Region News

UAW-Paccar Campaign Update

Bank of America The UAW local unions doing business with the Bank of America reported that the recent actions at their bank branches got the attention of the bank and the police. Here’s the report:

Region 8: There were 11 Locals asked to participate. All locals have sent the letter to the bank and have either brought the issue to the attention of the membership or intend to have it on the agenda for upcoming membership meetings. Some locals have already begun identifying their members who are customers.

Of the locals that leafleted, all were run off by security and / or police, but were able to leaflet long enough to get the message out to many customers.

The President of the Building and Construction Trades Council and the President of UAW Local 882 have scheduled a meeting with one the largest single stockholder for BofA in Georgia.

Region 5: There were 12 Locals asked to participate. 9 out of 12 locals have given reports on the action after either sending or hand delivering the letter to the bank.

All 9 locals reported leaflet activity and 8 had the police called on them. A couple of the locals showed their creativity in the leafleting action, enabling them to get more leaflets out.

Local 286 planned a strategy to leaflet the bank during the lunch rush and then again during the after-work rush. They arrived at the bank around 11:00 am and the bank called the police, so they left as the lunch crowd was winding down. They returned around 3:30 and again the bank called the police, but the police did not arrive until around 4:50, so again, they were able to get leaflets to a large number of bank customers. They sent pictures of the action (the pictures were given to Sam Stark for possible inclusion in a Solidarity article).

Local 848 has closed its accounts with B of A and moved to another financial institution, as has locals 249 and 710.

UAW Retirees Support Peterbilt Workers At a recent meeting in Nashville of UAW retirees delegates from around the country, around $10,000 was contributed to the local after a presentation on the lockout struggle by UAW 1832 President Mike Pardue.

Religious Leaders for Justice at Peterbilt Sponsored by the AFL-CIO, over 100 religious leaders from around the country have signed an open letter to the members of the PACCAR Board of Directors calling for an end to the lockout and negotiating a fair agreement with Local 1832. Friday, June 13 the letter and signatures on a placard will be delivered to the PACCAR headquarters by supporters.

International Union Support A letter from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union to David Hovind, Vice Chair, PACCAR, states “…Our union will be closely watching the situation in Tennessee and considering additional actions to support the UAW there.” The AMWU has offered to follow up the letter with additional support activity.