Happy Holidays from the UAW Local 5960 Union Hall Staff and ...

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Page THE UAW LOCAL 5960 REPORT December 1, 2010 Orion Assembly shop chairman Brothers and Sisters, SKILLED TRADES Management plans to lay off 155 of our Skilled Tradespersons on December 23, 2010. This is not the holiday that we had hoped for our Trades; however, we will continue to work to find a position for each of the Mike Dunn trades. We have recently submitted business cases to the Corporation in support of keeping Tradespersons working in our Powerhouse, Truck Repair and Facility Maintenance. The International UAW is also assisting us with these cases. As progress is made, I will report out concerning this progress in future articles. TEAM LEADERS In late November, we brought back approximately 60 UAW 5960 members to Orion Assembly to fill Team Leader and Critical Assembly jobs. All were brought back via the local seniority agreement. The remaining Team Leaders will be brought back on January 3, 2011 with groups of production operators called back to Orion after that time. SUB-PAY We are aware that our members are running out of SUB-pay and TSP during this final month of 2010. The following is a list of plants that might be taking on employees over the next 3 to 6 months: Fairfax Assembly, Lordstown Assembly and Stamping, Flint Assembly and Stamping, Lansing Delta Assembly, Lansing Grand River Assembly and Detroit Hamtramck Assembly. ORION’S LAUNCH I know that many of our members have been through some very tough times this year, but we can see our new beginning just ahead. Our intention is to get everyone back to work as soon as possible. Our tools have been silent long enough and it is time for Orion Assembly to be open for business. This year has been a journey that is unique to our business. Normally, when an Assembly Center closes, it stays that way, but Orion was given new life and a bright future. This life was given to us by the International, UAW and the federal and local governments who fought so hard to keep us open and by all of you. Because we were the plant that was able to build 5 car lines in one plant while winning a JD Powers Award, and because all of you went 12 million man hours without a Lost Work Day Case, and because our plant already knows how to work as a team, we earned and were awarded new life. GM and the UAW took a chance on us. “Our competitors better take cover because Orion is coming back with a small car in a big way.” They knew if anyone could pull this off, it would be the “Plant You Can’t Ignore.” Now comes our time to deliver and I am sure that we can and will build the best small car made. We all know the company, the union, our communities and our families are counting on us and we won’t let them down. Our competitors better take cover because Orion is coming back with a small car in a big way. From my family to your family, have a great holiday season and I will see you all in 2011. In solidarity... CIVIL RIGHTS report by Civil Rights Committee Good Day Brothers and Sisters, We are almost through the year 2010, and much has changed inside the Orion plant. Things are ramping up and some of the team leaders were brought into the plant throughout the month of November. The Civil Rights Committee would like to extend a warm welcome back to Orion Assembly and wish them the best of luck in their earned positions. Acting in these leadership roles also brings the responsibility of promoting respect within diverse groups. Some of the steps that can be taken to foster and model these ideas would be: • Understand and respect individuality. • Keep an open mind when working with people different from you. • Speak respectfully to others. • Use assertive communication, such as feedback techniques, to communicate how you want to be treated and how you want others to be treated. • Ask questions and listen to discover how others want to be treated (the “Platinum Rule”). • Act as a force for positive change. Do not ignore mistreatment of others. • Insist on appropriate behavior, especially in the workplace and in the union hall. This being the December newsletter, the Civil Rights Committee hopes that everyone had a fulfilling Thanksgiving with family and friends. We also wish everyone the very best for a special Holiday Season. Some of the December observed international holidays are as follows, by the day/s holiday exists: Dec. 5 - Ashura (Islamic, Muslim) Dec. 6 - St. Nicholas Day (International) Dec. 8 - Bodhi Day - Buddha’s Enlightenment (Buddhist) Dec. 12 - Virgin of Guadalupe (Mexico) Dec. 13 - Santa Lucia Day (Sweden) Dec. 16-25 - Las Posadas (Mexico) Dec. 21-28 - Hanukkah* (Jewish) Dec. 25 - Christmas (Christian, Roman Catholic, International) Dec. 26 - Boxing Day (Canada, United Kingdom) Dec. 26 - Kwanzaa (African-American, Dec. 26, 2009 - Jan. 1, 2011) To all our 5960 UAW members, whatever holiday you observe, please have a safe and joyous celebration. In Solidarity... Stay on top of the news while away Employee Hotline: 1-888-774-8888 UAW 5960 Website: www.uaw5960.org Local 5960 Members & Family EMPLOYEE NAME DECEASED NAME RELATIONSHIP DATE Robert Wainman (Retired) Robert Wainman Retired Member 10/17/10 Wilma Porter Donald Porter Spouse 8/29/10 Richard Kirksey (Retired) Betty M. Kirksey Spouse 10/23/10 Carl T. Serba Virginia Serba Spouse 10/11/10 Gary Nunnery Roberta Alene Nunnery Parent 11/10/10 Robert Pudney Robert Pudney Retired Member 11/9/10 Ralph Farr Virginia Funsch Parent 10/26/10 Brian Harville Faril Harville Grandparent 9/1/10 David M. Collier (Retired) Mary L. Collier Spouse 11/6/10 James Edward Genwright Felix Douglas Genwright Parent 11/1/10 William Bridges (Retired) William Bridges Member 11/11/10 Frank A. Kline (Retired) Frank A. Kline Retired Member 11/23/10
