Link to UAW-GM  Tentative Agreement Highlights

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UAW and General Motors reach tentative agreement

DETROIT – The UAW is pleased to announce that the UAW General Motors National

Negotiating Committee, made up of elected representatives from UAW GM locations

across the country, reached a tentative agreement with General Motors Co. at

approximately 11:00 PM.

“In these uncertain economic times for American workers and faced with the

globalization of the economy, the UAW approached these negotiations with new

strategies and fought for and achieved some of our major goals for our members,

including significant investments and products for our plants,” said UAW President Bob

King.

“First and foremost, as America struggles with record levels of unemployment, we

aimed to protect the jobs of our members – to guarantee good American jobs at a good

American company. And we have done that. This contract will get our members who

have been laid off back to work, will create new jobs in our communities and will bring

work back to the United States from other countries,” King added.

“When GM was struggling, our members shared in the sacrifice. Now that the company

is posting profits again, our members want to share in the success. To be clear, GM is

prosperous because of its workers. It’s the workers and the quality of the work they do,

along with the sacrifices they made, that have returned this company to profitability,”

said UAW Vice President Joe Ashton, who directs the union’s General Motors

Department. “The wages and benefits we negotiated in this tentative agreement reflect

the fact that it was UAW members who helped turn this company around.

“We wanted a contract that provides our members with a real share of the success of

the company and ensures its continued success. Our members cannot succeed unless

the company succeeds, and we are strongly committed to that joint success, as this

contract demonstrates,” Ashton added.

Details of the proposed agreement are being withheld until UAW members have had the

opportunity to review it. While not providing specifics of the tentative agreement, a few

things are worth highlighting:

• The UAW bargaining committee successfully fought back efforts to make major

changes – and weaken – our retirement plan.

• The company proposed major concessions in health care, but the UAW is happy

to report that the union not only fought for and protected the health care benefits

of its members, but also made some significant improvements to health care

benefits. In both pensions and health care, the UAW was able to convince GM

that far greater success could be achieved working together than by cutting

pensions or health care.

• In addition, the agreement includes improved profit sharing with far greater

transparency than in the past.

“We’re proud of this agreement and are happy that it truly recognizes that the success

of the company is tied to the success of the workers,” said King. “As everyone knows,

we have had, and will continue to have, some real differences with GM. It's the union’s

job to fight for workers and protect our members, and we will continue in that fight. To

the credit of both parties, we were able to work through our differences and put together

an agreement that is good both for our members and for the company. This agreement

demonstrates to the anti-collective bargaining crowd that collective bargaining is a

positive force for society that benefits both workers and employers.

“We prove again today that through the collective bargaining process, we can provide

decent wages, benefits and employment rights for workers while ensuring quality

products and healthy profits for employers. We stand recommitted to our goal of

organizing and fighting for all workers in the entire U.S. auto industry,” added King.

For decades the UAW played a central role in building America’s middle class. At one

time, all American auto workers were members of the UAW.

“We are proud of this tentative agreement and what we have achieved, but as long as

unionized workers are being forced to compete with nonunion workers who in most

cases receive lower pay and benefits – many in temporary jobs – there will continue to

be a downward pressure on the wages and benefits of all autoworkers,” King said. “The

pathway to rebuilding America’s middle class and creating long-term job security for all

American autoworkers must include organizing workers at the foreign-owned

automakers operating without unions in the United States. We stand recommitted to

that goal today.”

“Finally,” King said, “let’s be completely clear about this: None of this would have been

possible without the efforts of President Obama, who invested federal funds to help turn

the company around, protect the auto supplier base and keep good-paying jobs in

America.”

The UAW represents approximately 48,500 GM workers in the United States.

Further details about the tentative agreement between the UAW and GM will not be

released at this time. The media will be notified when details are released.

For more information, contact UAW Public Relations Director Michele Martin at 313-

926-5291.

###

Issue 2 energizes Labor Day parade

Thousands in red show unity against Senate Bill 5

BY CLAUDIA BOYD-BARRETT   

BLADE STAFF WRITER

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A sign on a UAW float is indicative of the slogans that thousands of unionized workers and their supporters waved during the downtown parade. THE BLADE/LISA DUTTON Enlarge | Photo Reprints Toledo's annual Northwest Ohio Labor Day Parade Monday easily could have been renamed the "Anti-Issue 2 Parade," given the participants' overwhelming condemnation of a state law limiting collective bargaining rights for public employees.

Thousands of unionized workers and their supporters flocked to downtown Toledo to make sure their voices were heard.

Groups of laborers from Toledo city employees to steelworkers to electricians marched in a unified throng of red T-shirts along Summit, Adams, and Huron streets chanting "No on 2" and carrying signs protesting the state government's attempts to limit public employee union rights.

Several politicians also attended the event, including Ohio Sen. Edna Brown (D., Toledo) as parade marshal, and U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo).

