Choosing a Path for Michigan - UAW Local 5960

AWARD WINNING UAW LOCAL 5960 

August 1, 2011 THE UAW LOCAL 5960 REPORT 

Page 

LOCAL 

5960 

Financial Secretary 

CLIFF FATT 

Amalgamated Local 5960 

Orion Assembly 

180 E. Silverbell Road • Lake Orion, MI 48360 

www.uaw5960.org 

LABOR NEWS 

Phone: (248) 377-2520 Fax: (248) 377-2608 

President 

PAT SWEENEY 

VOL. 27 ISSUE NO. 8 Belonging, Believing, Building in Solidarity (U.S.P.S. 002033) 

auGust 1, 2011 

President 

Pat 

Sweeney 

PAGE 

2 

VICE-PRESIDENT 

Louis 

Rocha 

PAGE 

2 

FINANCIAL SEC’Y 

Cliff 

Fatt 

PAGE 

3 

recording SEC’Y 

Heather 

Charters 

UAW PROPERTY ILLEGAL TO DUPLICATE 

UAW President Bob King’s speech to Detroit Regional Chamber 

Choosing a Path for Michigan 

Michigan is 

at an historic 

crossroads. 

Thanks to the courageous 

decision of President Obama 

to save the American auto 

industry, and thanks to the 

willingness of business and 

labor to embrace change and 

work together, and thanks 

to the substantial sacrifices 

of our members, suppliers, 

dealers and all stakeholders, 

there has been an amazing 

revival of this vital American 

industry. 

The results are undisputable; 

a turnaround has taken 

place. For the first time in 

almost seven years, all of 

Detroit’s car companies are 

earning profits. Chrysler and 

GM are paying off govern- 

ment loans well ahead of 

schedule. These companies 

are rehiring thousands of 

laid-off workers and hiring 

thousands of new workers. 

Unemployment in Michigan 

is down substantially. 

The critical choice now facing 

leaders of government, 

industry and labor is whether 

to continue down this path 

of cooperation, moderation 

and joint creative problemsolving, 

or instead to take the 

path proposed by right-wing 

extremist ideologues. While 

the extreme right pretends 

to be “pro-business,” I think 

their ideological proposals 

are very harmful to business, 

and I am urging you today to 

reject the extremism and polarization 

of the right, and to 

join with those who believe in 

deep Democratic and human 

values on a path that will lead 

to true economic growth and 

prosperity for all. 

The successful resurgence 

of the American auto industry 

is a testament to the wisdom 

and effectiveness of choosing 

the moderate, pragmatic 

and inclusive path. President 

Obama faced the choice of 

whether to accept the collapse 

of an industry critical 

not only to millions of workers 

and businesses large and 

small, but also to our national 

security. Republican politicians 

uniformly attacked his 

choice, more than willing to 

sacrifice Michigan’s economy 

on the altar of extreme free 

market ideologies. 

According to the Center 

for Automotive Research, 

without the decision by President 

Obama to rescue the 

auto industry, there would 

have been the loss of three 

million jobs nationally within 

three years. Only one-quarter 

of those jobs would have 

been lost at auto manufacturers; 

the vast majority would 

be lost at suppliers and small 

businesses that rely on auto 

production and auto jobs and 

wages for their income. 

All of us in Michigan owe 

an enormous debt of gratitude 

to President Obama for 

giving us a second chance to 

prove that the American auto 

industry can be successful in a 

competitive global economy. 

Photo courtesy of Jay Combs 

We owe a tremendous debt 

of gratitude to American 

taxpayers. It is now incumbent 

upon us to validate this trust 

by committing to do everything 

possible to achieve and 

expand on this success. 

There is no doubt that President 

Obama’s decision to 

support the auto industry was 

politically unpopular. Many 

Americans were distrustful of 

more government intervention 

in the wake of the massive 

bailout of the big banks 

that were largely responsible 

for the economic crisis. But I 

think that the public was also 

expressing their sense that the 

auto companies and the auto 

union also bore some respon- 

See BOB KING on page 8 

2011 

Upcoming 

EVENTS 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7 

Friendship Day 

saturday, august 13 

Full Moon 

saturday, august 13 

5960 Golf Scramble 

Monday, august 15 

Local Demands Deadline 

wednesday, August 17 

Retirees Meeting 

Friday, August 26 

Women’s Equality Day 

Next Union Meeting is 

September 5, 2011 

at 7:30 a.m.

Page THE UAW LOCAL 5960 REPORT August 1, 2011 

5960’S 

president 

Report 

Brothers and Sisters, 

July has flown by and it was a hot 

one! I hope everyone enjoyed their 

two weeks off, I know I did! 

Our retirees had their annual picnic 

on July 20th. It was too hot for the 

outside, so we held it inside, but your 

Executive Board cooked the burgers 

and hot dogs outside on the grill. A big 

thanks to all of the E-Board members 

and thanks for all the help. 

UAW Local 5960 held a summer picnic 

on July 23rd and had a better turnout 

compared to last year, and I would 

like to thank all of the volunteers; the 

retirees, and the Civil Rights Standing 

Committee members for the children’s 

games, as well as the Education Committee 

and the Women’s Committee, 

and Kelly Meshell for the snow cones! 

Big thanks to our wonderful veterans 

who were all over the place helping 

with one thing or another. 

