CONVENTIONHIGHLIGHTS

UAW LOCAL 160
JERRY GILLESPIE, President BECKY L. ERVIN, Financial Secretary-Treasurer
VOLUME 48, ISSUE 1
SUMMER 2014
what’s INSIDE
Officers’ Reports.......................2-4
Retiree Chairman’s Report.........5
District 1 Report........................10
CAP Chairman’s Report............12
EAP Reps Report........................14
ADAPT Rep Report.....................14
A Memorial Day
to Remember..........................15
Coming
events
UAW 160 FAMILY PICNIC
SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2014
Fun for all at Lake St. Clair Metropark.
See notice on back page.
SPAGHETTI DINNER
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 17, 2014
Sponsored by the UAW Local 160
Retiree Chapter, everyone is invited to
this fundraiser for the ARC Detroit.
See notice on page 7.
UAW Local 160
28504 Lorna
Warren, MI 48092
TECH ENGINEER
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 1776
FENTON, MI
UAW PROPERTY – ILLEGAL TO DUPLICATE
CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS
By Convention Delegates
Lisa Henderson, Robert Bethea,
Mike Measel and Tony Micallef
W
e, the delegates for UAW Local
160, would like to thank our
membership for allowing us
to represent them at our UAW 36th
Constitutional Convention, held in the
fine city of Detroit during the week of
June 2-5, 2014.
The most contentious debating took
place over Proposal 16, the ½ hour dues
increase for the Strike Fund, which was
passed by a show of hands. Although
the results may not have delivered the
outcome you wanted, we can tell you, it
was done in a fair democratic manner.
The debate went on for over two
hours. Many concerns were expressed,
for and against the increase, allowing any
delegate on the convention floor their fair
time to speak. Questions and concerns
ranging from why can’t the International
just reduce costs; to many of our secondtier members cannot afford another
charge on their pay check. Responses
given respectively:
• The International has been reducing
staff over the past 10 years
• Many Locals have been merged over
the years and most recently Region 1C
has been eliminated, folding the Locals
into Region 1D.
• The International does realize the
Constitutional
Convention
UAW Local 160
Representatives
(L-R) Delegate Mike Measel, Delegate Lisa Henderson, Delegate Tony
Micallef, GM Chairman Earl Fuller, Jr., Vice President David Small,
Delegate Robert Bethea, 3rd Party Chairman Willie Brown, and
Financial Secretary Treasurer Becky Ervin
financial burden on the workers, but
the International believes a healthy
Strike Fund will give us more power
at the bargaining table, allowing us to
close the gap or elevate the secondtier pay level and win back some of
our losses.
Other Delegates got up and spoke
in favor of the increase because they
understand that we, as a Union, are
up against a big fight not only against
the corporation we work for but also
against political organizations with deep
pockets of money, trying to undermine
the very existence of unions.
See CONVENTION on Page 8
TECH ENGINEER
Page 2
Knowledge is Power; Get Involved
Brothers and Sisters,
being taught where our members
I want to take
can get plumber state certified.
this opportunity to
Work Family Representative
introduce myself as
Nancy Kelly presented contact
your UAW Local 160
information to combat drug and
Acting President.
alcohol abuse.
I would also like
Joint Training Representative
to take a moment
Tony Micallef spoke on
to talk about our
available classes offered to the
recent Local 160
membership.
membership meeting
Hourly Training Representative
where I chaired the
Ann O’Connell reported on the
meeting on Sunday,
success of our recent retirement
May 18, 2014 at our
ACTING President classes and how that was achieved.
Local Union Hall.
Apprentice Committee
It is very important for the
Clarence Vance gave up-to-date
membership to know what took place
apprentice numbers as it relates to our
at our last meeting. Our brothers and
Local.
sisters in attendance at the Sunday
V-Cap Representative
meeting were able to hear no less
Jaron Garza reported on the status
than 11 reports during the Committee
of the minimum wage battle, and how
Reports portion of the meeting. Here
members can get better involved to
is a rundown of the reports that were
support upcoming elections.
heard and discussed at that meeting.
