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Region 5 of the United Auto Workers union held its annual retiree seminar on April 10 at the UAW 276 hall in Arlington. About 150 retiree leaders from several Texas locals attended. Region 5 Retiree Rep Dave Minnis brought experts on retiree benefits from the UAW's main contracts. Aerospace rep Tom Bode and political expert Danny Trull gave short reports. Education rep JD Gray gave a major presentation on the importance of supporting the union's political efforts.
The gravity of today's situation for American retirees was expressed by the first speaker, Bonnie Reffitt of UAW-GM Benefits. She said, "There is no question that we will face some great challenges. There is no question that health care will be the main subject of negotiation." After taking retiree concessions from the union in 2005, General Motors promised to leave them alone until the year 2011. Reffitt said, "We expect GM to stand by that."
Political expert Danny Trull began with the Trans Texas Corridor: "It seems like the Governor wants to give some private company millions of acres of farm land." However, a bill has been pushed to prohibit new toll roads for two years. Autoworkers were the victims of a decision made when GW Bush was governor that prohibits union members from drawing unemployment pay when they are idled by a strike at another facility. HB972 has passed out of committe. Its companion, S572 is still in a Senate committee. Trull hopes that the legislature will make unemployment policy fair. Other big state issues concern the treatment of youthful prisoners and vaccinations for young girls. Trull emphasized the importance of local elections and pointed out that one UAW member, Charles Rose, is running for City Council in Dallas.
On the national front, Trull said, "The war is still looming large. 3000-plus are killed and over 50,000 injured. There is no question that the American people want this war ended… We think it's time this government listens to the American people." The Employee Free Choice Act is of major concern. Several so-called "trade" bills are pending, and the process that keeps Congress from exercising oversight on these secret international pacts, "Fast Track," comes up for renewal on June 30." He indicated that the International union will be conducting surveys of members before endorsing any presidential candidates. Texas is expected to move its primary election to February 5.
Aerospace rep Tom Bode said that the aerospace industry is, "The biggest
if not the only segment of the economy of this country that has a positive import
to export ratio." He added, "If you took aerospace out of the sagging
economy that we all suffer with, the economy would be in the tank. One out of
13 jobs in this country is directly related to aerospace!" He said that
the transfer of technology to other countries is a huge problem.
I introduce Rossia Avery and Tammy Betts of the National Nurses Organizing Committee gave a strong pitch for the Texas Hospital Patient Protection Act of 2007, which is in the Texas legislature awaiting action. Avery said, "We are receiving corporate care now, it's no longer health care, it's corporate care." The bill would improve nurses' ability to care for patients and give them job protection when they report bad medical practices. Avery said, "HMO's and PPO's don't care about the nurses, and they don't care about the patients. That's why we are here, because we do care about you."
After the nurses received a big ovation, host Dave Minnis summarized, "What
you are saying is that we don't need any more corporate care. We need more people
who care!" He also told the audience that the "traveling road show"
was better attended that day than on the entire tour. Minnis encouraged retirees
to participate in a book drive initiated by Region 5 Director Jim Wells. They
are to bring five books to their union halls in the next few months.
JD Gray, always a popular speaker, talked about Region 5's "Stand up in '08" political program. He encouraged retirees to pay the voluntary $2 dues that many UAW seniors pay. He pointed out that, for the first time, "We have more retirees than active union members in Region 5."
Region 5 has more congresspersons and more votes in the Electoral College than any other UAW region. For the last several years, even though they do not have the most members, they have raised the most money. This challenge continues into 2008. Retirees participate in fund raising beside their active member colleagues. Gray pointed out the excellent voting record that UAW members, especially retirees, showed in 2006. Even though retirees have made great progress in their benefits and pensions, Gray emphasized how serious the political situation has been recently, "What has taken us 75 years to achieve, you can actually see being snipped away in the halls of Congress!"
Most of the retirees stayed for a free barbecue meal.