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Slippery if you're an auto caravan'er then you may find my post insulting or write it off as just another none believer.

You posted a site that carried a story about "36" people getting together in a church basement. Activist as their commonly referred to in the story have had a bumpy road over the last 8 to 10 years. But they keep pushing and stating what sounds good to any members in general. They talk about what "we" need and what "we" should "fight" for. But in my humble opinion I'm not sure if their "sheep dogs" or "sheep herders"?

I can't reference facts about all 36 people at the meeting in the article but I have first hand experience with at least two caravan'ers.


The first I've had limited interaction with, Mr. Walkowicz. My first experience with Mr Walkowicz was at a constitutional convention. I listened to his speeches outside the convention and while I was sitting on the floor as a delegate. I heard and witnessed a forceful speaker going on and on about what "he" saw as short comings in the IUAW leadership. Most of his points were good and I tended to agree with but, there was something about him, his mannerisms and the way he portrayed his idea's....? After listening both on the convention floor and out side of the convention I realized that a question kept coming up? Good points, in general, but where were the well thought out plans for a solution? He had miles and miles of the "I" this and that. Along with more then a few, what "they" are doing wrong statements. Then it became clear that this charismatic speaker was just another individual with a "I" know the right thing and "I" know what's best but, "I" don't really have solutions, type of person.

I tend to see these types of activists as sheep herders in sheep dogs clothing. Just the view from these old eye's.

Then there is the other caravan'er that I have first hand experience with. Our resident "conservative, union activist" our very own 551 VP Mr Houldieson.

This Walkowicz disciple walks in the shadow of the great activist (as is proper) but tries so hard to bring the herd into line with the "I" know what's right and you don't mindset that he's been successful enough to have the sheep herded into voting for him. So far one of the only successes, wait this sheep herder did state in the papers that tier 2 had ended at Lear, umm a little premature, so don't count that as a success.

This activist has been seen running from the rest room pulling up pants just to get to the most recent picket line he found out about. No matter what the cause.... "Stop it or we'll boycott" boycott what? I'm not sure but we'll boycott....

But, not only an activist but someone who herded (politically correct for bullshited) the sheep into putting him into office, he became the judge, jury and executioner of his style of truth honesty and the American way. The Houldieson way.

You may think the old long hair has some deep rooted opinion to grind here, well kinda.

Where should I start....?

How bout the time an election had to be postponed because our resident activist/elected official decided and stated "he" didn't think it was necessary to post an election announcement and voting schedule at the plant or the timing wasn't important either in "his" opinion. After a few members referenced the by-laws our resident activist had to let the election committee re schedule the election. (do their elected duties)

Then our resident activist tends to be in a very judgmental mindset at basically all times. This great activist of the people brought up charges against a past chairman for? I recall at a general membership meeting, how our activist presented the charges. "I" (our activist) don't like that our local (nice he lets the membership think their apart of his local) is paying way to much in legal fee's. So "I" will bring charges against the chairman because the local attorneys are billing for the cases involving discharged members way to frequently.

Now after some time past and some members looking into the charges, these members then pointing out both due process and presenting past years of legal fee's... Our resident activist had the bad taste in his mouth from having to retract his charges.

Then there was the "I'm" the judge, jury, and of course the activist executioner mindset. When our all knowing resident disciple degreed charges against another member for mis appropriation. Did the activist use due process? Did the activist provide constitutional rights? Did the activist acquire a consensus of the local executive board? Did the activist think his charges were costing the union large sums of money? Did the activist understand anything about the democratic process of appeals? Did the resident activist even know what the PRB was? (Not Papst Blue Ribon)

HELLLL NOOOO our disciple that sits at the right hand of the all knowing ultimate activist doesn't have to be bothered with those man made laws. Got it sheeps?

That brings us to today. The disciple sitting at the right hand of the ultimate activist is passing out a letter from the one the only activist Mr. Walkowicz.

In the letter (que the harps and get the angels singing) it states everyone should be raised to $33 an hour. (Boy oh Boy the herd likes to read this type of sheep shit) But once again nothing other then that...no way or path to that $33.....

The last paragraph of the ultimate activists letter handed out (well slide out on tables) here at CAP reads, "we have many things to "fight" for in this contract, good raises, improved pensions, better health care for retirees, better working conditions (get back our loss break time). But it is all based on the fight against 2 tiers. If we "fight" to end 2 tiers. We can "fight" together for everything that we ALL need."
Gary Walkowicz
Bargaining Committeeman, DTP
(313) 737-31** gwalk32@att.***

Dose anyone think these sheep herding activists really have a plan? Does anyone think if they were to become "by divine intervention of course" members of the IUAW negotiating team we would see them produce any of the claimed issues, come to pass?

What is all this talk of "fight" this and "fight" them? Maybe Gary will call Scott and the air strikes will be coordinated before the boots hit the ground? You think?

Look closer, do you see any... any results from the ultimate activists? No?

Self centered, self righteous Sheep Herders in Sheep Dog clothes.

