths in the family. I hope
everyone had a nice Christmas and Happy New
Year. A special thanks to all who attended our
Christmas party at DJ’s. We had a great crowd.
Looks like Ford Motor Company is doing
great in their sales again this year. The
employees are
... when
expecting a fantastic
bonus this year with an the next
estimate of $8,800 per election comes
person. When the next around, we all
contract comes up, I
need to get out
hope the retirees will
get their Christmas
and vote.
bonus back, or at least
get a few things out of the upcoming contract
talks. We were the ones who made Ford what
they are today. They need to share the wealth.
I also do not want you all to forget that, when
the next election comes around, we all need
to get out and vote. We need to work hard to
replace the current governor and put someone
in the office who will work for the people of this
state. We need our voices heard. We need to
them to know that they need to give some of the
money back to the schools that they took away.
Education and our school system is not an area
to look at for balancing a budget.
The UAW seeks fair trade and a more
equitable global economy, one that raises the
standard of living for the workers who have
created this enormous wealth around the world.
We have a long and proud history of advocating
for fair trade, and I believe that worker and
consumer interests must come first, not just
the interests of the multinational corporations.
We support and advocate for trade policies
that strengthen and not weaken worker and
consumers rights, here and abroad.
PLEASE DONATE TO...
If you have an old cell phone to donate, you can bring
it to Rich Eberhart, 2nd Vice Chair RWC, or Rick Custer,
Local 600 retiree, at the monthly retiree meeting at the
Region or look for collection boxes in your community.
CELL PHONES
FOR SOLDIERS
“
”
REGION 1A RETIREE NEWS
spring 2014
chapter
78
report
article by Jim Ward
Chair – sylvester ‘Doc’ THOMAS
Attacks on Workers & Unions
We would like to offer condolences to the
families of Walter Farrel (Detroit Plant) and
Willey Dennie (Romulus), who died since our
last Retiree News. May they Rest In Peace.
We also lost our son, Steve, December 28th.
He was a proud UAW member working at the
Detroit plant until it closed. We miss our son and
are still trying to come to grips with our loss.
On February 11th, UAW members were asked
to wear white shirts. This was in honor of the Sitdown strike of 1937 at a General Motors’ plant
in Flint. I would also like to say thanks to Walter
Suba. He’s the last of our Sit-down strikers at
Kelsey Hayes. Walt turned 99 on December
14th, and he and wife Mary celebrated their 73
anniversary recently.
The recent union vote at a VW plant
in Tennessee was lost because of outside
interference from a Governor and a U.S.
Senator. Both threatened legislative retaliation
against the plant if they voted in the union. I
believe it was at this point the votes were lost.
That’s when I started wondering why we can’t file
chapter
163
report
Chair – Roy Gonzalez
More Misery Caused by
Republicans and the Tea Party
Here we go again, the fat-cat Republicans
and Tea Party are not satisfied with already
screwing over 70 million Americans who are
barely surviving day to day. They insisted on
adding more misery to destitute Americans,
so they strong armed the Democrats in the
House of Representatives to accept a $8.7
billion cut in the SNAP (food stamp) program.
Strong armed, how can that be? With the
SNAP program coming up for renewal, the
Republican and Tea Party (ReTea Party)
threatened the minority Democrats. They
would let the program lapse, then pull out
all the stops to pass what they wanted, an
approximately $40 billion cut in the SNAP
program, despite the strong objections of
the Democrats who wanted the program to
continue as it was.
suit against the State of Tennessee for the unfair
practice because of these two representatives,
Senator Bob Corker and Governor Bill Haslam,
for injecting themselves into the process. [The
International UAW has done this – filing an
appeal (complaint) with the NLRB February 21]
With a 45-vote swing, we could have won.
I can’t help wondering why some of our
Democrats didn’t speak out against these two
anti-worker Republicans. Ted Kennedy wouldn’t
have sat quietly and not said something. He
would have come to the support of these
workers. There was a lot of Detroit bashing,
which might be okay under the Constitution (free
speech), but what the Senator and Governor did
I don’t believe is covered by free speech.
With this in mind, we have about eight months
to go before the election for our Governor and
Senator. We must mobilize our members to get
out the Vote! We must stop the attack on the
workers in this state; getting the right-to-work
law passed in the lame-duck legislative session
was one fine example of how they plan their
attack on workers. One thing that bothers me
and probably goes unnoticed is he got rid of
those individuals who worked calling out the
lottery. They were members of a union too,
and that’s just a small example of his attack on
workers. I want you to think about this. VW has
three plants that are non-union, one in Tennessee
and two in China. What does that tell you? I’ll
leave it to your imagination.
We are still waiting on a ruling from 6th
Circuit Court in Cincinnati regarding health care
in UAW v TRW for the post-1997 group.
Ultimately, the Democrats, not wanting the
program to lapse and have the other party do
what they threatened, were finally able to have
them reduce the cut to the $8.7 billion figure.
The result is adding 850 thousand plus to
the 70 million Americans who are already in
such a desperate state trying to live on $1.40
cents a day for meals. I would love to see those
cold-hearted cut throats be made to live on
$1.40 cents a day. And to the many veterans’
families (estimated to be a million plus) who
are sorely in need of assistance, they say, “Too
bad.” They put their lives on the line for the
richest nation in the world and this is how they
are rewarded. For the ReTea Party legislators
bought by many greedy rich special interests,
the suffering of the vast majority is great as
long as they and their greed-monger cronies
are the ones who embrace the golden rule:
Those who have the gold – rule!! I’ve said it
many times and I’ll keep on saying it, we need
Democrats in the majority to represent all
Americans or else things that are already very
bad will get much worse.
And remember this, you should be well
aware that the Republican and Tea Party will
continue to do all they can to destroy Unions,
and if Unions go, so goes the so-called great
American way of life. There is a way to stop
this outrageous downward spiral we are in –
Vote Democrat and help Democrat candidates
as much as possible.
5
chapter
182
report
Chair – Mike Lang
Fair Trade, not Free Trade
Let me start this way, I am sick and tired
of winter. I really like snow at Christmas, but
enough is enough. I’m a four season person and
really do love living in Michigan, but I have to
admit, right now I’m looking forward to cutting
green grass. (I can’t believe I’m saying that.) I
heard on TV the other day that the Tigers are
loading their equipment and heading down to
Florida, so hopefully that means spring is just
around the corner.