Education Chairman
Bob Weinert spoke on the success of
Women’s Committee
Denise Blue spoke on Women’s Comour very own Union-specified Lunch and
mittee functions, past, present, and future.
Learns being performed across the site.
Veterans Committee
Joint Activities Representative
Bob Brinker spoke on the high suicide
Denise Blue spoke on the scheduling
rate of returning vets, and on classes
portion of upcoming classes.
DAVID
small
Miller Cohen, P.L.C.
Attorneys and Counselors at Law
Bruce A. Miller*
Fellow of the College of Labor
and Employment Lawyers
Norton J. Cohen*
GMS Trainer, 2nd shift
Al Reynolds covered the status and
future endeavors of GMS as it relates
to our members.
Hourly Training Rep., 2nd shift
Steve Rawa reported on available and
forecasted classes as it relates to 2nd
shift hourly employees.
So why recap a Sunday meeting?
Because knowledge is power.
Allow me to throw out a question.
Raise your hand if you feel we are
stronger as a Union if we do not
get involved as Union members or
stay away from Union meetings.
What if Union representatives do
not communicate to the membership,
or when they do, there are few in
attendance to listen. Can I get a show
of hands? Who really thinks we are
stronger and more secure in our jobs if
we keep doing what we always have? I
do not see many hands.
At the same time, I also do not see
many faces at our Union meetings. So you
ask yourself, how can this be? If nobody
raised their hand, how can it be that our
Union meetings are soft in attendance?
What can we do as members of
Local 160 to help better secure a
better future? The answer is obvious.
Eleven reports were presented at the
scheduled May membership meeting.
Get to the meetings! As a member or
representative, if you have information
you feel can give the members even the
slightest bit of knowledge, let’s hear it.
All Union meetings take place at your
Summer 2014
Local 160 Union Hall. The following
meetings take place once a month and
again will start in September.
Scheduled Thursday Local 160
Unit Meetings take place once a month
during a weekday, generally the second
Thursday of the month. Two meetings
are held on this day to accommodate
multiple shifts in the plant. Thursday
meetings cover such items as workload,
and contractual information and issues.
These meetings are chaired by Shop
Chairman Earl Fuller and supported by
our Shop Committee.
Scheduled Sunday General Membership Meetings are held once a
month, generally the fourth Sunday of
the month. These meetings cover the
day-to-day operations of our Local, and
general information is reported by Local 160 representatives. It is my responsibility to chair these meetings and will
be supported by a very knowledgeable
group of Local 160 representatives.
Aramark 3rd Party Unit Meetings
are held monthly at the Local 160 membership hall, generally on the fourth
Thursday of the month. Two meetings
are held on this day to accommodate
multiple shifts. These meetings are
chaired by Willie Brown and supported
by Aramark Shop Committee.
To check days and times, calendars
are available at Local 160, or go to
www.uawlocal160.org. Get active, get
involved, and be supportive of all union
brothers and sisters! United we
stand!
UAW LOCAL 160
Elected to the Michigan Workers’
Compensation Hall of Fame
Listed in the Best Lawyers in America
28504 Lorna • Warren, MI 48092 • Phone: (586) 751-4474
*Selected by peers as a Michigan Super Lawyer
in Law & Politics magazine.
Workers’ Compensation
Employment Discrimination
Personal Injuries
Employee Rights
Social Security Disability
Justice For Working People
600 West Lafayette, 4th Floor
Detroit, Michigan 48226
(313) 964-4454
6715 Park Avenue
Allen Park, Michigan 48101
(313) 383-2422
Toll Free in Michigan: 1-800-221-6021 • Fax: (313) 964-4490
EXECUTIVE BOARD
RETIREE CHAPTER
President................................. Jerry Gillespie
Vice President............................. David Small
Recording Secretary..................Nicole Jones
Financial Sec’y-Treasurer........... Becky Ervin
Trustee Chair........................... Alan Reynolds
Trustee............................... Angela Bia-Shock
Trustee.................................Sharon Fishburn
Sergeant-at-Arms..........Clarence Michowski
Guide............................................ Steve Rawa
Retiree Board Delegate....... Dennis J. Henry
GM Chairman............................Earl Fuller, Jr.