December 1, 2010 THE UAW LOCAL 5960 REPORT Page local 5960 editor’s report Christmas at the Goat Farm Editors Note: This month’s article comes from the “Best of Collection” and was originally published in December of 2008. I hope you enjoy this true story about union folks during the holidays. Another year is about to come to a close with the holidays dead ahead and the dawning of a new year not far behind. This year, Tony Hufford in many ways, has been special and deserves a recap. Perhaps we can do that in January when we can look back with a greater degree of clarity on this tumultuous 12 months. I truly believe what we all need right now is a great Christmas Story about union people, one with a happy ending, for the holidays so let me tell you about my Uncle Ed. My Uncle Ed was the kind of guy who let you stay up late on Saturday night to watch Hockey Night in Canada on his black and white TV with rabbit ears. Sure, the screen was a little fuzzy and the sound was only marginal, but that was great television for an 8 year old in 1960 and up past 9:00 p.m. to boot. I came to be on Uncle Ed’s sofa because I was staying over at my cousin Ray’s house for the weekend, which I did quite often, and this is what Uncle Ed did, every Saturday night. Players like Sawchuk and Howe would circle the black and white, I would sip Pepsi, and Uncle Ed would talk to the players loudly through the TV set. It was great. By the way, Ray was a girl. Uncle Ed was a union pipefitter by trade, a hard-working guy who installed the gas tanks and piping for many local gas stations. In fact, if you have ever gassed up anywhere in the Union Lake, Commerce or West Bloomfield area you have probably received your gas through pipes that my Uncle Ed put in the ground. Like most union men of the time, Uncle Ed believed in his country and bought U.S. Savings bonds along the way to save for a rainy day. Now back to the Christmas story. Years later, Ray grew up and married Kim, a guy, go figure. They were just young kids trying to make their way in the world. Kim worked as a cabinetmaker and Ray became a social worker dedicated to helping the troubled youth in the area. Soon they had twins that were the joys of their lives. The twins, one boy and one girl, kept Ray and Kim hopping as you might imagine. Things went on well for a number of years. With the twins growing bigger, Uncle Ed was able to retire and move north, with Aunt Joanne. Ray and Kim moved the family to a farm north of Mayville. Eighty acres of bliss where the only sound on a winter night was the distant highway sounds over a half mile away. Within a year or two, the economy began to change, (also known as the Reagan years,) and Ray and Kim began to struggle with their payments. Much like today, times were tough and work became scarce. The cabinet making business was in full-blown recession and Ray was raising goats for milk at the farm, but goats’ milk was a high-grade staple that many could not afford and eighty goats can really put away some hay. They had added another child to the flock and had adopted one of the troubled teens that Ray had worked with. Thing were getting bad quickly with no relief in sight. A couple of years earlier Uncle Ed had passed away ,leaving me to talk to the hockey players through the TV, men with names like Izerman and Vachon. I got to talk to them in color with decent sound while hooked to a cable. Times might change, but the actions of union people are something you can always bet the farm on. To this day, whenever I sit down to watch a hockey game I think of Uncle Ed and the great times we had. It was Christmas in Mayville, Michigan not so long ago and not so far away. The cold was bitter and the Christmas turkey looked a lot like a skinny chicken. Ray and Kim had received their Final Notice on the house and would have to vacate the farm shortly after the first of the year. Now Ray and Kim were not overly religious people. As a matter of fact, they rarely went to church or even prayed to a higher power...but now was different. The times were dire. Soon their children would not have a home and the answers to fix these problems were not in their grasp. They simply didn’t know what to do or who to turn to. Christmas is a time of happiness and cheer, but if you are down the pressure of the holidays can be crushing. Later that evening, after the children were all tucked in for the night, Kim grabbed the old Bible off the shelf and wiped the dust off. He took a long look out the window at the snow falling on the evergreens that would soon become the bank’s and told Ray, “I just don’t know what else to do, will you It’s Been Said… “He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” – Roy L. Smith 5960 Recent Retirees pray with me?” Now you have to know my cousin Ray, she is hard as rocks and not used to asking anyone for help but she realized the seriousness of the situation and simply said “yes.” Kim had no idea what passage in the Bible he would use to get the prayer started, so he just opened it somewhere in the middle. What he saw made him cry. When he opened the Bible slips of paper fell out and floated gracefully to the floor. He recognized these slips of paper as U.S. Savings bonds. There was several thousand dollars in mature savings bonds with a note from Uncle Ed that simply read, “You will need these some day, love dad.” All union people know there are bumps in the road for us all and we can’t predict what will come, but we can prepare our families and ourselves for it and that is what Uncle Ed had done. Like many union people, he worked hard and put a little away for his family to help them through a tough time. Christmas time is a time of magic and it always seems that a miracle is just around the corner. As always, it has been a pleasure and an honor to be your editor during 2010. We have gone through a lot of ups and downs this year, but we have gone through them together. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the Report in 2010 and thanks to all the graduates and their parents who took part in our Graduates Edition last summer. From my family to your family; have a wonderful holiday season. Thanks for listening... 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. Pat Sweeney - President NO PHOTO AVAILABLE NO PHOTO AVAILABLE Jane Nast 32.3 Years Dept. 2-11-04 Jerry Ruppel 30 Years Dept. 1-35-05 Eric Bringard 30 Years Dept. 2-25-17
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