Now for union business. Our Christmas
Party was a huge success, with more than 200
gifts raffled off to our membership. In January
at our meeting, we had four brothers from
the Salvation Army who explained what the
Army does. I was amazed when they explained
all of the good work that they do to help the
underprivileged and low-income people get back
on their feet. They help not only with food and
clothing, but with the homeless and those on
parole with preparing for jobs and giving them
shelter. Our Retiree Chapter presented them
with a check to help the Brothers and Sisters in
the Philippines. God bless the Salvation Army
and the people they help.
In February, we had a Representative from the
State of Michigan Consumer Protection Agency
who spoke about Identity Theft and Fraud.
I have some concerns with our country’s
trade policies. The government is currently
negotiating with Japan, Australia, Brunei
Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand,
Peru, Singapore, Canada, Mexico, and Vietnam
on a trade agreement known as the TransPacific Partnership (TPP). I wish I had more
information about this, but I hope that this will
be fair trade and not free trade.
We all remember what happened with the
NAFTA agreement. We lost so many automotive
and part suppliers jobs for the American people.
Companies sent jobs to other countries that pay
their people low wages and have terrible working
conditions.
I am tired of politicians saying one thing
and then doing just the opposite once they get
elected. It seems to me the rich keep getting
richer. The middle class can never get ahead, and
nothing is being done for the poor. They cut the
unemployment for those who have lost their jobs,
and have taken away food stamp money from
families who have nothing.
Please, when you vote, really look into the
background of those running and don’t just
believe the lies they tell. Tell them “We want Fair
Trade not Free Trade.”
6
REGION 1A RETIREE NEWS
chapter
227
report
Chair – Elmer Duff
Share the Facts about the
2014 Election Candidates
I took a pledge in Washington, DC at the
Advisory Council meeting that I would talk to
the members of Local 227, my family, friends
and neighbors about the 2014 Election and the
candidates we should support; not to tell you
who to vote for, but why you should vote for
these candidates. You may think that neither
chapter
372
report
Chair – RICHARD CLAYTON
Reporting from the
UAW CAP Conference
I am writing my article this month from
Washington, DC. I am attending the UAW
CAP Conference where I am representing the
Retirees of 372. Tuesday, we were up on Capitol
Hill informing our Representatives of the
priorities that we, the UAW, were seeking from
our legislators. Listed are some of our legislative
priorities for 2014:
(1) Strengthen Social Security by removing
the income cap. In other words, millionaires and
billionaires would continue to pay Social Security
taxes regardless of their income. Also add in
cola increases for Social Security.
(2) Raise the minimum wage to at least $10.10
per hour (at 40 hours a week that still would be
only $404 a week or $21,008 a year).
(3) Stop the free trade agreement with
Japan by not allowing the Japanese to import
their vehicles into the United States until they
agree to remove all tariffs and restrictions to
the importing of American vehicles into Japan.
Japan must also agree to stop the practice of
currency manipulation, making American cars
too expensive for the Japanese market.
We were reminded once again of a old
saying from Walter Reuther, the ballot box
and the bread box are definitely tied together.
We in Michigan face this fact every day with a
Republican Governor, a Republican State House
and a Republican State Senate. Who would ever
have expected that Michigan would become
your voice nor your vote count, but you’re wrong.
People listen and it does count. We have some
key races in Michigan this year and I don’t
have to tell you how important they are. You
know who taxed your pension, took away the
Homestead tax, made Michigan a right-to-work
state, cut unemployment from twenty-six weeks
to twenty, took the Earned Income Tax credit,
took 300,000 people off of welfare, etc. Now is
the time to do something about it. Talk to your
family, friends and neighbors. Tell them what you
know to be fact!
We, as retirees, have too much to lose. We
must try to get our members who are not paying
the $2.00 dues or the ones paying $1.00 to up it to
$2.00. At the UAW Convention in June, there is a
resolution to up voluntary retiree dues to $3.00. All
the Regional Retired Workers Councils voted for it.
It looks like Chrysler again belongs to
an international company. We are now Fiat
Chrysler, headquartered in Newfoundland. With
a right-to-work state? That’s just one of many
examples of how the ballot box and the bread box
are so tied together.
On Tuesday morning, the 2,000 delegates
to the conference visited Capitol Hill. I went
with a group that first visited Representative
Dave Camp, a Republican congressman who
represents a large section of Michigan, including
Saginaw. Here are the facts about our visit to
Representative Camp. First, he was not there to
hear from his constituents, and second, he sent
his aide who had us meet in an office I would
describe as a janitor’s closet. The facilitators
from the UAW in no uncertain terms laid out for
Camp’s aide what we were there for and what
the UAW position was on every issue and why we
had taken that position.
Next, we went to U.S. Congressman Gary
Peters’ office. He treated the UAW with respect
and listened and supported our positions.
Representative Peters had a room set aside for
the delegates to meet where we actually had a
place to sit down at a table and take notes. What
a difference it was from Camp’s reception to
Peter’s reception in the Capitol Building.
On the final day of the conference, we heard
from Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and from
Vice President Joe Biden. Both of them gave
great speeches on women’s rights, including the
right to a fair and decent wage regardless of
gender.
The Vice President spoke about many things
but mainly about the healthy auto industry that
would have been destroyed if certain Republicans
had been in charge instead of President Obama.
On a personal note, the conference was very
tiring for me, but it was a good tired feeling. I
think we accomplished what we were sent to
do by our local unions. We have to be prepared
to fight and educate for this upcoming election
more than ever. As we well know, we will never
be able to outspend the Republicans (DeVos and
the Koch brothers), but we sure can out work
them and we will and we must.
“
SPRING 2014
Now is the time to do
something about it.
Talk to your family, friends and
neighbors. Tell them what you
know to be fact!”
all the profits they are making, we need a COLA
attached to our pensions. Need to hear from you
to go further.
We send our sincere sympathy to the Reese
family. We learned that Claude Reese, at age 79,
passed away 1-30-14 in Naples, FL. His funeral
was in Detroit on February 4th. He was Plant
Manager at McGraw Glass Plant in the ’80s. Our
condolences also go out to the family of Leroy
Cooper, who passed away February 24th.
Local 227 UAW meets every 3rd Wednesday at
11:00 a.m., social hour at 10:00 a.m. at Local 600,
located at Wyoming and Dix in Dearborn.