3rd Party Chairman................... Willie Brown
Women’s Committee Chair.........Denise Blue
Chairman.............................. Dennis J. Henry
Vice Chairman............................... Bob Mayer
Financial Secretary......... Daisy Winston-Hall
Recording Secretary................... Donna Esch
Trustee......................................Paul Freidrich
Trustee............................... Norman Bradford
Trustee..........................................Tony Serino
Guide...........................................Gerald Rowe
Sergeant-at-Arms........................ Fred Conlon
Recreation Committee................... Jim Souva
Education & Fair Practice..... Paul Boulanger
Election Chairman................. Eugene Tercha
By-Laws Committee....................... Lee Taylor
Citizenship, Organizing &
Membership Committee........... John Mayes
EDITORIAL POLICY...
The UAW TECH ENGINEER is published by UAW Local 160 in the interest of its members to
further the aims and programs of your Local and to promote the policies and programs of the
International Union, UAW. This is a vehicle that brings to you, on a regular basis, the views and actions
of the leaders you elected so you can evaluate them. The Editor reserves the right to edit any article
and to reject all materials submitted which are not in the best interest of the membership. All articles
should contribute positively to the welfare of this Union and its members; we will accept no attacks on
any Union Leader or Member. The Editor reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement
which is deemed objectionable. Publication of advertisements in this newspaper does not necessarily
signify endorsement by UAW Local 160.
– Becky Ervin, Editor, UAW TECH ENGINEER
TECH ENGINEER
Summer 2014
Tech Engineer Gets a New Look
MEMBER PARTICIPATION
As you may have
is important to the success and
noticed, the Tech
effectiveness of the Union. So,
Engineer looks and
I hope you enjoy this issue and
feels a bit different
welcome input on how to make
than past issues. As
the paper better.
Editor of the paper,
I want to make sure
It is almost PICNIC time
that our Local 160
again! Local 160 Family
newspaper delivers
Picnic at Metro Beach
timely, important
The UAW Local 160 Family
information and
Picnic is going to be Sunday,
gives the membership
August 17th. This year, we will
insight to where our
be gathering at Lake St. Clair
Union is headed and FINANCIAL SECRETARY- Metropark in Harrison Township.
TREASURER
what the leadership
The park provides a beautiful
and membership have been doing.
atmosphere to enjoy time with family
Communication is key to keeping our and coworkers. It is also loaded with
membership informed on issues as well
activities for kids of all ages! Some
as participating in Union activities.
of the features are an Olympic-sized
I want each member to know that
swimming pool with waterslides, the
BECKY
ervin
Page 3
Squirt Zone spray ground, Shipwreck
Lagoon Adventure miniature golf,
biking, a nature center and trails,
fishing, boat launch ($7 fee paid to
park), tennis courts, and a par 3 golf
course ($7 fee paid to park). The Local
will have passes to the Olympic-sized
pool and waterslide or Shipwreck
Lagoon miniature golf. I hope you
join us, and look forward to seeing you
there!
Finances
I am pleased to say that the Local is
financially sound and that we are being
mindful of how your dues dollars are
being spent. We have been keeping up
the general maintenance of the hall,
both inside and out. There is always
much work to be done, but gradually
each task is being taken on and
completed.
The Local has worked toward
educating the membership. It is
always money well spent and a great
way to give back to the membership.
Over the past 3 years, we have taken
advantage of the opportunity to send
approximately 60 members to Regional
PEL. This joint UAW/GM program
gives our members the chance to learn
and fellowship at Black Lake and has
been a popular choice.
The Education Committee also
did a fantastic job rolling out our
Lunch & Learn program. This was a
very cost-effective way to introduce
new and seniority members to Union
Involvement and answer questions that
members had regarding OUR Union.
Stay tuned for future educational
opportunities.
In closing, I want to wish everybody
a safe and enjoyable summer and I hope
to see you at our upcoming events.
