Jump to content

When did you lose respect for the UAW.


niteeyes

Recommended Posts

I will start with my loss of respect story.

 

Not long after the Rouge powerhouse boiler explosion, Where many were killed and injured. The UAW, Rather than make powerhouse operations safer, decided to do away with license standards. Before the explosion, powerhouse engineer leaders were required to have a first class stationary engineers license. That or have at least a 3rd class license and sign a letter of intent to upgrade to a first class license. We had a seniority employee who had the lowest license able to work in our powerhouse. a high pressure boiler operators license. He did not like the idea that someone with a higher license made a whole 25 cents an hr more than him. He complained to the union. Rather than stand up for the saftey of the powerhouse, the union decided that license does not matter, only seniority. We had 2 good engineers quit over that. So what I see is it doesn;t matter if peoples lives are on the line, if you have seniority, you get the job. now anyone with any license can have charge of the powerhouse.

Edited by niteeyes
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My story of lack of respect for the IUAW has many chapters.

 

One of the last chapters of disrespect was based on a ruling by the unions own Public Review Board.

 

1) A member can not be the "Accuser", "Judge" and "Jury" in any case brought against another member.

 

2) The IUAW Executive Board can not deny an appeal prior to a member putting an appeal in writing, signing and presenting the appeal to the board through certifed mail with excepting signature requested.

 

It took the sitting members of the IUAW Public Review Board (all Labor Law Professors) to point out to both the IUAW Executive Board and the accuser that every member has to be given "due process" that is guaranteed in the IUAW constitution. The Public Review Board continued to point out that the IUAW Executive board and the accuser`s charges were completely without merit. The Public Review Board went further to state that the merit of the charges was very apparent and should have been recognized on a local level.

 

Basically, the IUAW will and has thrown out their our constituton (read article 19) to achieve the end results they need to happen. (a GM contract) Appeal any and every decision that has even the smallest ammount of merit, don`t take advice from a regional servising Rep, don`t be frighten by IUAW accounting staff (none have a degree in accounting) threats and don`t give up.

 

I spent my own money for this 4 year rail road to hell ride, I had two great attorneys, one an author, I had not one but two past plant chairmen give sign, sworn statements backing my stance, I had fellow members show up to their make believe hearing in my support, perior to my appeal to the Public Review Board. But it took labor lawyers and labor law professors to point out to the IUAW Executive Board, that the IUAW is NOT the last say in due process.

 

If any member wants help with the steps I found in "our" (not their) constitutuion I would be more than willing to point out the steps I took. My case number is 1713.

Edited by Decker
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When the IUAW came into plants in 2009 to push for a yes vote on another concessionary contract, days before Ford posted large Profits. It showed me the kind of ass-kissing puppets we had running things. They didn't want to hear our arguments against the TA, all they wanted was a yes vote to make BOOB KING look good. I started taking a real hard look at things, and discovered that to get into the IUAW staff, it took something that I could never do...It took kissing the Presidents ass even when he is wrong. It took selling out your brothers and sisters, and selling your integrity. Mine is not, has never been, and will never be for sale.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

is that like taffey ? i always wanted to try that !!!

 

remember, WE are the union.

 

I was told that when I was first hired, "WE are the union."

 

Then, I noticed all the assigned parking spots for union positions.

 

A couple were even marked "UAW."

 

The day I was told I couldn't park there was the day I realized it was all fake.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I lost respect, well before I hired in at ford... I was a committeeman/rep at an outside shop (UAW Local 155)...I believed in the power of "grievance" ...Grievances should be respected by all reps...whether you agree with it or not. Know your contract (it's your job as a rep)...no rep should have to "refer" to a higher power to file a grievance...as a rep/committeeman, even if you know the complaint is unjustified to the contract, you SHOW the person why you think so...SHOW them the part of the contract that will stop the grievance....Don't just say "that won't work" or "you're hurting the membership"...SHOW them....in contract. Then, If the person still wants to file, then do it...don't worry about what the local or IUAW will say...just do it.. That's how things get done ...or not. Grievance means complaint against what the contract says....Know your contract...don't just bitch about the consequences...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When the union agreed about 12 years ago to give up our $2.00 raise to give it back to the company, for further product development. Then finding out the gotchas in the concession contract. Then the equity of sacrifice set up, and then for them to celebrate a $2.00 raise as a gain, when they took it away in the first place 12 years ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...