“
[right-to-work] That’s
just one of many
examples of how the ballot
box and the bread box are so
tied together.”
The many emotional moving parts also
included the overwhelming Solidarity that
emulates from every union brother and sister I
met at the conference.
Don’t forget the Retiree meetings of Local
372, always held on the 4th Tuesday of every
month starting at 11:00 a.m. We always have
interesting speakers for the retirees meetings.
We ask all of our members to bring nonperishable food items for the local food pantries
or be willing to donate a couple dollars to the
collection can located by the lunch table. Further
news by membership action in October is that
food lunches require all of us to purchase a $2.00
a person food ticket. If you don’t purchase a
ticket, you don’t eat. This change was made to
offset the cost of the lunches (presently $7.00
each).
I once again have the sad news of announcing
the deaths of our retiree brothers – Robert
Zatto, Nate Tilley and Kim Adams. I was also
informed that one of our retiree brothers,
Mark Richardson, had passed away. Mark was
very active with the UAW, serving on several
different committees in our local union. My
condolences and the condolences of our entire
chapter go out to the members and, of course,
to their families.
Come to your retiree meetings and also try
to attend the regular membership meetings of
our Local, which are held on the third Sunday of
each month at 2:00 p.m.
Just because you are retired does not mean in
any way that you have any fewer rights at a union
meeting. As an old saying goes, “use it or lose it.”
This applies to us union folk also.
REGION 1A RETIREE NEWS
spring 2014
7
REGION 1A, UAW
UNION PIONEER SCHOLARSHIPS
Honoring Jerry Sullivan and Linda “Kay Kay” Hayes
2014 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
CAN WIN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING...
THE GOALS
This program has been undertaken by the
Retired Workers Council because neither the
Michigan legislature nor the Congress have
provided the kind of educational opportunities
desperately needed by young adults in our
complex world. We continue our struggle to
remove the economic barriers to full education
opportunities while at the same time trying to help
a few families provide their children with education
beyond high school.
ELIGIBILITY
To be a contestant, the student must be the child,
grandchild or ward of a member in good standing,
working or retired, of a local union in Region 1A,
UAW. She/he must be graduating from high school
in the year of the contest and must have been
tentatively accepted by an accredited college,
community college or career-training institute. Each
contestant must submit an original essay of 500
words or less on the subject designated for that
contest. A student may enter both, but can win only
one prize.
THE JUDGES
A panel of UAW retirees will read each essay
without knowing the identity of the author. The
content, clarity and reasoning of the essay will
determine the decision of these judges. Please
make sure that all essays are double spaced and
with correct spelling and grammar.
One $1,500 DIRECTOR’S AWARD
u One $1,500 JERRY SULLIVAN AWARD
u
u Six
$1,000 each RETIRED WORKERS AWARDS
honoring LINDA “Kay Kay” HAYES
for the best essay on
For the Director’s & Jerry Sullivan Awards:
“What I Think America Should Be”
or
For the Retired Workers Awards:
“What the UAW Has Meant to My Family”
Applicants Must Be:
•Child, grandchild or ward of a UAW member.
•2014 high school graduate.
•Accepted as college or trade school student.
•Author of essay of not over 500 words.
(Students may enter both contests, but can only win one award.)
DIRECTOR’S AWARDS
An added award has been created in memory
of a deceased member who was very active in the
Region 1A Retiree Council. Two awards of $1,500
each will be presented to the authors of essays on
“What I Think America Should Be.” The essay must
show an appreciation of the issues we face in our
country and present the author’s views of what
needs to be done about them.
RETIRED WORKERS AWARDS
These six awards of $1,000 will be presented
to the authors of essays on “What the UAW Has
Meant to My Family.” The essays should reflect the
student’s knowledge of UAW history what it has
won (must be half of the essay), and how these
have affected the lives of the contestant’s family
(must be the other half).
THE AWARDS
These awards are made possible by generous
donations of local unions and Retired Workers
Chapters in Region 1A, by those of the Director
and of caring individuals. Each year, the awards are
presented in memory of an individual who made
significant contributions to the UAW and to our
community.
DEADLINE FOR COMPLETING ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
APRIL 30, 2014
For application forms, contact the UAW Local Union or fill in the form below.
Please Print
Request For Application Form
Student’s Name___________________________________________________________________________
Address__________________________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip_____________________________________________________________________________
Name of Uaw Member_______________________________________________ Local Union___________
Social Security #________________________________________ Relationship ______________________
Send To:
REGION 1A UAW, SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
9650 S. TELEGRAPH ROAD
TAYLOR, MI 48180
10
REGION 1A RETIREE NEWS
chapter
387
report
Chair – Frank eritano by Mike French
Time to take the gloves off
I had a hard time swallowing the recent defeat
of the UAW organizing drive at Volkswagen in
Tennessee. With the VW management in Tennessee taking a neutral stance and the moral support
of the unions in the VW mother plants in Europe,
how could we lose? Well, lose we did, big time.
Why are we doing so badly in the southern
transplants? Do we really want the epitaph on
the UAW tombstone to read: “They Always
Played Fair.” Metaphorically speaking, the UAW
enters the ring wearing regulation boxing gloves,
whereas our adversaries enter the ring with a
war club behind their backs. We have to knock
out our opponent to tie, which means we have to
keep knocking them out until we get the verdict.
By the time you read this, the Oscars will have
come and gone, but their influence is a reflection
of social morals more than we care to admit.
“I could have been a champion,” says Marlon
Brando in On the Waterfront, to his brother
Charlie, played by Rod Steiger.
A boxer, Brando took a dive to please his
brother, who was in debt to a crime syndicate. In
this movie, the American public saw the unions
as part of a criminal enterprise, a myopic view of
unions that it has taken a long time to erase, but
should have thanks to Walter Reuther and likeminded union leaders.
“You can’t handle the truth,” a marine colonel
(Jack Nicholson) says to a navy lawyer (Tom
SPRING 2014
Cruise) in A Few Good Men. Can we handle the
truth? Our opponents always know what we are
going to do because we always follow the same
path. UAW organizers talk to union activists who
talk to their fellow autoworkers in the southern
transplants, then we petition for a vote, which
ends up going nowhere. So, what went wrong?
Our cause is just, we all know that, but what went
wrong? Can we handle the truth?