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"We're down here definitely to make a statement on Issue 2. That's our big message to get out [Monday]," said Sandy Coutcher, president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 3794, which represents about 500 workers with the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities. "It really isn't just about unions. It's about every worker."

Ohioans will vote Nov. 8 on Issue 2, which is a referendum on the collective bargaining law commonly known as Senate Bill 5. The law prohibits public employee strikes, reduces the subjects for discussion at the bargaining table, requires workers to pay at least 15 percent of their health-care premiums, and prohibits local governments from picking up any of an employee's share of his pension contributions. The law also eliminates the ability of workplace unions to automatically deduct "fair-share" fees in lieu of dues from the paychecks of employees who refuse to join.

Union officials Monday slammed Senate Bill 5 as an "attack on the middle class" and an attempt to undermine the power of organized labor. Marchers carried signs reading "Stop the war on workers" and "Public servants not public serfs." Many of the red T-shirts read "We Are One" in large white letters.

"I've been in a labor union for a long time and I never dreamed we could see such a bold assault," said Gary Dunn, former police union president and current president of AFSCME Local 54, which has about 700 Lucas County workers. "It's about weakening the unions, not protecting the community. It's just a way of devastating the labor movement."

Ms. Coutcher and AFSCME Union representative Steve Kowalik said Senate Bill 5 would result in "the elimination of the middle class." They argued the law would ultimately lead to a deterioration in wages and working conditions for all workers, including those in the private sector. Fair wage and benefit standards result from unions having the right to bargain, Ms. Coutcher said, and that in turn influences how workers are treated in private businesses and nonunion settings.

Those attending the parade remarked on the expressed solidarity of northwest Ohio's various unions in denouncing the new law, passed earlier this year by the Republican-controlled Ohio General Assembly and signed by Republican Gov. John Kasich. They said the parade seemed larger and more energized than in years past.

"This year is very important because the whole concept of workers' rights to have the worth of their labor represented as a contract negotiation is at stake," Miss Kaptur said after the parade. "This was a year to stand in unison with them."

Toledo City Councilman D. Michael Collins, one of several councilmen at the event, said the parade outcome shows most people in the Toledo area support collective-bargaining rights.

A marcher makes his feelings known in the parade. A throng of red T-shirts showed unity with labor unions. Ohioans will vote Nov. 8 on Issue 2. THE BLADE/LISA DUTTON Enlarge | Photo Reprints "I think symbolically it demonstrated that Senate Bill 5 has awakened a sleeping giant," Mr. Collins said. "I think Lucas County will deliver a sound message to the governor and Mayor Bell that while they support Senate Bill 5, the overwhelming majority of people in Lucas County reject it."

Conspicuously absent from the parade was Toledo Mayor Mike Bell, who after attending the event for the past two years did not appear Monday. His spokesman Jen Sorgenfrei said Mr. Bell, a political independent, did not want to attend an event to which he wasn't invited.

The mayor angered city union leaders last week when he officially endorsed the bill and moved to force a wage freeze and benefit cuts on members of the city's largest employee union, AFSCME Local 7, despite their opposition. Ms. Sorgenfrei said the mayor was unlikely to back down on either issue.

"We still have to able to balance the budget," Ms. Sorgenfrei said. "If by following the appropriate process under the law and sitting down with the unions we have not been able to reach a consensus so far, clearly the current system is not working."

Local governments are what really is at stake, said Rob Nichols, spokesman for Mr. Kasich. The savings to the state is $100 million annually, but the estimated savings for local government, Mr. Nichols said, is about 1 billion dollars.

"To date, the opponents of Senate Bill 5 have had the state to themselves," Mr. Nichols said. "We are confident that when taxpayers learn what's in the bill, that based on common sense and fairness, they will realize this is a tool to give to local governments to help them survive."

Union leaders said they were not surprised or disappointed that Mayor Bell did not attend the parade.

"We didn't expect him here. We don't need him here really," Ms. Coutcher said. "He's got our message."

Attacking Labor, Blamming the deficit on Public Unions. RAH,RAH, RAH, RAHPublican!

MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan angrily ranted Tuesday on MSNBC against economic proposals by both Democrats and Republicans, which he described as “reckless, irresponsible and stupid.”

He said he was tired of Republicans and Democrats, because Republicans “want to burn the place to the ground” and Democrats only care about their reelection, even if it means “screwing” Americans.

“Tens of trillions of dollars are being extracted from the United States of America. Democrats aren’t doing it, Republicans aren’t doing it. An entire integrated system, financial system, trading system taxing system, created by both parties over a period of two decades, is at work on our entire country right now.”

Ratigan said President Barack Obama should not work with Congress. Instead, he should tell Americans that “their Congress is bought” and incapable of making legislation because they fear losing political funding.

Watch video, courtesy of MSBNC, below:

MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan angrily ranted Tuesday on MSNBC against economic proposals by both Democrats and Republicans, which he described as “reckless, irresponsible and stupid.”

He said he was tired of Republicans and Democrats, because Republicans “want to burn the place to the ground” and Democrats only care about their reelection, even if it means “screwing” Americans.