Your new Executive Board members 

were also out there sweating 

and making sure all of those in attendance 

were taken care of! Thanks 

everyone! 

The G-6ers, Malibus or since there 

are no more of these, maybe we can 

call them the Sonics, did a great job 

with the music and kept everyone on 

their toes! 

We haven’t heard too much on the 

4-10’s yet since the line isn’t running 

at full capacity. We will just have to 

give it a little more time. 

Third-Party Brothers 

and Sisters Update 

We finally have the last signature 

for the sanitation; Eurest/Team members 

contract. 

With Linc Logistics we had a visit 

from UAW Vice President’s Cindy 

Estrada’s office, Rick Issacson, on the 

work being performed the week of July 

18th. We hope with this new information 

Brother Issacson can help us out 

in getting that contract completed. 

We are still having problems with 

Jones, Lang LaSalle with organizing 

the maintenance and powerhouse 

areas. We completed a card check 

and they filed a protest through the 

See PRESIDENT on page 3 

by Louis Rocha 

I hope everyone enjoyed a great 4th 

of July holiday. I welcome everyone 

back and ask that we stay focused on 

producing quality vehicles, because 

our jobs depend on it. 

Working on the floor, I know that 

there is a lot of tension and uncertainty. 

Lots of rumors on where we’re 

at and where we’re going; rumors on 

contract talks and what might happen 

and on what might not; but they 

are just that, rumors. As Webster’s 

Dictionary states: “ru-mor 1: talk or 

opinion widely disseminated with no 

discernible source.” 

Plain and simple, I have faith in my 

UNION. I know they are going to do 

the right thing. I am not part of the Bargaining 

Team, but I know when they 

come back with an agreement, Local 

and National, they have done the best 

they could have under these current 

conditions. I know that my UNION 

has OUR best interests in mind. No 

one said that this is going to be easy, 

but we need to stand together! 

We talk SOLIDARTY, but when 

it comes time for action, some back 

down. Let me again quote Webster’s 

Dictionary; “Sol-i-dar-i-ty; unity (as 

of a group or class) that produces or 

is based on community of interests, 

objectives and standards…the support 

that people in a group give each 

other…” 

Think about it, we just celebrated 

our Independence Day. We had fireworks, 

BBQs and lots of good times. 

What would have happened if we 

decided, back in the day, not to come 

together? Not to support this movement. 

Where would we be? OK, let’s 

move this forward to our Sit-Down 

Strike. Where would we be if the 

majority decided to stand instead of 

sitting? Where would we be? Our 

fight for equality and justice, our 

march with Dr. Martin Luther King; 

where would we be if we decided not 

to lock arms? 

Fast forward to current times… 

Our agreement with the small car... 

Where would we be, if we chose not 

to stand and support our team? Our 

current talks with LINC; where will 

they/we be if we choose not to stand 

together? Our current talks in our 

upcoming contract; where will you 

be? I’ll tell you where I’ll be; front 

and center, supporting my Brothers 

and Sisters. It’s not going to be easy, 

but it’s what needs to be done. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated, 

“The ultimate measure of a man is 

not where he stands in moments of 

comfort and convenience, but where 

he stands at times of challenge and 

controversy.” 

LEGAL CONSULTATION AVAILABLE 

AN ATTORNEY WILL BE PRESENT AT: LOCAL 5960 

WHEN: EVERY TUESDAY, 2:00 - 5:00 P.M. 

Any member or retiree from Local 5960 is welcome to come and discuss any legal problem. The 

first consultation is FREE OF CHARGE. Should you decide to hire this attorney, the attorney 

fees are negotiated by you and the attorney with no involvement from the Local 

Union. This is merely a service we are attempting to provide our membership, 

and each member is entirely free to choose for themselves. 

TELEPHONE or VISIT

FIN. SEC’Y- 

by Cliff Fatt 

Many Michigan voters are now experiencing 

remorse just nine months 

after the November elections. Governor 

Snyder’s plan to reinvent 

Michigan was not what many people 

expected. Robin Hood, in reverse, 

and the Republican-led legislation 

has resulted in taxing our pensions, 

appointment of emergency managers 

to take over cities and school boards, 

and an all out attack on Unions and 

our collective bargaining rights while 

giving businesses huge tax breaks! 

Additionally, the Republicans have 

plans to redraw Michigan’s Congressional 

boundaries. Instead of drawing 

fair lines that follow community and 

county borders in a logical way, the 

new districts are skewed in a way that 

benefits Republican incumbents. If 

they are successful, the tri-county areas 

stand to lose one of our great laborfriendly 

Congressman from District 9, 

(Congressman Gary Peters) or District 

12, (Congressman Sander Levin). We 

must continue to stay focused and fight 

this erosion of the labor movement and 

the middleclass. 

Our presence at rallies on the Capitol 

steps in Lansing, as well as writing 

letters and making telephone calls to 

our legislators have all contributed 

in making labor’s voice heard, but 

we must continue the fight! We are 

making a difference, but we could do 

more. V-CAP is the UAW’s independent 

political committee which jointly 

raises funds with the AFL-CIO to 

make political contributions to labor 

friendly candidates in Michigan. 

V-CAP will also send out literature 

and/or call its members and make recommendations 

as to which candidates 

support our viewpoints and have our 

best interests in mind. 

Region 1’s V-CAP Dollar Drive is 

currently underway with an expected 

drawing date of September 13, 2011. 