At VW, we were outwitted by the opposing
forces, be they company fear-mongers (they’ll
move the plant to another state), Republican
politicians (unions take away the rights of the
individual), or right-wing media talk show hosts
(Rush Limbaugh gets $50 million a year to bash
“union bosses”).
Let us take a cue from the Untouchables. The
police captain, played by Sean Connery, reduced to
walking the beat because of his refusal to take graft,
meets up with Eliot Ness, played by Kevin Costner,
on a river bridge that divides the city into north and
south. Ness is frustrated by his lack of success in
bringing the mob to justice. The police captain gives
Ness this advice: “If they show you a knife, you show
them a gun. If they put one of your guys in the hospital, you put one of their guys in the morgue. That’s
the Chicago way.” A somewhat drastic solution, but
the message is clear, we have to go one step better
than our opponents. We have to devise a strategy for
winning union elections ahead of time. We have to
neutralize the opposition before they contaminate
the workers with their toxic propaganda.
How are we going to do this? I have a dozen
different suggestions as to how we can do this.
So, why don’t I print them? Because our nemesis
also reads our newspapers and that would tip
them off. Union newspapers are out in the public
domain and are being read on a regular basis by
those who wish us to go away.
We are not going to go away. We can handle
the truth. And we will be champion again. That’s
the UAW way!
There are three words that I want you to focus on WE, ME
and HATRED.
There was a special on channel 7 recently that
investigated why the lights on highways were not working
in the southeastern part of Michigan. The State of Michigan
is responsible for the lighting on these roads. When the
investigator asked the State why, the answer was: copper
thieves. It did not make sense since many suburbs were
also in the dark. Say thieves and it implies you deserve the
problem and you are the victim.
The facts showed copper theft was a minute part of the
problem. The real problem was neglect. The system was not
properly maintained. The investigator asked if the west side
of the state was in same situation, but they chose to keep the
focus on the lighting problem here and did not answer that
question. The responder did not want to create hate.
The result is that there will be maintenance done on the
system. The state should have maintained the system, but it
got away with neglect as long as they blamed someone else.
Was anyone hurt due to poor lighting? The fact that the safety
723
report
Chair – LEROY KECK
Constitutional Convention Issues
I would like to thank all the retirees from
the Local who have made such a contribution
to this great UNION during the past decades.
We as active members had to make choices and
decisions that furthered the growth of the union
and its goals and objectives for middle-class
workers. There are a couple of things that face
this union today that must be addressed, and the
leadership of the International Union has some
plans they are going to propose at the upcoming
Constitutional Convention that are very serious
in nature.
First is a proposal to balance the budget
by 2018, which will include some cuts in the
amount of $15 million annually and merging
three regions together. There will also be staff
cuts averaging approximately 40% from current
levels, which will reduce salaries and improve
utilization of resources.
The second major change proposal relates
to the International Strike Fund. This fund
is utilized when work stoppages occur due to
contract disputes and is highly important as a
deterrent for companies who attempt to lock
workers out and dwindle their savings to pay
their bills and not negotiate in good faith. The
proposal, even though not an impact to us
retirees, is to increase union dues from a level
established in 1967 to a level that is closer to a
formula that is suited for 2014. This increase will
amount to one-half hour
per month that will be
of citizens was compromised should draw
100% deposited into the
your attention. The citizens were victims of the
strike fund. By growing
government they trusted.
this fund and balancing
The State of Michigan has billions in the bank. The
the budget, this great
present administration refused to pay their UNION
union will be able to
WORKERS living wage increases (only 1 or 2%), but were
withstand the current
able to give certain people in government increases from
attack on the middle
$170,000 to $333,000 (80%). How do you justify that?
class.
Is it hatred that gives retirees and workers an average
32% increase in their taxes and 80% plus decrease for
I urge each retiree
corporations? If you respond by saying, "I am surviving, I
who might have an
can make it," or "it does not affect me," just wait.
active worker in their
If you say “we,” together we can change this hatred. We
family or neighborhood
must educate and advocate when we see injustice. We
to speak with them
must get people out to vote.
about these choices. I
As members of this great union, don’t let your hatred for
hope you will request
a group cloud our need to have economic justice. Hatred
their support for
or justice. It is time to stop fearing our fellow Americans
our International
and know we can do better. Prepare for this election. Do
Leadership and urge
not be fooled by someone blaming a thief when you have
the delegates who are
been robbed of your pension money and tax breaks by
elected as Constitutional
this current administration. Based on Channel 7’s report,
Convention delegates
the current administration made the situation bad in
to vote in favor of these
southeastern Michigan.
proposals.
RE-think the message...
By Bob Sisler, RWC Chair
chapter
REGION 1A RETIREE NEWS
spring 2014
RORY GAMBLE from Front Page
to balance a budget on the back of the working
people and the poor by increasing their taxes and
decreasing the value of their pensions?
When the Volkswagen workers were in the
process of voting to unionize or not, Republican
Tennessee elected officials contradicted their
mantra of “Big Government” involvement. They
publicly stated they would take away incentives
designed to bring jobs to the state.
In order to stop the UAW, they
would jeopardize current and future
jobs for the children of the state
they were elected to serve.
Several different organizations
spent millions of dollars to defeat
the UAW. What they won’t discuss
publicly is how close the vote was.
Five years ago, it wouldn’t have
been this close. They know the
people are moving forward but they
will do anything to keep us going
backward.
Unbalanced reporting, distortions and outright lies about our
union, issues, and candidates continue throughout America. Senator
Corker told the workers a “Yes”
vote would mean disinvestment by
VW, but a “No” vote would bring
new products in two weeks. VW’s
top management said that wasn’t
true. Sounds like something you experienced before? The more things
change, the more they stay the same.
These coordinated attacks on
labor here and in other states must
be dealt with. We will not stand idly
by and watch our Social Security,
pensions, and right to exist be
destroyed.
This is why I ask for your
participation in our political action
initiatives and with V-CAP. We
will stay energized and committed
to each other, active and retired
members, to ensure our hard-fought
gains will not be taken away. They
may think we are asleep, but we
are an alert giant! Thank you for
participating in our V-CAP drives,
attending rallies, and voting. We
need you because you make the
difference. I am humbled and proud
to serve as your regional director. I
salute you!
6
8
1
Regain 6 seats
in the House of
Representatives
Regain 8 seats in
the Senate
Regain control of
Governor’s seat
I know we are in campaign mode, but I want to
give praise to a warrior, my friend, Congressman
John Dingell. Congratulations to the longest
serving congressman in the history of America.
