DTP workers shout down Bob King

[Larry140]

forwarded message:

    At the Dearborn Truck Plant today, Wednesday, the Unit's elected leadership passed out a letter calling for a NO vote.
    The letter was signed by the plant chairman, the vice-president, and about half of the elected district and bargaining committee reps.
    In response, Bob King came in to the plant on the afternoon shift. The company shut down production to have him speak. The workers booed Bob King off the platform and would not let him speak.

Gary Walkowicz
"A" Crew Bargaining Committeeman

[blackjack]

My hats off to the hourly workers at DTP.  Too bad the GM workers did not show some backbone like this.

[Jack]

I'll second that.

[wishbone]

I'll third that! (if thats possible)
gm waited til most of us (agitaters as we were called) at our site had retired, when they pulled this one off.
(so we had no vote on the contract concessions).
I know the few agitaters still working voted against it
the   butts, and the younger workers ( Im sure they where listening to the foremans and dont tell me it doesn't happen, I've witnessed it myself)that dont realize whats happening to them voted it in.

[blackjack]

As I've said before, you can place the blame on all this crap with  UAW Solidarity House.   Gettelfinger and crew started this with the big concession plans at GM and Chrysler, plus the concessions of the past.  Lets face it, there have been more concession under the Gettelfinger gang, than the last 3 UAW National Presidents combined.

  VEBA, first and foremost puts the UAW in the most awkward position, one that the UAW wanted to be in.  Why did the UAW want the Veba, I and many others still believe there is an underlying reason, in that being the UAW somehow wanted to tap into this cash resource.  VEBA failed with Detroit Diesel, it also failed with Caterpillar.  I don't for one second believe that the UAW felt it could run health care any better than the big three, they just wanted to have control of the money.

With VEBA now in place, the UAW's big pot of Gold, GM, Ford, and Chrysler had to survive.  The Big 3 had to survive even if it meant the UAW selling out there members, the fix was on, now let the corruption begin!  

The biggest danger I see in all the new concessions are not just the power being taken away from the local unions, in that the local agreements have no real meaning now.  The true danger is the freezing of the National Agreement until 2015, with the no strike clause.  Worst of all is the allowing of BINDING ARBITRATION, with this the workers can have untold changes made upon there working conditions, wages, benefits, retirement, and who knows what else.  Hourly workers will have no say at all in the most draconian changes made to them.  The UAW will say don't blame us, it's those damn arbitrators and the companies.  This is and will be nothing but a big show put on by the UAW to try and sooth the beaten down workers.  Just like the committeeman who yells and screams at the line foreman, for nothing but the big tough guy act portrayed to impress the workers.  What many workers never see is the committeeman sucking up to the foreman, latter apologizing for his actions, which is nothing but a little put on act.  It's all very clear if the workers would see the committeeman buying beer latter at the local tavern for the committeeman.


Is what I'm trying to get across to people who are not aware, the actions between the UAW and the Big 3, are nothing but an orchestration.  At this point in time, I see no real difference between the UAW and the Big 3, because there all management now.

[Jack]

My biggest concern is the Veba. If You think the UAW Leadership is a Secret Society now! Wait until they get control of the VEBA. Your Health coverage won't be half of what We get now as Retirees. You'll have higher out of pocket costs and denial of services and NO ONE to answer Your concerns from the UAW.

[truth2power]

God guys, I couldn't agree more, and I really appreciate all the work some of you have done, but I'm really worried.  I think we can all agree mostly on who is to blame.  Thank god Ford workers are standing up. 

But, alot of people are going to lose everything they've worked for.  When you think about the real impact of what the company and its partner in crime, our union, will be- it's staggering.  If 20,000 people will lose their jobs, that's quite a few foreclosures, reposessed cars, no more health care, can't keep the heat on... etc.  We stand to lose everything. 

I hope to god, we the people, union people and other Americans, will get it together and organize quickly before the misery index shoots up- and people have less power. 

Why should we allow the cycle of greed to be perpetuated one more time?

[blackjack]

Yes Jack, health care coverage will be a joke for everyone current and retires.

 Lets not forget the nightmare to come in how the new 2nd tier workers vote.  You can bet the UAW and Big3 will try and pit one against the other for there own gain.

[wishbone]

                                                         REMEMBER:
THE RIGHT TO STRIKE IS THE ONLY "TRUE" HAMMER UNION'S HOLD TO BATTLE CORPORATE GREED
                                       (and believe me the Gordon Gekko's know this)
                                  DON'T LET THEM SAW THE HANDLE OFF THE HAMMMER!!

Strike limitations shouldn't even be in this agreement , it should have never been opened for discussion PERIOD!!

think out of the box:
If the corporations were planning on doing what was right for the workers, they wouldn't be needing to ask for strike limitations now would they.

[Cleo]

"If the corporations where planning on doing what was right for the their workers, our country, they wouldn't be needing to ask for strike limitations now would they?"


Wishbone.....that statement was well said.  I totally agree!  Corporations only concern is..... THEIR profit and the h*** with the workers.  Where would THEY be, without us?
We need to fight for out rights......but how?

[wishbone]

Cleo you have pm

[Jack]

  The UAW has been pitting the workers against each other since the Delphi Spin Off this is nothing new. Also We all know how the active workers will vote. Save thy ass and screw the mass. They know there are no other jobs out there so that's a hands down for Gettelfinger and the GOBS.