Each raffle ticket you buy helps to 

elect worker-friendly candidates and 

increases your chances of winning a 

4wd-ATV, Plasma HDTV with home 

theater system or cash prizes. New this 

year is a separate raffle drawing for 

the sellers of V-CAP dollar drive raffle 

booklets. Get involved in your future 

and purchase some raffle tickets from 

members of our V-CAP Committee 

and some of our Worker-to-Worker 

members. 

Thank you to all of the people who 

helped out with this year’s retiree 

and active members’ picnic. We had 

many hard-working volunteers, but 

can always use more help. Volunteers 

are always needed at our Local’s functions 

to make them a success. Once 

again, thank you! 


uaw 

Sponsored by 

Page 

12th Annual Car Show 

Enjoy some nostalgia 

Free to the public 

Free rides for the kids 

Fun for the whole family 

Music, food, raffles and prizes! 

Everyone is Welcome!! 

Sunday, September 25, 2011 

Registration from 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. 

$20 Registration ($18 Pre-Registration, form at bottom) 

Open to public 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

First come, first serve for dash plaques & goodie bags. 

Proceeds used to help area Veterans! For further 

information, call UAW Region 1 at (586) 427-9200. 

PRESIDENT 

Continued from page 2 

National Labor Relations Board 

(NLRB) and due to a slight oversight, 

we had to have an election 

run by the impartial at the NLRB on 

Monday, July 25, 2011. The results 

were: 69% - YES. So, even though 

JJL slowed us down, the UAW representation 

was approved. 

Saturday, July 30th, we held our 

Local Golf Championship outing. 

Congratulations to our latest winner, 

Dale Norman who shot a 75. A 

reminder; the Local Golf Scramble 

Scholarship Outing is Saturday, August 

13th!! Make sure you get your 

teams in before the deadline of August 

8th. This outing helps fund our 

drawing for our members’ dependents 

education. Please make sure 

and participate in this worthwhile 

golf outing, especially if you golf. 

If you don’t golf, please volunteer 

to help or go to your local business 

and ask for a donation. 

September 5th, we start the 

monthly meetings again. This time 

it will be held at 7:00 a.m. and we 

will be going to Detroit to once 

again march in the parade. 

As you know, this is a contract 

year. September 14th is the deadline 

and our UAW International 

will be out there doing their best! 

Please give your Local and International 

the support they need to be 

successful! 

God bless the fallen and the 

injured! 

In solidarity! 

Auto Class Descriptions 

A. Original: 1900-1985 (25 years or older) 

B. Original Modified: 3 major enhancements (25+) 

C. Street Rod: 1900-1948 

D. Custom / Special Interest: Car or Truck 

E. Pro Street – Tubbed: Reduced Axle – Car or Truck 

F. Street Machine: 1949 & up 

G. Truck: All years If you love your freedom, 

Thank a vet! 

From UAW Local 5960 Benefits Dept: 

If you are considering Lasik Eye Surgery, 

please be advised that you need to call the Lasik 

Consultation and Information Line at 1-888-705-2020 (for providers in your area).


Orion Assembly 

shop chairman 

AUTO TALKS 

Negotiations have started for the 

2011 National and Local Agreements. 

All UAW 5960 members have 

until August 15th 

to submit Local 

demands. Local 

demand forms are 

available in the 

Work Center, at 

the Union Hall 

and on the 5960 

web-site. Write a 

demand, send it Mike Dunn 

in and let your voice 

be heard. 

ENTRANCE GATES 

Work has taken place at all the entrances 

during the down time and new 

turnstiles have been put in place. The 

plant policy remains the same. You 

still punch in at the time clock that is 

inside the plant, not at the turnstile. 

The turnstiles will “free spin” before 

and after the shift and at breaks and 

lunch. If this is not the case, please 

report this to the UAW Work Center 

at 248-377-5853. 

TRAFFIC LIGHT 

We are currently working with 

the county to make changes to the 

traffic light at gate 4 (Chassis Gate). 

We understand that this light has 

caused traffic to back up during shift 

changes and we are looking to make 

it more responsive to the workforce, 

but still be safe for all drivers. Again, 

Stay on top of the news while away 

Employee Hotline: 

1-888-774-8888 

UAW 5960 Website: 

www.uaw5960.org 

if this is not happening, please call 

the Work Center for further assistance. 

FORMER PONTIAC 

ASSEMBLY MEMBERS 

I am pleased to announce that we 

have been able to assist our members 

who were former Pontiac Assembly 

employees with their seniority issues. 

Thanks to the UAW 5960 Bargaining 

Team, all have been made whole. 

Thanks to these members for their 

patience. 

ALTERNATE WORK 

SCHEDULE 

Orion’s Skilled Trades management 

recently rolled out an alternative 

work schedule (AWS) to our 

tradespersons. This schedule will 

provide for a rolling four-ten schedule 

that will end up with many of 

our trades on a shift that they did 

not choose. They want to start this 

schedule for the trades in September. 

Our Local bargainers put together 

what we believe is a better business 

case using a three-shift, five-eights 

schedule that would give the trades 

a more normal choice. 