GM Technical Center of Local 160 UAW
FINANCIAL REPORT
FOR THE PERIOD ENDING APRIL 30, 2014
Balance to Account for at 3/31/14................... $566,710.83
Excess Income Over Expenditures........................ 3,489.27
Balance to Account for at 4/30/14................... $570,200.10
Income
Dues................................................................. $101,031.06
Reimbursement - Supplies....................................... 336.89
Insurance Adjustments............................................. 343.00
Interest - Savings Account.......................................... 12.34
Interest - Certificates................................................... 17.58
Rebate - Per Capita.............................................. 18,987.46
*Asset Transfer....................................................... 2,080.60
Education Fund......................................................... 177.86
Retiree Fund........................................................... 3,007.20
Women's Committee Fund....................................... 659.00
G.M. Unit Fund....................................................... 3,812.01
3rd Party Unit Fund................................................... 367.49
GROSS RECEIPTS - APRIL 2014.................... $130,832.49
*Less-Asset Transfers/Exchanges.......................(2,080.60)
NET INCOME - APRIL 2014........................$128,751.89
Disbursements
GENERAL FUND EXPENSES:
Wages - President................................................ $3,242.15
Financial Secretary-Treasurer............................ 7,388.15
Clerical.............................................................. 10,222.45
Lost Time
Recording Secretary.............................................. 569.80
Trustees................................................................... 53.45
Sergeant-at-Arms.................................................... 97.78
Guide....................................................................... 51.33
Committees, Member......................................... 1,085.76
Election Comm................................................. 12,589.06
Travel, Meals, Expenses, etc.
President............................................................... 375.00
Financial-Secretary-Treasury................................. 375.00
Vice President.......................................................... 15.00
Recording Secretary............................................... 45.00
Trustee..................................................................... 45.00
Sergeant-at-Arms.................................................... 15.00
Guide....................................................................... 15.00
Committees, Member.............................................. 20.00
Election Comm................................................... 1,065.00
Executive Board Delegates..................................... 45.00
FICA Match............................................................ 2,393.05
Payroll Taxes.......................................................... 8,120.11
Payroll Deductions Forwarded................................. 290.56
Per Capita Taxes.................................................. 57,843.32
Insurance............................................................... 2,973.80
Refunds Dues/Initiations............................................. 66.00
Supplies................................................................. 4,002.16
Bank Charge................................................................. 3.00
Telephone/Internet.................................................... 607.29
Maintenance - Office Equipment........................... 1,490.44
Donations.................................................................. 250.00
Fees & Licenses........................................................ 105.00
Pension/Severance - Local....................................... 429.24
Postage..................................................................... 502.98
Registration Fees...................................................... 250.00
*Asset Transfer....................................................... 2,080.60
EDUCATION FUND EXPENSES:
Lost Time................................................................ 4,583.60
Travel, Meals, Expenses, Etc.................................... 300.16
Educational Classes................................................. 900.00
Local Union Publ-Print/Mail................................... 3,049.52
RECREATION FUND EXPENSES:
Recreational Events.................................................. 933.69
BUILDING FUND EXPENSES:
Maintenance........................................................... 1,374.41
Utilities.................................................................... 1,786.77
Cleaning Service.................................................... 1,275.00
Supplies...................................................................... 62.50
WOMEN’S COMM. FUND EXPENSES:
Registration Fees........................................................ 80.00
Flowers, Bibles, etc..................................................... 60.00
RETIREE CHAPTER FUND EXPENSES:
Exchanges............................................................. 1,450.00
Recreational Events.................................................. 400.00