He has decided to retire after serving Michigan
for almost 60 years. He dedicated his life to
fighting for people like you and me, the working
families of Michigan and America. Through the
good times and the tough times, Congressman
John Dingell was always there. He was not afraid
11
to fight for us. I will reflect on the many, many
hours of conversation he and his wife, Debbie
Dingell, and I shared over the years. No matter
what the discussion, we always seemed to focus
on what we could do more for working families.
Thank you for your wonderful, dedicated,
and effective service to your constituents and
veterans of America Congressman John Dingell.
You are one of a kind. I am blessed to call you
my friend.
12
REGION 1A RETIREE NEWS
chapter
735
report
Chair – MAURICE ALEXANDER by Sterling Mullins
Upcoming Events
Greetings to all of our Sisters and
Brothers of Local 735,
Hopefully by the time you read this we in Michigan will be headed for warmer weather. We can’t
wait to get out of the DEEP freeze. We all have
a good understanding of what cabin fever truly is
with the second highest snowfall since 1880.
We had a pretty busy year for Local 735
Retirees in 2013. We finished it with a great
turnout for our annual Christmas Party. If you
have never been to one, you should make sure
that you attend this year. They keep getting better
with larger turnouts. It’s a great time to catch up
with people you haven’t seen in a long time.
This year is going to be better than last year
SPRING 2014
with more members attending our meetings,
larger turnouts at our health fairs, and more
events are being scheduled. I am putting a
Calendar of Events in this article so you can keep
up with all we are planning.
We post events and announcements on
Facebook, but we want to remind everyone of our
own website at Local735retirees.org. This official
website is where we post our schedule of events,
meetings, announcements, obituaries and any
news from the International or Region that we
receive from them. Please put this website as one
of your favorites so you can check it out easier
and faster. And also pass along the information
to all who do not have computers.
This year, we have added other events to
our schedule. This being an election year, we
are putting together a bus trip to Lansing. We
plan on having speakers, lunch, tour of capitol
building with the hopes our lawmakers will be in
session that day so we can observe them in action
and possibly meet a few of them.
This is also the 5th year anniversary of the
closing of the Hydra-Matic Plant and our Local.
We are not celebrating these events, but we will
use these dates to celebrate the opportunity they
gave all of us to become the sisters and brothers
Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano encourages
fair election for Volkswagen employees
Tennessee UAW vote pivotal to future of industry-labor union partnership
Detroit, MI – Amidst threats by Senator
Bob Corker (R-Tennessee) and other
Republicans to deny Volkswagen Chattanooga
economic incentives for plant expansion and
job creation, should the workers vote to join
the UAW, Wayne County, Michigan CEO,
Robert A Ficano called for a fair vote, one
that would not be hampered by the threats of
Republican elected leadership.
Ficano reminded: "When the fate of the
automobile industry hung in the balance a
few years ago, Senator Corker and other
Republican senators opposed financial support
by the federal government to keep the Detroit
3 and other auto companies alive, protecting
American jobs from being lost."
Funded with private funds, Ficano ran
radio ads at that time in Tennessee and other
southern states, to counter the Republican
opposition for federal financial support for the
auto industry.
There was a union organizing vote at the
VW facilities in Chattanooga, TN which was
hailed as pivotal to the future of the industrylabor union partnership.
"It appears that national anti-union groups
and their Republican supporters are not
interested in a fair election by the workers,
given the threats and predictions of doom
and gloom should the UAW prevail," Ficano
emphasized. "Apparently threats to penalize
the VW workforce are necessary to influence
the election, instead of making a case based on
the merits."
County Executive Ficano also pointed out
that the UAW and Volkswagen cooperated in
the run-up to the election, and the German
Company agreed with the principles for fair
union elections, was being threatened by
Republican promises to deny the company
economic support.
Ficano made the point that, "This heavy
handed effort to poison the election by threats
should be seen for what they are – a desperate
last minute attempt to rig the election and deny
American workers a free voice in making a
decision."
Ficano has sent letters to Volkswagen
leadership in Germany and Tennessee inviting
the auto company to visit and consider locating
in Wayne County.
we are now. The friendships and memories can
never be taken from us, so we want to mark
this 5th year with a few special events. We are
planning a golf outing in June for all members
of Local 735 retirees. We know we have a lot
of golfers out there because the Local and
Powertrain helped to promote several leagues.
I have no doubt we can get 150-200 golfers out
there. We will be putting the information on
our website and posting on Facebook and have
leaflets at the monthly meetings. So start getting
your teams together.
I have been in contact with the company in
charge of the demolition of the plant, and they
are saving Local 735 retirees several pallets of
bricks that will be given out to anyone who would
like to have a brick for a keepsake. If you are
interested, let me know on Facebook, our website,
give me a call, or see me at a monthly meeting. I
am keeping a list of everyone who is interested.
This year is also our election year for all
officers on your Executive Board. We will be
having sign-ups for these positions at the April
Regular Retiree Meeting, and Elections will
be at the May Regular Retiree Meeting. These
positions will be filled for a three-year term.
Please, come to the meeting and cast your vote.
UAW 735 Calendar of Events • 2014
January 8th – Retiree Meeting
February 12th – Retiree Meeting
March 12th – Retiree Meeting, John Hancock
representative, H&R Block tax reps.
April 9th – Retiree Meeting, Health Fair,
Sign-up for elections.
April 16th – Casino Trip to Soaring Eagle,
Mt. Pleasant
May 14th – Elections of Executive Board
June 6th – Local 735 Retirees Golf Outing
June 11th – Retiree Meeting
July 9th – Retiree meeting
July 12th – Steve Hunt Annual Picnic
August 13th – Retiree Picnic at Van Buren Park
in Belleville
September 10th – Retiree meeting,
Tiger Game (date to be announced later)
Trip to Capitol in Lansing (date to be announced)
September 13th – Don Skidmore Motorcycle
Run for Charity
October 8th – Retiree Meeting, Health Fair,
Trip to Firekeepers Casino (date to be announced)
November 12th – Retiree Meeting,
Veterans Appreciation Day,
Trip to Turkeyville (date to be announced)
December 10th – Christmas Party at
Wayne Tree Manor
We are planning other events and speakers
throughout the year and will announce names and
dates on our website, Facebook and at meetings.