COA 

We recently held two meetings at 

the Union Hall to roll out the COA 

agreement to the membership and 

to take questions concerning Orion’s 

future. I am pleased to say the meetings 

were well attended and everyone 

had an opportunity to speak on the 

issues. Our facility is now 100 percent 

COA compliant. The official Start of 

Production was August 1st and we 

are looking forward to adding more 

vehicles to our plant. 

IN CLOSING 

Don’t forget the Labor Day parade 

is coming up and we will have an 

early morning Membership Meeting 

at 7 a.m. on that day. With the 

negotiations in high gear and all the 

attacks on organized labor, this will 

be an important year to get out to the 

parade, walk with our brothers and 

sisters and show the world that labor 

unions are alive and well. 

As always, my door is open to any 

member with an issue and I am always 

looking for new ideas and better ways 

to get things done. 

In solidarity... 

Local 5960 

Members 

& Family 

UAW Local 5960 Labor 

Events in History for 

August 2011 

LABOR EVENTS DURING August: – 19 August 1916 Strikebreakers 

hired by the Everett Mills owner Neil Jamison attacked and beat picketing 

strikers in Everett, Washington. Local police watched and refused to 

intervene, claiming that the waterfront where the incident took place was 

Federal land and therefore outside their jurisdiction. (When the picketers 

retaliated against the strikebreakers that evening, the local police intervened, 

claiming that they had crossed the line of jurisdiction.) Three days 

later, twenty-two union men attempted to speak out at a local crossroads, 

but each was arrested; arrests and beatings of strikebreakers became 

common throughout the following months, and on 30 October vigilantes 

forced IWW speakers to run the gauntlet, subjecting them to whipping, 

tripping, kicking, and impalement against a spiked cattle guard at the 

end of the gauntlet. In response, the IWW called for a meeting on 5 November. 

When the union men arrived, they were fired on; seven people 

were killed, 50 were wounded, and an indeterminate number wound up 

missing. August 1917 IWW organizer Frank Little was lynched in Butte, 

Montana. 26 August 1919 United Mine Worker organizer Fannie Sellins 

was gunned down by company guards in Brackenridge, Pennsylvania. 

27 August 1950 President Truman ordered the U.S. Army to seize all 

the nation’s railroads to prevent a general strike. The railroads were not 

returned to their owners until two years later. 3 August 1981 Federal air 

traffic controllers began a nationwide strike after their union rejected the 

government’s final offer for a new contract. Most of the 13,000 striking 

controllers defied the back-to-work order, and were dismissed by President 

Reagan on 5 August. 

EMPLOYEE NAME DECEASED NAME RELATIONSHIP DATE 

Brad Shilling Wanda Shilling Parent 6/22/2011 

Pat Behnke Jerry Sheldon Spouse/Parent 6/14/2011 

Michael Postell Elsie M. Postell Parent 6/5/2011 

Rob Davis Robert J. Davis Parent 7/11/2011 

Louis Rocha Rita Sizick Spouse/Parent 7/16/2011 

Chuck Haworth John Ippolito Spouse/Parent 7/13/2011 

Jerry Burket, Jr. (Retired) Florence Cool Sister 7/19/2011 

Local 5960 award winning 

LABOR NEWS 

The Local 5960 Report is published monthly by the 

U.A.W. Local 5960 180 E. Silverbell Rd., Lake Orion, MI 48360. 

Subscription $25.00 per year. 

The U.S.P. S. is 002033 for periodical postage rates paid at 

Lake Orion and at additional mailing offices, Lake Orion, MI 48360. 

(Effective 7/1/90) 

Published monthly at Fenton, Mich. 48430 by Local 5960 

POSTMASTER: 

Send address changes to Local 5960 Report, 

180 E. Silverbell Rd., Lake Orion, MI 48360 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE: 

Pat Sweeney 

Dan Wagner (Retired Advisor) 

Tony Hufford, Editor 

LOCAL 

Opinions expressed or signed in articles of the Local 5960 Report 

do not necessarily represent the positions or opinions of Local 5960. 


Executive Board: 

Pat Sweeney 

President 

lOUIS rOCHA 

Vice-President 

cliff fatt 

Financial Secretary 

Heather Charters 

Recording Secretary 

TROY HENKE 

Trustee 

MARSHA gutierrez 

Trustee 

Erick Simpson 

Trustee 

april kelley 

Guide 

max c. right 

Sergeant-at-Arms 

rupert o’brien 

Chairman-Retirees


Page 

local 5960 

editor’s report 

TIER EVERYONE! 

Many people have weighed-in 

on the International UAW’s decision 

to work with the Big Three on 

multi-tier wages for new hires. Union 

members, affected 

by these events, 

have voiced their 

opinions and deserve 

to have a say. 

These opinions 

are best expressed 

at a membership 

meeting, in an 

open forum while 

Tony Hufford 

giving respect to the opinions from 

all sides of the issue. Unfortunately, 

just prior to the start of National Auto 

Negotiations, we have folks, with no 

stick in the fire, having opinions in 

the national media and elsewhere. 

We can’t let these voices divide us or 

steer us at such a critical time. 

We need to become a Tier Everyone! 

society where we all commit to working 

together to make the work place 

better for everyone, not only wages 

and benefits, but working conditions, 

morale and respect. This is the path 

to a successful Local Union that is 

strong in solidarity and respected 

throughout the Corporation and by 

the International parties as being a 

Local that can be a guide path for 

others. 