Supplies...................................................................... 50.00
Postage....................................................................... 37.17
Expense Allowance................................................... 420.00
Travel, Hotel, Parking................................................ 300.16
Lunches/Refreshments.......................................... 1,233.85
UNITS FUNDS EXPENSES:
General Motors......................................................... 774.08
3rd Party.................................................................... 265.96
DISBURSEMENTS - APRIL 2014..................... $138,059.35
LESS - Payroll Deductions.................................(10,716.13)
*Less-Asset Transfers/Exchanges.......................(2,080.60)
NET EXPENDITURES - APRIL 2014............$125,262.62
ALLOCATION OF CASH ASSETS
CHECKING BALANCE PNC 5617.................... $169,916.20
PETTY CASH............................................................ 200.00
SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
Unity C.U. 6090 S-000............................................. 10.81
Unity C.U. 6090 S-005...................................... 66,253.79
Unity C.U. 4849 S-000............................................. 10.00
Unity C.U. 4849 S-005...................................... 42,521.91
Unity C.U. 4850 S-000............................................. 10.03
Unity C.U. 4850 S-005...................................... 80,854.68
PNC Bank 8245................................................ 70,754.41
Central Macomb 1:1530................................... 38,905.03
Central Macomb 1588:2MM............................. 23,781.83
CERTIFICATES
Unity C.U. 6090 S-705...................................... 17,645.52
Unity C.U. 6090 S-713...................................... 59,335.89
TOTAL CASH ASSETS - APRIL 2014......... $570,200.10
Current Fund Income Over
*Fund Balances*
Balance Expenditures
General Fund..........................$295,009.41 $9,627.55
Education Fund...........................36,115.56 (8,339.81)
Recreational Fund......................... (105.85)(723.29)
Retired Members Fund...............43,102.04 (883.98)
Building Fund........................... (11,615.42)25.34
New Member
Orientation Fund........................3,043.91 0.00
Veterans Fund..................................392.95 0.00
Women's Committee Fund...........5,963.86 644.00
G.M. Unit Fund..........................191,914.38 3,037.93
3rd Party Unit Fund.......................6,379.26 101.53
Total of All Funds
April 2014......................... $570,200.10 $3,489.27
Respectfully Submitted by Becky Ervin,
Financial Secretary-Treasuer, UAW Local 160
TECH ENGINEER
Page 4
Local sponsors Summer Events
in a way that is beneficial to our
Greetings Brothers
survival and success.
and Sisters,
Our leadership has been
Summer is here!
busy educating the membership
As most of you may
and trying to stay abreast of
know, GM Unit and
everything that management
General Membership
has thrown at us. At times, the
meetings have been
rumor mill and the truth can
cancelled for the
be discouraging, but we must
summer months, per
stand in solidarity to weather the
our bylaws. Meetings
storms. How do we prepare for
will resume in
the storms ahead that are sure
September.
to come? Arm yourself with an
Thank you to
RECORDING umbrella of information. Get
everyone who
SECRETARY
involved and get the facts.
made coming to
Many of our new members have
a union meeting a priority, despite
taken on this challenge by joining
busy schedules. Showing up at union
standing committees, volunteering their
meetings and voicing your concerns,
time, running for local union offices,
approvals or disapprovals is how the
attending trainings and conferences
membership communicates with the
offered through Region 1 and the
leadership. We value your input.
Local, signing up to run for Precinct
Keep in mind, when voicing your
Delegate in their community, and the
concerns, that our National and Local
list goes on.
Agreements, along with the UAW
If your schedule doesn’t permit you
Constitution and our bylaws, govern
to participate in these activities, there
what we do as a union and how we
are other things that you can do to
bargain with GM and third party
make your voice heard. Have you ever
companies. We must use these tools
nicole
jones
heard the saying, “There is a direct
relationship between the bread box
and the ballot box; and what the union
fights for and wins at the bargaining
table can be taken away in the legislative
halls?” (Walter Reuther)
With that being said… Get out and
vote! Voting is our most powerful
tool. We’ve already seen what can be
taken away from us through legislation.
Now let’s see how we can get ahead
of the game. Let’s start by supporting
candidates who support us and our
rights as workers.
Michigan’s election season is right
around the corner. Visit Michigan.gov/
sos to get information on registering
to vote, your voting districts, election
dates, candidates, proposals, etc. It’s
important for us to remember to
vote in the smaller elections, such
as primaries, and county and local
elections. These smaller elections
are where it all starts. Voicing your
concerns through your vote in lowerlevel elections/politics ensures that
you’ll be heard in major elections.