“Tens of trillions of dollars are being extracted from the United States of America. Democrats aren’t doing it, Republicans aren’t doing it. An entire integrated system, financial system, trading system taxing system, created by both parties over a period of two decades, is at work on our entire country right now.”

Ratigan said President Barack Obama should not work with Congress. Instead, he should tell Americans that “their Congress is bought” and incapable of making legislation because they fear losing political funding.

Watch video, courtesy of MSBNC, below:

COLUMBUS - Yesterday, House Speaker Bill Batchelder said he had no idea that his Republican colleagues in the Senate added anti-choice provisions to the state budget in the 11th hour.

Batchelder said, "That's in the budget? Oh my! We never talked about that. They must have a special room where they go to cook these things up, and keep them from their House colleagues. I gotta go read. I don't ever remember abortion in a budget bill [in my years in the House]."

"Oh my!" exclaimed Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Seth Bringman. "Clearly, the right hand doesn't know what the far-right hand is doing.

Senate Republicans are writing their extremist agenda onto the back of a napkin and sneaking it into the budget at the 11th hour in a way that bewilders even the Statehouse's top-ranking Republican. This is irresponsible governing and the people of Ohio deserve better."

We Are Ohio Announces Over 214,000 Signatures Collected In First Month Of Campaign To Overturn SB5

By Dave on May 20, 2011 11:52 AM

Tell a friend Categories:Labor and Workers' Rights,News

COLUMBUS - Today, at a press conference in Columbus, We Are Ohio released its first set of preliminary data from the field regarding the total number of petition signatures gathered thus far.

"We are pleased to report 214,399 signatures have been collected in the first month," said Melissa Fazekas, spokeswoman for We Are Ohio. "The unprecedented level of support from communities all across the state is staggering. While we continue to struggle to keep up with demand for petitions, we know this campaign is a marathon, not a sprint. We believe these early numbers will only serve to motivate our supporters to collect more signatures to ensure we reach the threshold of 231,149 valid signatures."

We Are Ohio also shared three personal stories from the ground about Ohioans gathering signatures in Cleveland, Columbus and Wooster. In Cleveland, a man who has a hot dog cart and sells hot dogs in downtown Cleveland is also asking his customers to sign the petition to protect workers' rights. In Columbus a school teacher signed up nearly 700 people at the Race for the Cure, adding to the nearly 4,000 total signatures she has personally collected. And, in Wooster more than 700 people signed the petition at a drive thru event.

We Are Ohio has more than 10,000 volunteers on the ground in communities all across Ohio. Petitions have been out for three weeks today. The deadline to submit the signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State is June 30.

We Are Ohio is a citizen-driven, community-based, bipartisan coalition that has come together to repeal SB 5, the unfair attack on employee rights and worker safety. We Are Ohio includes public and private sector workers and employees, police officers, firefighters, teachers, nurses, pastors, small business owners, Republicans and Democrats, local elected officials and business leaders, students, Moms, Dads, family members, and your neighbors.

Obama’s criticism of Ohio’s new collective bargaining law rankles Kasich

BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU

Ohio Gov. John Kasich signs Senate Bill 5 into law on March 31 in Columbus. The law limits the collective bargaining rights of 350,000 public workers. ASSOCIATED PRESS Enlarge COLUMBUS — Gov. John Kasich on Wednesday fired back in reaction to criticism from President Barack Obama of Ohio's new law restricting public employees' collective bargaining rights.

"Let's certainly not blame public employees for a financial crisis that they had nothing to do with, and let's not use this as an excuse to erode their bargaining rights," Mr. Obama told Cleveland NBC affiliate WKYC during a White House interview.

“And so, whether it’s Wisconsin or what we’re seeing in Ohio, I strongly disapprove,’’ the President said.

When asked about the Democratic president’s comments during a bill-signing ceremony Wednesday, the Republican governor shot back with a deficit comparison.

“Here in Ohio, we have balanced our budget under this budget that we’ve presented, along with preserving the tax cut. The president of the United States has, I think, a $13 trillion debt. Why doesn’t he do his job?" Mr. Kasich asked.

"When he does his job and gets our budget balanced and starts to prepare a future for our children, then maybe he can have an opinion on what’s going on in Ohio," he said.

Ohio is about to take center stage in the national discourse over the collective bargaining rights of teachers, police, firefighters, clerks, and other public workers. A petition effort is under way to put Senate Bill 5 on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Among numerous other things, the law would prohibit all public employee strikes, limit what workers can talk about during negotiations, require employees to pay at least 15 percent of their health care premiums, prohibit local governments from picking up any portion of an employee's contribution toward his pension, and prohibit unions from automatically collecting "fair share" fees from workers in a bargaining unit that refuse to join the union.

The campaigns to either preserve or repeal the law this fall could prove as a test of Republican and Democratic organizations going into the 2012 election when Mr. Obama will again seek the help of battleground Ohio in his re-election bid.