During these tough negotiations, 

others, who have their own agenda, 

will work to divide us. We must keep 

our focus on improved outcomes for 

everyone, standing tall together as 

a Tier Everyone! society. Turning me 

into we will help to make the upcoming 

negotiations a success. 

I believe the multi-tier wage struc- 

ture came about as a result of tremendous 

job loss in the unionized auto 

industry, brought on by market share 

loss to foreign car companies who were 

allowed to enter the American market 

not only without a fee, but with the 

blessings and tax incentives by many 

southern states. For every plant the 

Big Three has had to close; the foreign 

transplants have opened one and for 

every employee the Big Three has had 

to let go or buy out, the transplants have 

hired one. The result has been no net 

gain in American auto jobs. These foreign 

companies have simply relocated 

these jobs, within our own borders, to 

areas where they can pay workers less 

and treat them with less dignity. 

With the help of many politicians 

and a bankruptcy filing by two of the 

Big Three, we are now being asked 

to match the transplants’ wages and 

benefits. These “all in” cost-perhour 

figures are the meat of every 

article written recently concerning 

the upcoming auto negotiations. 

However, the conclusion to this 

story can only be written by us. 

By us, I mean the unionized men 

and women at the Orion Assembly 

Center. We are the firewall against 

the past and at this critical juncture 

the eyes of the world are on us. 

We are the first plant ever to bring 

work back to the U.S. from foreign 

soil. We are the beginning of a new 

future where unionize autoworkers 

have a seat at the big table because 

of our numbers and political clout. 

Certainly everything is not perfect, 

but we are at that bend in the road 

that leads back to increased employment 

and unionized plants coming 

back on-line. 

The International UAW and our 

Local leadership will work hard to 

make sure our membership is not left 

behind as these corporations regain 

their footing and become profitable 

...they always have. Our part is to be 

It’s Been Said… 

“Without labor nothing 

prospers.” 

– Sophocles 

in support of the leadership and to 

be a Tier Everyone! society where we 

support each other 

and treat each 

other well as we all 

reach for a successful 

tomorrow. 

The Education 

Committee is asking 

everyone to come to the Labor 

Day Parade this year and show the 

world just how together and committed 

we are. We will be hosting 

a float and will need participants 

to help. If you would like to get involved, 

your Local needs you. Please 

e-mail me at: editor@uaw5960.org 

or call me 248- 

377-5505. 

As always, if 

you have an opinion 

to express 

concerning this 

article or another 

subject, contact me. 

UAW Local 5960 reserves the 

right to edit for length, grammar 

and content. 

Thanks for listening and enjoy the 

rest of the summer.


The Uaw 5960 Summer Picnic 

HORSESHOE (DOUBLES) WINNERS CLAY 

ARMSTRONG and CHUCK HAYWORTH 

WE LIKE THE PICNIC 

HORSESHOE 2nd (SINGLES) 

TAYLOR CARPENTER 

HAVING A GOOD TIME 

ALL SMILES 

FUN AT THE PICNIC 

HORSESHOE WINNER (SINGLES) 

CLAY ARMSTRONG 

(Left) 

THE 

BACK-UP 

SINGERS 

BALLOON TOSS WINNERS – KYANA AND 

ELI FARRELL 

HORSESHOE (DOUBLES) 2nd KEN 

CLAYTON AND MARC MULDER 

GREAT DAY FOR A PICNIC 

Photos courtesy of Denise Hufford


UAW Local 5960 

14th Annual Scholarship Fund 

Golf Scramble 

Saturday, August 13, 2011 

WHERE: Hadley Acres (810) 797-4820 

3797 Hadley - Metamora, MI 

TEE TIME: 9:30 a.m. Shotgun Start 

COST: 

$260 per team – Includes 18 holes of golf with 

hot dog or brat at turn, prizes, and a two 

meat dinner 

First Place - $400.00 

Second Place - $200.00 

Other prizes for Closest-to-Pin, Longest Drive & Vegas Hole 

OPEN TO MEMBERS OF UAW LOCAL 5960, FAMILY MEMBERS & ASSOCIATES 

(Prizes based off of 36 teams) 

**Fill Out and Return Form Below** 

** Accepting Applications through August 5, 2011 ** 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Registration Form 

UAW Local 5960 Golf Scramble 

Hadley Acres – Metamora, Michigan 

August 14, 2011 

1. Name:_ ____________________________________ Handicap (18) Holes_______ 




Make check payable to: Patrick Sweeney, Local 5960 Golf Committee 

BOB KING 

Continued from front page 

sibility for the companies’ difficulties. 

I believe the public is looking 

to us now to see whether we have 

learned anything from the crisis, 

and whether we choose to return to 

business as usual or whether we are 

committed to a new way of doing 

business in the globally competitive 

world we live in. 

On behalf of the UAW, I can state 

that our union has learned many 

lessons from the crisis in the auto 

industry, and we have decided to 

adopt fundamental, radical change. 

We have reinvented our union. We 

have recognized that we can no 

longer take the same approaches 

we took twenty, ten or even five 

years ago. We are calling our new 

approach the “UAW of the 21st 

century.” 

We no longer live in the same 

world in which the UAW grew 

up 75 years ago. The 20th century 

UAW existed in an era of a 

national industrial economy and 

a national marketplace. The 21st 

century UAW recognizes that auto 

companies face critical challenges 

in a global marketplace, and it is 

our mission to create conditions 

that will enable our employers to 

compete and succeed in order to 

best represent our members. 

