Labor Day a gray day for the IUAW

[Decker]

Where has the union idealogy gone? Unite for strength, to benefit for all? All members are equal in treatment, fairness and no member is above another?

 

Labor has lost with concessions for how many contracts, no equal pay for equal work, no equal benefits and our labor sold for half to companies that play our representatives as its come out in Federal court, Fat, Dum and Happy. Now the same song and dance is starting to play out again with the Ford stock being down graded, again just at the same time as in the past.....

 

Labor Day as an ex VP now Detroit City Employee would say "Decker you should be happy your getting paid not to come in" Yep, Jimmy I`m real happy for the benefits we have that was put in place before you took your thrown. But far from as happy as the IUAW representative that are waiting to be served.....

 

 

“Times Harold”

UAW members deserve a better union

“Labor Day is a time to celebrate working men and women, and the honorable reason labor institutions were created; protecting worker’s rights while on the job.”
“But this year, the union that represents me is concerned with protecting itself in court.”
“I’m talking about the United Auto Workers union, which is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Justice Department over the misuse of member training funds. The scandal has so far led to seven convictions of top union and auto executives.”
“The misdeeds echo a lack of respect for their represented employees. Funds intended for member benefits instead “bankrolled expensive meals, golfing, hotel suites, limousines and condominium expenses for high-level UAW officials in Palm Springs, California ...” There was even a $10,000 tab for cigar purchases and custom wine bottles emblazoned with a union executive’s name.”
“The corruption may have reached the highest ranks of the union. One of ex-UAW President Dennis Williams’ top aides, as part of a plea agreement with federal investigators, said that Williams signed off on some of the misuse of training funds. This allegation, if true, stands in stark contrast to the statement Williams made just last month to UAW members in Detroit: “The UAW has zero tolerance for corruption … at any level of this organization.”
“This scandal is personal for me. As a 22-year Ford-UAW autoworker, I was for years forced to pay dues to the UAW or get fired. After my home state of Michigan became a right-to-work state in 2012, I was finally able in 2015 to stop supporting a union that does not represent my interests. Unfortunately, I’m still forced to accept this problematic union representation as a condition of employment.”
“The root of the UAW’s problem is a lack of accountability. The union’s first contract with Ford was signed in 1941. In the almost eight decades since then, autoworkers like me have never had the opportunity to vote whether they still want the UAW’s representation. Also, union leadership today is selected not by the members, but by a group of insiders known as the “Reuther Caucus” who have an interest in preserving the status quo.”
“The dues scandal makes clear that the status quo isn’t worth preserving; like a dirty chalkboard, it needs to be wiped clean to erase decades of scandals and corruption. That’s why I support legislation called the Employee Rights Act, which would provide an option for rank and file workers to select new union representation (or no representation at all) if there’s been more than 50 percent turnover in the bargaining unit.”

“I don’t expect union officials to support these reforms. They are currently busy dodging blame for the scandal, while boosting membership with organizing work outside the auto industry. Recent high-profile organizing losses in Mississippi and Ohio, as well as a struggling campaign at automaker Tesla, do not bode well for the union’s future representing employees in the automotive market. New prospective workers are not buying what the union is selling.”
“The solution to what ails the union isn’t simple, but new leadership and new accountability to members are a good start.”
“First, current president Gary Jones should step down until the investigation is over, and the entire membership should be allowed to vote at their local halls for a brand-new slate of executive leadership. Lastly, the UAW should voluntarily allow recertification votes at plants and factories it has organized, to give jaded or dissatisfied workers a chance to decide if they still want UAW representation.”
“After the news of Williams’ link to the training center scandal was reported, one auto industry publication ran an article with this headline: “America’s Auto Workers Deserve Better than the UAW.”
“As an autoworker myself I couldn’t agree more, and on this Labor Day, I’m confident thousands of my colleagues feel the same. Let’s protect workers once again, and hold our union officials answerable and accountable.”

“Terry Bowman is a 22-year FORD-UAW Autoworker.”

[dark270]

sry aint gonna listen to a scab. guy that doesnt pay his dues, has no respect to bad mouth the union

[hi-lo feva2]

What dark said!!! Long and drawn out, then dark cut his head off, hilarious! Don’t pay dues, STFU.

[Decker]

"Scab" or "Idiot" or just like so many that get "fired" before they start to realize our union has become for and serves just the chosen few. Disagree or agree with his opinion the points (not all) are valid.