Please, let’s take a moment to remember all of
our brothers and sisters we have lost over the last
year. They helped fill our hearts and lives with
memories. Thanks to all of you for making our
Local one of the best to be part of and may God
bless you throughout the year.
REGION 1A RETIREE NEWS
spring 2014
chapter
898
report
Chair – ANNE DRAKE
Upcoming Happenings
I don’t think I’ll be playing golf in Michigan
in March this year. I just hope we’ll be able to
play in May! What a winter! Attendance was a
little light at the retiree meeting in February, but
I expect the really smart people were in warm
weather states for the winter. At least we retirees
don’t have to drive in the snow every day like
when we were working.
We have some interesting meetings planned
for the spring. In March, Laura Solomon is
supposed to do a presentation on Health Quest
and in April we will have Danae Hanes of the
Better Business Bureau presenting a Senior
chapter
900
report
Chair – LLOYD ALLEN
by Al Comons
Fighting For Workers Rights
With an expression of solidarity, Lloyd Allen
led several car loads of 900 retirees last October
into Detroit where they joined with thousands
of Detroit union members protesting dictator
Orr’s proposal to deplete pensions as a solution
to Detroit’s bankruptcy. Despite the bitterly cold
weather it was heartwarming to join a multitude
of Detroit union workers protesting strong armed
invasion of contractual rights. This voluntary
expression of unity stands in opposition to what
the media is telling us of King’s deflated legacy
over losing the recent union vote at Volkswagen.
The media characterized the loss as a flag waving
victory for the South’s opposition to unions.
However a fair examination of all the evidence
points to a different conclusion.
Bob King has warned us of these Southern
resistances many times in the past and reiterated
From the
Desk of...
Anne Drake
Editor
Scam Prevention Seminar. I am also trying to get
someone from the Michigan State Police to help
us with identity theft awareness. We can always
depend on Benefit Rep. Fran Hawkins to answer
our benefits questions and President Donnie
Enersen to tell us what is going on in the plant.
You should have all received a postcard from
the Local about the upcoming Triennial Elections
April 3-4. Retirees can vote for all Executive
Board positions except for Plant Chair, and also
vote for Convention delegates. We are hoping
to get a Raw Facts published before the election
which will have the list of all the candidates. A
number of the candidates will probably be at the
March meeting to campaign, but come anyway. ;-)
I had the opportunity to attend the UAW
CAP Conference in Washington, DC with the
Region retirees. At that time, the vote at the VW
plant in Tennessee hadn’t happened yet, but we
were optimistic that the union would win. And
we probably would have if Senator Corker, who
was very opposed to the automotive bail-outs
five years ago, hadn’t lied to the workers, telling
them that VW would not put a new product
in the plant if the workers voted for UAW
13
representation. Even though the company took
a neutral stance (unprecedented for a foreign
company), they welcomed the opportunity for
unionization and wanted to establish worker
councils in the plant. They also assured the
workers that the vote for union representation
would have no bearing on the choice of plants for
the new product. But Corker said he was secretly
told that that was not true, and the workers chose
to believe their anti-worker, anti-union senator
over a foreign company and a union based in
Detroit. How sad that another Republican lie
caused people to again vote against their own
self-interest.
A number of the other Chapter Chairs wrote
about the state-wide elections this fall. Their
articles are well worth reading. Four years ago,
we would never have thought Michigan would be
a right-to-work state today, that schools would be
underfunded around the state, pensions would be
taxed, and roads and bridges would still be falling
apart. Let’s do better this election.
When all you smart people get back to Michigan, please join us at our retiree meetings – third
Wednesday of the month, 11:00 a.m. at the Local.
that the fight must go on. The
Volkswagen vote was a near victory
for the union when a fair appraisal
is made of the historical opposition
to unions in the South. The South
has been slow in forming corporate
businesses with most being family
owned. Their motto has been a
kind invitation to union organizers,
“We’ll meet you at the state line
with our sheriff and two deputies.”
They have been very fair with
their workers and sensitive to their
needs, but can anyone for one
minute believe this would be the
case if the UAW was not knocking
on their door?
Pictures of the old Packard plant
Former UAW 900 President Jeff Washington with Chairman
were brought up to demonstrate
Lloyd Allen at the conference in DC.
what happens to businesses in
Michigan, but doesn’t the Ford Motor Car
On June the first the UAW will embark on
Company stand out as a contradiction and a
their convention, choosing their new president
perfect example of a company’s success when
with the heir apparent being Dennis Williams.
they learn to work with the union?
It has occurred to this union man that
A recent visit with John Popovich had to be
the UAW is responsible for unintended
canceled upon his doctor’s advice. We pray that
consequences. Companies have learned that
this is of short order and John will be recovered
sensitivity to their employees’ needs are the best
soon.
way to keep unions out. Might this be called the
There will be a Black Lake retreat this year for
UAW’s Holy Grail? UAW benefits without UAW
four days, ending on the morning of July 4th.
representation?
Attention:
Photos for the
Region 1A
Retiree News
Please submit only high
resolution (100kb or more) digital photos
or photos printed on photo paper, not
copier paper, with the image no smaller
than it should appear in the paper.
all readers!
I would suggest you read the whole paper,
including all the chapter reports. The reports
often contain a great deal of thoughtful
analysis and important information
which applies to us all. Many
of the writers really outdid
themselves this issue, and I
thank them.
14
REGION 1A RETIREE NEWS
chapter
931
report
Chair – Ray mitchell
SPRING 2014
chapter
1313
report
Chair – TOM MAYNARD by Reggie Watts
Elections & Meeting Schedule Golden Years More Brass
UAW Local 931 Triennial Election and the
than Gold?
Election for the 36th Constitutional Convention
will be held at St. Mary Magdalen Activity
Center, 19621 Wood St., Melvindale, Michigan
48122 on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 from 5:30
a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Also, I would like to remind all UAW Local
931 Retirees that our Retiree Meetings are
at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 19, 2014;
Wednesday, May 21, 2014; Wednesday, July
16, 2014; Wednesday, September 17, 2014; and
Wednesday, November 19, 2014. Our December
Membership Meeting will be on Saturday,
December 6, 2014, location as yet to be decided.
Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
By John Trohimczyk, Retiree Local 372
All we hear on the television and see in the
newspapers are negative things such as blight
and crime. However talk without involvement
and substance doesn't bring about change.