The 20th century UAW tried to 

find ways to achieve job security, 

such as job banks, that in the end 

did not achieve the result we were 

seeking. The 21st century UAW 

knows that the only true path to 

job security is by producing the best 

quality product, the safest product 

and the longest lasting product, at 

the best price. 

Simply put, our highest priority 

is to join with our employers to 

produce the best quality products 

at the best value for consumers. 

The 20th century UAW fell into 

a pattern with our employers where 

we saw each other as adversaries 

rather than partners. Mistrust became 

embedded in our relations, 

and as a result we signed onto ever 

more lengthy and complicated contracts 

with work rules and narrow 

job classifications that hindered 

flexibility and promoted a litigious 

and time-consuming grievance 

culture. 

The 21st century UAW seeks and 

expects a partnership with employers 

based on mutual respect, trust 

and common goals. In a global 

economy, flexibility, innovation 

and teamwork are paramount. 

The 20th century UAW joined 

with the companies in a mindset 

that it was the company’s job to 

worry about profits, and the union’s 

job to worry about getting the 

workers their share. The 21st century 

UAW embraces as our own the 

success of our employers in order 

to achieve the economic and social 

success of our members, their families 

and our communities. 

The 20th century UAW was not 

primarily focused on the needs 

of consumers, and we failed to 

champion forcefully or effectively 

enough the goals of preserving our 

environment for future generations 

through green manufacturing 

and green products. 

The 21st century UAW makes as 

a priority the interests of consumer 

safety, energy efficiency and environmental 

protection. 

The 20th century UAW reacted 

with hostility and resistance to the 

historic changes brought about by 

the globalization of the economy. 

The 21st century UAW is adopting 

a more nuanced and constructive 

approach to global trade and global 

development. We are committed 

to becoming citizens of the world 

and achieving trade that spreads 

prosperity and lessens poverty. We 

are also committed to saving and 

growing the American industrial 

base with good jobs in the United 

States. 

Out of the ashes of the cataclysm 

of 2008 and 2009, a new, more visionary 

and stronger UAW is being 

born. The 21st century UAW views 

management not as our adversaries 

or enemies, but as partners in innovation 

and quality. Our relationship 

with employers is built upon 

a foundation of respect, shared 

goals, and a common mission, and 

a mutual social responsibility to 

create good, secure, middle-class 

jobs here in our communities in 

the United States. 

This commitment to fundamental 

change is not just a tenet of my 

administration, but is permeating 

the entire culture of the UAW. 

Our internal educational resources 

are devoted to nurturing this new 

mindset. I can tell you that there 

is no group of people more committed 

to the success of the auto 

See BOB KING on page 11


Page 

RETIREES 

REPORT 

By Rupert ‘Rupe’ O’Brien, Jr. 

Retiree Chairperson 

Hello Brothers & Sisters, 

I hope everyone is getting through 

this hot spell without any health issues. 

Our picnic on 

July 20th was hot 

with a heat index 

over 100 degrees, 

so as a safety precaution, 

we moved 

the picnic inside 

the Union Hall 

where it was cooler. 

We had a good 

Rupert “Rupe’ 

O’Brien, Jr. 

turnout and it seemed like everyone 

was having a good time. A lot of great 

prizes were given out. In addition, the 

cars were great, and trophies won by 

our members for their cars. 

The Uaw 5960 

Retirees Summer 

Picnic 

THE FOOD WAS GREAT 

Wally Edgar once again donated 

a 32-inch TV. We raffled it off and 

received enough for one Grandkids’ 

Scholarship award for next year at 

$540. Thank you, Wally Edgar. If it 

were not for you and your donations 

along with Oakland Audiology, this 

would not happen. We also want to 

thank our members who won 50/50 

and donated it back to the scholarship 

fund. 

The retirees would like to thank 

Pat Sweeney and the Executive Board 

for doing the cooking. They did the 

BBQ outside in 100 degree weather 

and didn’t complain. Thank you, 

great team. 

Pat Sweeney swore-in the remaining 

four retiree Officers missed last 

month: Harold King (Trustee), Ron 

Helm (Trustee), Melvin Helm (Sergeant-at-Arms) 

and James Greer 

(Guide). Congratulations, and looking 

forward to working with you. 

Again, as always, Lona and Jerry 

Burket did a great job of picking out 

some outstanding prizes for our door 

prizes, thank you. 

The following thank 

yous go to our venders 

that show up every 

month and donate to 

our door prizes. We 

would like to thank 

Cygnet Financial, Wally 

Edgar, Gollings, City 

Financial, Oakland Audiology, 

Optiview, John 

Oetjens, and Samantha 

Ledbetter for helping 

retirees without dental 

coverage. I hope I didn’t 

forget anyone. If so, I’m 

sorry. 

Our next trip is to 

Soaring Eagle, September 22nd. We 

will do the sign-up at our August 17th 

meeting. If you want to go on this last 

trip, be sure and sign up, and please 

be sure you will be able to go. This 

one is a little harder to set up. 

I see where our Governor is busy 

signing more laws that go against the 

working people. This man is ruining the 

working people of our great state. 

Recall petitions were at our meeting 

again, and I was told it looks like they 

might have enough signatures. In closing, 

I was told they wanted everyone’s 

count in by July 21st in order to get a 

count, which is good. 