Smaller elections are where
legislation gets passed, that most people
don’t really think affects them; but
Summer 2014
A little poetry for thought…
I look around me and what do I see?
Where’s the solidarity?
Has it withered in the storms of the
test of time?
Have we forgotten that our
brotherhood is sublime?
What is our purpose?
Where is our focus?
It lies in our history,
which was built on solidarity.
Am I not my brothers’ keeper?
Are we not each other’s teacher?
Let us not become the victims of
corporate greed.
Let us not be the ones whose
progress they impede.
We must stand strong and united!
Our sprit of solidarity must be
reignited.
it does, in major ways. If your voice
is taken away at the start of the race,
you’re sure to fall behind.
Have a great and safe summer! I look
forward to seeing everyone at the Local
160 Family Picnic, on August 17, 2014.
Please support this event.
2014 TECH CENTER EMPLOYEE CAR SHOW
UAW LOCAL #160/GM Tech Center
PLEASE REGISTER AT: http://gmemployeecarshow.com
No computer access? Registration applications are available at Local 160!
Questions? Call (586) 615-8305 or email [email protected]
TECH ENGINEER
Summer 2014
Good News: Dental/Vision Coverage
By now, each and
Old-Line Retailers –
every one of you
Where Did They Go?
should have received
Arbor Drugs
a letter from the
Arbor Drugs opened its doors
UAW Retiree
in Troy in 1974, when founder
Medical Benefit
Eugene Applebaum combined
Trust stating that the
several drug stores under the
fund will provide
name. At the time, he owned a
dental and vision
handful of pharmacies, including
coverage for 2015.
one in Ann Arbor. Because the
This coverage will
Ann Arbor store was the best of
be comparable to
the bunch, he decided to use the
the dental and vision
second half of the city’s name for
for UAW retired
RETIREE CHAIRMAN his business.
workers prior to the
Atlas Beverage Company
2009 bankruptcy process.
For more than 60 years, Atlas
Please DO NOT do anything until we
Beverage Company produced
receive further information in the fall.
carbonated beverages with names like
Brownie Root Beer, Bulldog Ginger
Speakers
Beer, Cheer-Up, V-Mix, and Golden
July 16th:
& Pale Dry Ginger Ale. A Polish
Daniel Wallace and Jeff Morris
immigrant in Hamtramck founded the
Gm Retiree Program
company in 1929, and it closed in 1996.
August 20th:
Barthwell Drugs
Peter Gianopoulos
When the pharmacy where Sidney
John Hancock Financial
Barthwell
was employed failed during
September 17th:
the Great Depression, Barthwell
Karen Mack and David Ferrara
borrowed $500 from friends to open
Resurrection Cemetery
Barthwell Drugs in 1933. Barthwell
Spaghetti Dinner
Drugs grew to become the largest
At our Retiree General Membership
chain of black-owned drugstores in
Meeting on September 17th, we will
the United States, with a total of nine
be having an all-you-can-eat spaghetti
stores and three ice-cream parlors.
luncheon to benefit the DARC. There
Although the chain no longer exists,
will also be a bake sale and raffle to
the Barthwell legacy remains in Detroit
help support the goals of this great
with the establishment the Sidney
organization. This spaghetti fundraiser
Barthwell Endowed Scholarship at
was started many, many years ago by
Wayne State University’s College of
brothers Bill and Jim Carr. Carry-outs
Pharmacy.
will be available (see flyer on page 7).
Burroughs
Local 160 Picnic
The Burroughs Adding Machine
As you know, the location of our
Company moved to Detroit in 1904
annual UAW Local 160 Picnic was
and was once the largest addingchanged from the K of C park in Utica
machine company in the United States.
to Metro Beach. I have asked Financial
William Seward Burroughs founded
Secretary-Treasurer Becky Ervin or
the company when he invented the
Women’s Committee Chairperson
Burroughs Registering Accountant
Denise Blue to come to our Retiree
in the 1880s; it was the first practical
General Membership Meeting and
adding-listing machine that printed
explain our new location and the
calculations on paper tapes. The
involvement of our retirees (see flyer
company partnered with the Sperry
on the back page).