We, the middle class, retirees and active
workers, have the power. Voting power.
By writing to our legislature in Lansing and
Washington, we can ask them if they can find
programs and other ways to develop means
for jobs. To get this country back to what many
consider the American dream, to resolve crime
and blight, all of us must get involved.
During the 1930s, FDR came up with
programs to put Americans back to work and
started a positive program to give them hope.
Programs he initiated were:
1. CC Camp
2. Cleaning up our parks
3. Repairing our roads and bridges
4. Social Security
5.WPA
These are a few to give you an idea. It
seems that the millionaires and billionaires
just want more. Many of the companies went
overseas to exploit those people with low
wages and no benefits to speak of. They then
bring the product back to the USA and make
a large profit. Nothing wrong with them going
overseas, that's their privilege. But if they want
to bring it back to the U.S., then charge them
a surtax so it won't be that profitable. Then you
will see how fast they will flock back. Think
about it. Let us suggest and tell our legislature
in Lansing and Washington to come up with
programs to put America back to work. Let's
restore the American Dream. Tell them, “if you
don't have any programs step aside and let
To all appearances and most intents, Local
1313 no longer exists. The final dozen or so
employees were terminated in December, 2013.
However, Chapter 1313, which caters mainly to
retirees of our once powerful Local, is still in
existence. We will gladly welcome any Unisys
retirees to our meetings. These meetings take
place on the second Thursday of the month at
Local 174, 29841 Van Born Rd., just a very short
distance west of Middlebelt Rd. in Romulus. The
dates of our meetings will be March 13th, April
10th, May 8th, and June 12th, at 10 a.m. Coffee
others who do have help the American people.”
Many Americans want to work, let's give
them the opportunity. We have hungry people
losing their homes who need a hand up. Many
unemployment figures do not tell the whole
story because they only include the people
collecting unemployment benefits. They don't
include the many still looking for a full-time job
or who have given up even looking for jobs
that aren't there. We can start off by getting
our roads and bridges fixed, so let's start with
getting our millionaires and billionaires to
loosen up on their purse strings to get things
moving.
God Bless America, land of the free and
home to the brave!
What if your family needs food, clothing,
and shelter and you don't have a job? What
would you do? This is what breeds crime and
blight, people needing work to provide for their
families. People don't want handouts! They
want a job so they can restore their respect and
dignity.
To resolve you must get involved, all
Americans together, to restore the American
Dream. American people who care. Are you
ready to stand up and get involved or
just sit back and just talk about
it? This is a team project
in unity. Together we
provide strength;
get on board. Let
your resolution
for 2014 be
that when you
put your hand
out, it is to help
someone in
need. People
helping people.
and donuts will be yours for the taking, and lunch
will be served after the meeting.
I’ve spent the last few weeks thinking about
Burroughs/Unisys. We all made a lot of good
friends there. I met my husband Paul there,
and many other matches were made there.
Encouraged by the UAW, our Women’s Club
visited hospitals to cheer co-workers, and
nursing homes to show our retirees they weren’t
forgotten. Retirement parties were large and
a lot of fun. Old picture albums and pictures
stacked in envelopes brought back many
memories. Time has taken its toll, and we have
of course lost most of our friends. Those who
remain should know that if they have problems
regarding benefits or insurance, call me at 313846-8991. If I can’t help you, I’ll refer you to our
chapter chairman, Tom Maynard.
The golden years may be more brass than gold,
but we can still accomplish a lot of good things
for our families. One of the most important
things we can do for them and ourselves is vote.
If you can’t get to the polls, get an absentee
ballot. That way it’s easy to vote in the comfort
of your own home. Just remember, Republicans
are determined to push us all down and out of
the middle class to the lower class. For instance,
in Tennessee, they were willing to spend a great
deal of their money on billboards to (mis)
advertise what will happen to people who vote
for the UAW, but they are not willing to raise the
minimum wage.
The greatest defender of our Social Security
and Medicare is Congressman John Dingell. We
could always count on him to fight for our rights
and speak up against the greedy Republican
leaders who are always trying to take away the
protections that we enjoy. He won’t be running
for office again, and we shall miss his vote in
Congress, but I’m sure that he and his wife,
Debbie, will continue to speak out in our favor
and make their presence known.
As for Governor Snyder, we can’t allow him to
continue raising taxes and messing up our school
system. He’s done enough damage. We need
to vote for Mark Schauer
for Governor. All of Gov.
Snyder’s bad decisions can
be showered away by Mark
Schauer. So remember to use
your power and VOTE! Stay
well. Spring is almost here.
spring 2014
chapter
1776
report
Chair – ENOCH ‘Jack’ JACKSON
The Chapter is Active and
Growing
Happy New Year everyone, “out with the old,
and in with the new.”
I would like to thank the over 300 people
who attended our 20th Annual Christmas
Party. I hope you enjoyed the affair as much
as we enjoyed having you. This year, we had a
professional photographer take pictures and
produce a souvenir book. For information
on how to purchase pictures and/or the 1776
Christmas Party Souvenir Books, call Lynn Lacey
at Major Moments (734-252-6209) or go online
to MajorMoments.com.
We Must Not Forget Everything That
Happened In 2013
Michigan and most of the country was like the
“evolution of the circle, the more things changed
the more they remained the same.” Michigan
became a right-to-work state, retirees must pay
taxes on their pensions. These are just a couple
of the laws passed to break the unions and hurt
retirees. Michigan has also cut unemployment
and food benefits for the poor. The list goes on.
Union Brothers and Sisters, what we have won
BOB SISLER from Front Page
survive the month.
There is an easy way to ensure Social
Security for our children and to increase
benefits to keep people are out of poverty as
FDR intended. We could lift the cap on the
amount of income subject to Social Security
payments into the system. A survey was done
of people making over the limit and more
than half agreed to lifting the cap to better the
system for Americans. Why do we want to have
2.8 trillion in the trust fund while people are
struggling?
Companies are not offering defined pensions
and 401(k) matching packages. Our children
will need Social Security. Young families
cannot save as we did with wages being so
stagnate. Strengthen Social Security now.
(There are trillions in the trust while people
suffer, compares to Snyder’s billions in surplus
while roads and lighting are dangerous to the
public.)
Make trade agreements fair to
Americans.