Another reminder for those who are 

losing their dental coverage, the following 

information on dental coverage 

is available through Cygnet Financial. 

Call Samantha Ledbetter at 248-673- 

2900, she will answer any questions 

5960 Recent 

Retirees 

you may have. 

I was reading the Local paper 

where Express Scripts is buying 

Medco for $29.1 billion. They say 

this will help achieve key goals of the 

health care overhaul: reining in costs 

and improving patient’s health, also 

hoping it will give them more clout 

to demanding discounts from drug 

makers. I sure hope this will help. 

Our medication has been going up 

so that members can’t afford them. I 

always get a little weary when two big 

companies merge like this. 

Due to our Retiree Picnic, we 

didn’t take up any Birthdays or Anniversaries. 

They will resume again 

in August. 

Our second Wednesday suppers 

will begin again starting August 10th 

at 5:00 p.m. through September. 

Hope to see a great turnout again. 

On behalf of the Executive Board, Bargaining Committee, and the entire membership, 

we congratulate you on your decision to retire. We thank you for your dedication 

and friendship. If it were not for the sacrifices and struggles you have endured, 

we would not have what we sometimes take for granted – which are the great UAW 

benefits and wages we have today. We wish you all the best in your retirement. 

Mary Miller 

30 Years 

Dept. 2-27-31 

Debra Marble 

30 Years 

Dept. 1-25-25 

Pat Sweeney - President 

Rodney Hafner 

30 Years 

Dept. 1-15-15 

THE VOLT WAS THERE PONTIAC RULES REAL AMERICAN STEEL THE DOOR PRIZE 

THE KITCHEN CREW A HOT RIDE 

WE COOKED THE DOGS A GREAT TIME HAPPY TO BE HERE

Page 10 THE UAW LOCAL 5960 REPORT August 1, 2011 

UAW 

Local 


I am a retired member and am very disappointed in 

the Retirees’ report from June. The first paragraph is 

simply a lie. While these things have been discussed 

there has not been taxing of pensions nor benefits 

been taken away. I realize that these are important issues 

to all of us but the truth comes first. Do not resort to “scare 

tactics.” Tell the truth. Without integrity there will not be any respect. 

I think a retraction is in order. (A Concerned Member) 

This is the first paragraph from the retirees report for June. 

Our Governor sure has been busy the last couple of months, adding 

taxes to pensions, taking away benefits from seniors and the 

middle class. Yes, he has been busy. 

Editor’s Note: While you are technically right on some of these 

legislative items that the Governor wants but has not yet been able 

to sign into law; how long do you believe this will take when both 

houses of Michigan’s congress are FOS’s (Friends of Snyder). I suspect 

you will be even more disappointed when these things (taxes 

on your pension, loss of labor contracts and loss of medical benefits) 

go into effect. 

As far as the loss of benefits go, Snyder and his cronies have already 

passed the Emergency Financial Manager’s Act, which allows 

the Governor and/or his corporate buddies to take over entire cities 

that they believe are in financial hardship. Under this act, they 

can, and have, dissolved local City Councils and thrown out union 

contracts, like yours, etc. Would you call this a loss of benefits? I 

would. Talk to the folks in Hamtramck, Pontiac, Benton Harbor, 

Flint, Highland Park, Green Oaks Village and the Detroit Public 

School System concerning Rick Snyder and the loss of benefits. In 

Pontiac alone, he has already fired the unionized dispatchers and 

turned the Pontiac Police Department over to Oakland County. 

The only reason these other items are not yet law is because of 

folks like our retirees and other supporters of the middle class began 

a re-call on Rick Snyder and are protesting him every time he 

shows his face in public. 

Your time would be better spent working with our retirees to 

send Rick Snyder packing rather than looking for technicalities to 

justify your vote.

August 1, 2011 THE UAW LOCAL 5960 REPORT Page 11 

BOB KING 

Continued from page 8 

industry than the union and our 

members working in the auto 

industry. Workers know that the 

success of their employers is in their 

own essential long-term interest. 

They won’t be jumping ship to grab 

onto a golden parachute. They are 

in this for the long haul. They are 

ready, willing and able to do what 

it takes to make their companies 

successful. 

Our members are energized by 

the new paradigm and welcome 

their enhanced opportunities 

to contribute to our company’s 

success. 

At GM, for example, our quality 

network promotes teamwork and 

invites total workforce involvement 

and continuous improvement. A 

Lordstown, Ohio employee saved 

the company almost $200,000 by 

suggesting an alternative windshield 

sealer operation. Team 

members in Pontiac, Michigan 

achieved more than $1.2 million 

in savings with suggestions to add 

plastic protection to a sensor. 

At Chrysler, a sprayer in the 

paint shop – also a shop steward 

– devised a training video to systematize 

training for a new shift 

and volunteered for a split shift to 

assist with the training. 

At Ford, it was UAW members on 

the assembly line at the Chicago Assembly 

Plant that identified quality 

problems and advocated strongly 

for important process and training 

changes with the Taurus launch that 

created the best quality launch ever 

for Ford up to that time. 

At Mitsubishi, UAW members’ 

proven track record of world best 

productivity and quality convinced 

top management in Japan to award 

their newest vehicle platform to our 

UAW facility in Normal, Illinois over 

numerous other global sites competing 

for this platform. 