 

In the Ford facility I`ve chosen to spend my life in, every legacy, high seniority member feels they have been treated unfairly and the deck has been stacked against us. By the company, only? Did the union representatives understand the long term effects on the membership when they brought the agreements to us with the tiers built into them? Did our representatives understand the "progression to full rates" that the companies lawyers spelled out? When the trades members became aware of the changes and the use of helpers did the representatives understand those long term effects? Did our representatives understand the effects on moral within the membership with the open ended hourly rates for doing the same work? Then were our representatives un aware of the main cause and effect of stacking the deck against "high" seniority members with the agreement to keep the majority of the membership at or close to half what the "legacy" rates of pay?

 

The USW membership is feeling the division at this moment, I`ve had long discussions with trades members and they all talk about how they are the only ones at union meetings. They talk of their "lower tiers" willing to just vote for little or nothing because its more than their getting now. They talk of the same disconnected feelings they are feeling from their representatives also. When did division become the norm?

 

So whatever Mr. Bowman may be labeled or what his true intent may be is completely unknown to me but his points (not all) do describe some very troubling situations that are at so many Ford facilities and we can put facts to those situations he describes.

 

Division is not in union ideology, but our representatives, it seems all representatives, have either knowingly or are unaware of the division they have put in place.

 

Scab? Idiot? Asshole? Labels are still the weakest way to work towards bettering the membership and the best way to divide any group. Our representatives know this technique (self interests) of division very well. Just take a look around your facilities and see how we the "seniority privileged" are being looked at and being labeled as and realize the division is entrenched in the multitude of "tiered" members.

 

Would anyone vote for a two dollar an hour raise if you were making $14 or $15 dollars an hour? Would you even see or care about any other issue involving those "seniority privileged" few.

 

We are, in the constitution the highest authority but, over the years labels have help divide that group of authority so many times.

 

 

 

[lastmanstanding]

Found an article about this...... very interesting......The "Janus Decision" now allows individual employees to break unions by not paying dues. But.... just think about what could happen in the long run. Not being represented by a union could backfire on them. Right to Work laws and the Janus Decision could be used to deny the same benefits of union employees to the non-union employees. Employers have no conttract with employees who opt out of unions or subscribe to the Janus ruling. Free of a contract, employers could strip non-union people of the wages and benefits of union employees. Now, will the law be interpreted like this........ who knows, but whoever thought Michigan would become a "right to work" state........ Also.....consider a workplace in which a majority of employees reject union representation. If a minority within a unit can opt out of union membership, then it should follow that a minority within a workplace should be able to opt in but, as we know this is not the case. ....

Now I know it wouldn't be a good thing for employees who opt out to loose their benefits and wages. I'm only saying it's conceivable that "right to work" and the Janus Decision could eventually create this scenario. It is not in the Union's interest that employees opt out of paying for representation, these same employees should know that the union is the only thing out there that can save them from this fate.

I feel "right to work" laws are used to break unions. As the money to support unions slows down, employers can get away with more. So nobody wins. The people I have talked to, who opt-out, have told me they do this because they don't support the unions political views. Ok, I get it, but I know there is a way to get that part of your money back. The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 allows this. You can write to the union that you don't support there views and they are required to send this money back to you. I know a few people that have done this in the past and I believe this is the law that requires it.

My opinion, which means nothing,.......if you are receiving what everyone else is, you should pay for the representation, if you don't, you are a nonunion worker and the first to go, no matter your seniority. You are just like an "outside" contractor..........

Edited September 4, 2018 by lastmanstanding

[Decker]

In my opion lastman, a great post and opinon.

 

I would opt out and become an agency memeber paying for contractual benefits and representation, if I could. IMO

 

I did the hoop jumping thing and recieved my checks for not wanting to contribute policticly through the IUAW lobbying part of my dues. But got fed up with the multitue of hoops and the every year timing crap so I cashed thoses $16 checks and gave up.

 

I`ll try to clear up my stance, I`m not anti union ideology, I`m anti current IUAW leadership and the IUAW leadership of the last 15 to 20 years. I agree with you lastman here and many times in the past and will continue.

 

I will state time and time again the biggest issue our, any union faces is self inflicted division of the rank and file. IMO The morale shows it everyday and it isn`t going to get better. The IUAW has a choke hold on the memberships participation in their so called elections, sells piss poor contract with the take it or hit the road sales pitch and can walk away from the ratification vote knowing Ford has and will post profits with the help of every penny the IUAW helped us give back, one contract was signed and the very next day reports came out about Fords projected profits.... But, never even considering our concessions as something to fight to get back or even trying to open the contract like they were so happy to do a few years back when the company was planning on stealing more. But, as of late the findings by the Fed`s kinda clears the air about that IUAW helping hand to at least FCA....

 

The people can get together to put whoever they want in the senate or congress hell even put knuckleheads in the oval office but the members of the UAW can not put any IUAW representative directly in office. We are using their stacked deck and they will never consider any other way of doing the business of controlling the membership.

Edited September 4, 2018 by Decker