A SMILE FOR EQUAL TIME
by UAW Region 8 Assistant Director Donny Bevis
For the last couple of days, off and on, I have
been on the Internet reading about the UAW. For the most part,
I have never seen such animosity towards organized labor. News
stories containing allegations of coercion, aggravation and
misinformation.
I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight.
The UAW is the most highly respected labor organization--from
our efforts in Washington, D.C. to promote fair treatment of
workers on such issues as minimum wage, comp time (overtime),
health care for all workers (including the approximate 41 million
people who are without health care today), pension protection,
affordable health with prescription coverage for America’s
seniors, protection of Social Security, OSHA and many others
too numerous to list.
The UAW also has a Research Department, Social Security Department
(health plans, pensions, 401K, etc.), Civil Rights Department,
Women’s Department, Community Services Department and
many more that are ready at the call of the UAW’s local
unions.
Unions are still necessary today to represent workers’
voices for issues on the plant floor. What I’ve read in
the local newspapers says that workers are “more highly
skilled, better educated and have minds of their own.”
It amazes me that employers can hire numerous attorneys to represent
these issues and pay into unions of their own; i.e. Chamber
of Commerce, National right-to-work, but when an employee mentions
joining a union to have representation and a voice on such things
as wages, working conditions, health insurance, pensions, 401(k),
safety, quality, line speed or time studies, he/she’s
going to a third party if he/she wants to join a union. But,
according to news reports the employee is better educated, and
I guess should be an expert, so he/she understands actions taken
by any company, which may affect him/her. Or, does the Chamber
of Commerce, the County Commission or City Council provide this
information and assistance to employees? I can answer that –
No!. They try to provide the cheapest labor with minimal benefits,
so they can attract employers to come in and take what they
can in profits to return to Wall Street. And when it’s
cheaper to go somewhere else, another anti-union town or Mexico,
the free ride can go on, on the backs of workers, and the taxes
they pay for incentives to get those jobs they just lost.
As for being a union goon, I will take that name, because I
was born and raised in the South. I know the only way I would
have an equitable living was to find a job at a union plant,
where I as a worker could voice my needs for decent wages, health
care and a defined pension benefit; so when I get old, I won’t
be a burden to my family. Family, did I say family? A union
goon has a family? Yes, a wife, children, we go to church, coach
sports, are elected to political offices and do countless hours
of community services for organizations like the American Red
Cross, United Way and many others.
By the way, we are not northern fat cats. Our Region of the
UAW covers 11 states, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia,
North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia,
Maryland, Delaware and four counties in Pennsylvania, with our
Regional Office located in Lebanon, Tennessee where the UAW
represents ten of thousands workers in hundreds of facilities.
All UAW organizers in Region 8 live and reside in this region.
As a matter of fact, the President of the UAW is from southern
Indiana and worked for Ford in Lousiville, Kentucky.
Now, since I have accepted your title as “goon,”
I hope you can accept my title for you (“Southern Enslaver”),
because you preach half truths, misleading statements to encourage
people to be satisfied with their wages and benefits; knowing
the company can at any time modify them without even as much
as a conversation with the employees. And, if the employees
don’t want a cut in pay or are layed off out of line of
seniority, or have to pay more for their health care –
then they are in a right-to-work state, aren’t they? Well,
if they don’t like it, then they can just quit. Quit –
what if I have been working there for ten or more years? Do
I not have a voice – can I meet with the company and demand
to see the numbers and negotiate over the proposed reductions?
Why, sure I can ask to meet, and sure I can ask to see their
information. I’m sure the Chamber of Commerce will make
them treat me fair.
Speaking of a right-to-work state, is it true that I, without
a union contract, would be classified as an “at will employee”,
meaning the company can terminate me “at will” for
no reason whatsoever? Well, maybe the County Commission could
put that on their agenda to have me reinstated, because maybe
I need to be retrained, or couldn’t find anyone to sit
with my young child the day I missed work; not because I didn’t
have regular child care that day my child was sick. I am sure
the City Council would be glad to help also.
Having been a member of this great union for over 25 years,
I have never been on a sympathy strike and have never seen one
in the UAW. But being from the great labor background these
news reporters are from, I’m sure you’ve been involved
in many and have seen the UAW do it repeatedly.
It is true the UAW can offer workers nothing, nothing but the
right to speak for themselves, to bargain in good faith and
negotiate things like pension, health care and working conditions,
which include attendance programs, quality, drug and alcohol
programs, line speeds, ergonomics and anything that may affect
their working conditions.
I take it from your articles that you despise democracy, well
at least democracy in the workplace – where employees
can nominate, vote and elect their own leadership, not those
“fat cats” up north you so readily mention. Employees
then survey the plant for proposals and vote on proposals to
present to the company to negotiate and then have another democratic
vote on a contract with the employer to cover without change
those issues which affect their working lives for the duration
of the contract.
But maybe democracy is just for employers and their countless
attorneys (that other third party), or the Chamber of Commerce
who lives on donations or dues imposed on these companies, or
just maybe the County Commission or City Council, who taxes
these employees and does their thinking for them by passing
resolutions against them having a voice in their workplace.
But I am sure they have never passed themselves a pay raise
or used county or city health insurance. Why, they have great
pay scales, numerous holidays and excellent benefits.
Today’s workplaces change constantly with technology and
work practices, to compete with the third world competitors,
of which the majority belong to American corporations.
With constant business efforts at reducing cost, normally targeted
at wages and benefits, today’s working people need experts
on their side, just like the company’s attorneys, to ensure
their voice and justice in the workplace.
Thank you for an opportunity to share the union’s equal
time!