There are many, many more examples 

of such creative and innovative 

contributions by our members. Management 

will attest to the fact 

that the 

UAW is 

a d d i n g 

value to our 

enterprises. 

At Ford, GM, 

Chrysler and Mitsubishi, 

the UAW has demonstrated 

our commitment to quality, 

teamwork, flexibility 

and innovation. We have 

forged a new culture that 

emphasizes trust, openness, cooperation 

and creative problem-solving. 

Our members have found millions 

of hours of annual savings. We are 

contributing to product development 

and innovative workforce solutions. 

We have taken the lead in workforce 

training and development. Layers of 

management have been eliminated 

because the workers are dedicated 

to creatively managing their own 

processes. Many facilities only have 

one main production classification, 

and an observer coming into a facility 

would not be able to tell who belongs 

to management and who is a union 

member. At one UAW GM facility 

there are no line supervisors, and 

UAW members take full responsibility 

for their operations. 

Just as the UAW has made the 

choice to embrace fundamental 

change and has committed to working 

cooperatively with business, you in the 

business community are also facing a 

choice. This is a watershed moment 

for Michigan business. One choice is 

to work with those such as the UAW 

who want to engage in a moderate, 

inclusive and pragmatic approach 

that affirms a social compact between 

all segments of Michigan society. 

The other choice is to follow the extreme 

agenda of the right wing that 

embraces ideology and divisiveness. 

It is my fervent belief that the more 

moderate, creative problem-solving 

approach is not only more just and 

compassionate, but also more favorable 

to the growth of both large and 

small business. 

Let’s look at the right-wing Republican 

agenda and its negative impact 

on business. One of its tenets is to 

drastically cut taxes on high earners 

and corporations at the expense of 

public education, public services and 

investment in infrastructure. The 

problem is, without strong education 

at both K-12 and the university level, 

we will not produce an educated and 

skilled labor force to compete in a 

global economy. Without good public 

services, we cannot attract business 

to our region. Without investment 

in infrastructure, our transportation 

system, electrical power system and 

communication system cannot support 

business growth. 

The mantra to reduce taxes is a religion 

to many extreme Republicans, 

but this ideology gets in the way of 

practicality and hard facts. The truth 

about taxes is that corporate income 

taxes as a share of revenue on a federal 

level have dropped dramatically 

over recent decades. If corporations 

paid at the same rate today as they 

did in the 1950s, there would be over 

$500 billion in additional federal revenue. 

The average federal income tax 

paid by the highest earners has also 

dropped, from almost 30 percent in 

1995 to 16.6 percent in 2007. 

The Republican budget proposal 

that passed the House of Representatives 

imposes devastating cuts in 

Pell grants for low-income college 

students, while at the same time cutting 

taxes yet more for the wealthy. If 

capital gains on the 400 highest earners 

were taxed at 35 percent, it would 

have brought in an additional $18 billion 

in revenue – enough to provide 

Pell grants to more than three million 

students who otherwise could not afford 

a college education. 

A moderate and pragmatic approach 

to the budget would not 

sacrifice education. A moderate, 

pragmatic and inclusive approach 

to budgets would recognize that we 

can foster the creation of millions 

of good jobs through investments in 

infrastructure and education. 

Another tenet of the right-wing 

agenda is to silence the voices of 

workers in the public sector by 

destroying collective bargaining 

rights. Again, I call upon our partners 

in the business community 

to reject this divisive ideological 

agenda that targets the unions of 

teachers, firefighters, nurses, police 

and state workers. Instead, let us all 

work together to make necessary 

changes and to find common solutions 

that bring prosperity to our 

communities. 

There is no example in history 

of a middle-class democracy that 

exists without free, independent 

unions. The right to have a union 

is a fundamental human right. 

Indeed, our democratic economic 

competitors – Japan, Korea, Germany 

– all acknowledge the role 

of unions in their societies, at the 

same time as they provide universal 

health care and retirement security. 

Businesses should re-examine 

their instinctive negative reaction 

to the notion of unionization. 

Federal labor laws in the United 

States do not protect the right of 

workers in the private sector to join 

unions. Employers can with impunity 

create a climate of fear by implying 

dire consequences if workers 

choose to form a union. It is vital 

that progressive and moderate 

voices in the business community 

speak out against union-bashing 

extremism and the terrifying vision 

of a union-free America. 

An America without unions is 

an America with no middle class. 

An America with no unions and no 

middle class is an America that is no 

longer the beacon for democracy 

and freedom in the world. 

Just as the UAW has chosen 

fundamental change and a vision 

of cooperation between government, 

business and labor, I urge 

you in the business community to 

partner with the UAW of the 21st 

century, to reject ideology and to 

embrace pragmatism, moderation 

and the search for common 

ground and common good for all 

in society. 

Let us work together to build a 

prosperous Michigan. Let us work 

together for a strong middle class. 

Let us work together to create good 

jobs and to rebuild our manufacturing 

sector. Let us work together to 

rebuild infrastructure and invest 

in research and development. 

Let us work together to provide 

dignity and security to our elderly. 

Let us work together to build a 

strong public education system 

and preserve our world-class public 

universities. Let us work together 

– government, business and labor 

– to find creative and pragmatic solutions 

to our economic challenges. 

This is the Michigan way, and this 

is the American way.

Choosing a Path for Michigan - UAW Local 5960

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