$33 an hour yeeeee haaaaa thank you Gary.
Oh and thank you right hand disciple you are always correct....

Decker
1 of the 1788

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I believe there is one topic that needs to be brought up to the attention of the skilled trade group. Currently, there is wording in our contract that limits and protects us from outside contractors. This part of our contract needs to stay put and hopefully strengthened. Since this wording applies to a small group of members(skilled trades), and is basically under the radar because of the other major needs for all members, it could possibly become a bargaining chip for the IUAW. I am sure Ford would love to get rid of that language. All of the trades people know how hard it is to keep work for us with that language in place. If it is bargained away, tradesmen and the apprenticeship program would take a huge hit.

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It's my firm belief that none of the BS in that letter will pass regardless of who is on the UAW side if the table.

 

I hope I am wrong but from what I have seen the last two years I am not hopeful for anyone to actually have any new ideas that can make things good for both sides of the fence.

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I believe there is one topic that needs to be brought up to the attention of the skilled trade group. Currently, there is wording in our contract that limits and protects us from outside contractors. This part of our contract needs to stay put and hopefully strengthened. Since this wording applies to a small group of members(skilled trades), and is basically under the radar because of the other major needs for all members, it could possibly become a bargaining chip for the IUAW. I am sure Ford would love to get rid of that language. All of the trades people know how hard it is to keep work for us with that language in place. If it is bargained away, tradesmen and the apprenticeship program would take a huge hit.

This is so true RougeWelder and unfortunately this and the facts about the classifications being negotiated away will effect every member. Most will fall for the combining of their classifications under the pretends of helping others or maybe getting raised up to a higher hourly rate. Hell, some will look at a ten cent increase and never have a clue that they just sold their classification description for that dime. Like the lines of demarcation, the classification descriptions hold the company to a fixed way to both manage people and work. Take those descriptions away and blur the lines of demarcation and the company pretty much has free will when come to both people and the work at hand.

 

This will be seen in assigning of operations, in deciding who does work available and yes who will do trades work or if the trades will even be involved. The people are completely unaware of the potential that type of agreement could have and is most likely already agreed a pond.

 

Yes, I said "already agreed" on. Let the members of this organization not forget that our business agents can and have refrained from mentioning any of the "unpublished agreements" in every contract in the past. Why would anyone think for one minute that this would change? These unspoken agreements have already started to leak out. "Help the company" is the first part of the sentence and the second part will be, "to fend off future concessions"..... sounds like an unspoken deal between the company and our business agents.

 

I can`t say with any facts that the unspoken or unpublished agreements are in place but, from the past results our business agents have brought to their indentured income generators, it would be a safe bet we are in for some delightful unspoken treats.

 

Decker

1 of the 1788

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If you find the ramblings by an old long hair irritating or offensive please, just disregard this post.... IMO...

 

A point about the unspoken or unpublished agreements. Did anyone think that the in-sourcing or the return of work to the plants would ever have been a veiled disguise of an unspoken agreement?

 

Look around your plant, how many new people did you get? Tier 2, Supplemental, LTS, Entry Level and lets see, clean up members, parts sorters and contract workers. Did anyone find it strange that our business agents would sell so hard the lowering of the wages of so many? Let the clean up department just fade away with those rates of pay? Not to mention being ok to even place contact workers on the plant floor doing the same work as UAW people do? (repair, rework, etc.) Ever wonder why or what was in this hard sell for the business agent? Well, I don`t have a crystal ball but been around and in business all my life so I have a very strong feeling about the one hand washes the other thingy... It may have went like this, you let these lower wages hit the floor without any input from the national wage/rate board or any resistance from your indentured income producing minions and you get.... free rain over all the lower wage/rate minions. You can have those cute little elections and then we will collect all those initiation fee`s and all those dues and the check will be in the mail the second week of each month. We will see that you don`t have to worry about the IBEW, USW or any other outfit trying to muscle in, we can assure you...Now while your at it you can play it two ways. You can cry the blues about a drop in membership and then raise the dues of the indentured income generators and we won`t miss a beat, the extra money will be in the bag we leave on your back porch at solid house.... then you can talk it up with any potential income generators with the our numbers are on the increase... they will never catch on. JMO

 

People, the business agent that doesn`t have to tell their client about certain issues in a contract is.....? (happy)

 

The labor movement has been dying for some time know. The people have to wake up from the anesthesia that their business agents have been administrating. Remember just rambling....

 

Decker

1 of the 1788

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Well, I was really surprised last week when an electrician who works at GM's Poletown Assembly in Hamtramck told me that Carpenters, Industrial Truck Repair, Tinsmiths and I think another trade as well as of course the cleaners are all contracted through Aramark. The cleaners there even clean in the robot and production cells.

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Well, I was really surprised last week when an electrician who works at GM's Poletown Assembly in Hamtramck told me that Carpenters, Industrial Truck Repair, Tinsmiths and I think another trade as well as of course the cleaners are all contracted through Aramark. The cleaners there even clean in the robot and production cells.

You been hiding under a rock!

GM went bankrupt , they got to do what they wanted in order to cut cost

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