Recent trade agreements placed profit
over people, and we let it happen because it
did not affect us at the time. Americans who
“
Our future and the
future of our children
and grandchildren hang in the
balance.”
at the bargaining table, we’re losing in Lansing.
The 2014 mid-term election in November will be
the most important election of our lives. We must
get out and vote in large numbers. Take your
family members, friends and neighbors to the
polls to vote. Our future and the future of our
children and grandchildren hang in the balance.
We need 6 House seats, 8 Senate seats and 1 new
Governor to take back our state.
Growing the Membership
We’ve increased in numbers each month.
Keep up the good work. We welcome all of our
new members, and we’re also glad to see the old
members come back home. Remember, you can
obtain a “request for transfer form” from me or
any member of the Executive Board.
Forecast for the Future
The Recreation Committee will be hosting an
Arts and Crafts Fair and Auction. All proceeds
are for the Black Lake Retiree Retreats and
Lunch Program. The Education Committee
will be writing letters to city, state, and federal
legislators to voice our concerns over the
crippling laws that have been passed, and those
that are being planned. Our Veterans Committee
will host informational presentations for our
Brothers and Sisters who have served in the
military.
Let’s work hard and have fun this year. We
have a great year planned. Stay Tuned!
benefited lobbied Washington
to make themselves wealthier
(more billionaires reported) by
sacrificing American jobs (more
children in poverty). This resulted
in a direct shift in the share of
wealth in the United States.
We had a strong economy and
so we allowed trade agreements.
We believed that a little sacrifice
would help every American
to share the wealth. These
agreements have hurt us. The
unbalanced agreements have lead
to 2-tier pay agreements, layoffs,
downsizing, no Christmas bonus, and higher copays for insurance.
WE SACRIFICED IN HARD TIMES, but
we thought it was a SHARED SACRIFICE.
Now that companies are doing well (billions in
profits), they have not returned what they took
from you in the SACRIFICE, though some give
to charity organizations so you can sign up for a
food bank appointment.
Oppose the TPP trade agreement and any
fast track authority. We were mislead and our
sacrifice did not leave more Americans better,
but brought the entire society down with the
REGION 1A RETIREE NEWS
15
chapter
3000
report
Chair – Rich Eberhart
Award-Winning CAP Committee
The following people pictured are members
of the UAW Local 3000 at the 2014 CAP
Conference in Washington, DC.
I was proud to be a part of our award-winning
CAP Committee. We have a lot of work to do
this year to help elect people who support Labor.
We should not support the new TPP trade
policy until it is proven to be fair to the UAW and
our workers.
(Front row, L-R): Montina Tillman, Moe Elhady,
Lora Oddo, Dara Collins, Tawana Tucker and
Rich Eberhart. (Back row, L-R): Duana Bomia,
Jessica Freeman-Poniatowski, Kamanza
Knolton and Roger Dyer.
exception of the 1-2% of Americans with the
country’s wealth.
One thing is clear, our tranquil attitude.
Acceptance of normal behavior when it is
harming our fellow Americans has lead to
everything won at the bargaining table being
lost at the ballot box. These four items are
all connected to the justice of every worker
receiving a fair compensation for their
employment. Stand up for yourself and your
children.
America can be better. Shame on us for
letting it get this bad. Call your representative.
Region 1A UAW
9650 S. Telegraph
Taylor, MI 48180
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 8000
Fenton, MI
SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS
RETIRED WORKERS COUNCIL REGION 1A
BOB SISLER, CHAIRPERSON
MARCH thru DECEMBER 2014
PEN HOUSE MEETINGS
APRIL 24, 2014
JUNE 26, 2014
AUGUST 28, 2014
OCTOBER 23, 2014
DECEMBER 9, 2014*
DELEGATE MEETINGSO
MARCH 27, 2014
MAY 22, 2014
JULY 24, 2014
SEPTEMBER 25, 2014
NOVEMBER 20, 2014
SOCK HOP u MAY 3, 2014
-JULY 3, 2014
RETIREE RETREAT u JUNE 30
13, 2014
RETIREE PICNIC u AUGUST
Y u DECEMBER 9, 2014
*RETIREE CHRISTMAS PART
Citizens
ADDITIONAL MEETINGS
Metro-Detroit Council of Senior
ception January) at 10:00 a.m.
Second Friday of every month (Ex
Northeast Guidance Center
it, Ml 48215
2900 Conner, Building A, Detro
REGION
1A
A Publication By and For the Retired Workers of Region 1A
SPRING 2014
RETIREE NEWS
volume 26 – no. 1
Michigan has one of the highest
unemployment rates in the country. If
someone gets an unemployment benefit,
that means they paid the salaries of every
representative in Washington. Shouldn’t
the representatives now extend the
unemployment benefits of those who have
paid their salaries? Why do we let them
think the two things are not connected?
Why do we let them take our tax money
without demanding they support the
Americans who paid them?
Extend the unemployment
benefits.
Every American should live above
poverty after 40 hours of work.
Why don’t we have a system that
evaluates the minimum wage based on
the cost of living and raise it accordingly?
Result: Working Americans rise out of
poverty!
America, raise the minimum wage.
He believed he could make his dreams
(minimum dreams) a reality. He had been
told it was minimum so he expected to do
the basics for his family. We know he is
not going far on 40 hours at $7.80 an hour.
He was going to bring home enough to
remain in poverty for one person. He will
not be able to care for his son. How do you
damper someone’s dream with reality?
The year’s beginning
chairMAN’s Report
Bob Sisler
Pay Attention
to These Four
Very Important
Issues
Happy New Year,
I received a number
of comments about
access to the Christmas party in 2013.
Leigh Kegerreis has suggested having an
open house setting instead of a dinner.
We want to include everyone who wants to
attend the Christmas celebration. I regret
that the attendance is limited to tickets at
this time.
I would like to tell some stories that
relate to four CAP issues we lobbied for
in Washington. We have begun to accept
things as normal when as Union members
we should know better.
Increase the minimum wage.
A man in his late 20’s was proud of his
new job at Wal-Mart. He spoke of taking
care of his son and girlfriend,
finally planning the wedding
(the American dream).
He was so excited.
Make Social Security
stronger.
See BOB SISLER
on Page 15
Social Security has kept
many people out of poverty.
Many people even on
Social Security tell
me of appointments
at food banks
just to be able to
(L-R) Richard Clayton, Rudy Nelson and Bob Sisler at CAP Conference.