Corporation in the 1980s and is now
Interesting History
called Unisys. Although the company
I don’t know about the rest of you,
is now headquartered in Blue Bell,
but I am talking to friends (about my
NY, it still occupies the old Burroughs
age or older) and the conversation
factory and office space in Plymouth,
brings up old retailers and we wonder
MI.
whatever happened to them. If you’re
B. Siegel Company
like me, our children and grandchildren
B. Siegel Company’s fine-clothing
look at you in amazement because they
store in Detroit was originally Heyn’s
don’t understand what we are talking
Bazaar, until Benjamin Siegel purchased
about. The following is a list that I
it in the late 1800s and changed the
found online of these old retailers.
store’s name. The Woodward Avenue
Enjoy...
shop was reputed to be the “finest and
dennis
henry
Page 5
most complete suit and cloak store” in
America, until the company filed for
bankruptcy in 1981.
Crowley Milner and Company
(Crowley’s)
When Detroit department store
Partridge and Blackwell was struggling
to stay in business, the Crowley
brothers stepped in and took over. In
the early 1900s, the store flourished by
catering to the city’s affluent clientele,
but by the end of the century, Crowley’s
had bowed out of the market.
Cunningham’s
Andrew Cunningham opened
Cunningham’s Drugs in 1889 and
had 11 stores in downtown Detroit
when the company was purchased
by Economical Drugs owner Nate
Shapero in 1931. Cunningham’s was
famous for its special promotions and
used an elephant symbol to represent
their jumbo sodas, sundaes, and photoprint services. The chain’s slogans
included “Don’t say drug store – say
Cunningham’s” and “We’re a drug store
– and a whole lot more.”
Farmer Jack
The story of Farmer Jack stores
can be traced to 1924, when Russian
immigrant Tom Borman opened Tom’s
Quality Meats in Detroit. Tom and
his brother, Al, ran grocery stores that
were a metro Detroit staple, becoming
Farmer Jack in 1966. The last remaining
Farmer Jack stores closed in 2007
(some were converted to A&Ps).
Federal’s
Steven West’s résumé spans a range
of endeavors, from writing five self-
help books to committing some major
tax evasion. He’s perhaps best-known
in the Detroit area for taking over
Federal’s department store in the late
’70s. In 1980, Federal’s dissolved.
F&M
Phar-Mor, Drug Emporium, and
F&M were once the most powerful
bargain drugstore chains in America.
The industry was pioneered in Ferndale
when Fred and Margaret Cohen opened
the first F&M in 1955. The Cohens’
business strategy was selling brandname products at bargain prices, relying
on word-of-mouth advertising, and
banking on stock-up shopping popular
in more affluent areas. When the
Cohens sold the business in 1977, their
9,000-square-foot store was grossing
$13 million per year.
Fretter’s
Ollie Fretter opened his first selftitled electronics store in Livonia in the
1950s. He may best be remembered for
his commercials, in which he promised,
“I’ll give you five pounds of coffee if I
can’t beat your best deal.”
Gantos
Lebanese immigrant Theodore
Gantos long dreamed of opening
his own linen store, and when the
devastation of the Great Depression
ended, he did just that. With his wife,
Haseebie, he opened the first Gantos
store in Grand Rapids in 1932. Over
the next few decades, the store shifted
gears to become a successful women’swear boutique before going out of
business in 2000.
See RETIREE CHAIRMAN on Page 6
RECENT RETIREES
January 2014
SeniorityDept.
Terence L. Andren......... 2/10/1971GSB 1
Verne A. Ayers............ 5/9/1988Design
Ronald Kuchar............... 11/12/1984Design
Lawrence L. Pelath......... 4/17/1978VEC
Mary E. Socia.............. 2/20/1978VEC
Robert J. Vantongerloo... 8/29/1983Design
March 2014
Edward M. Bolsendahl.... 2/20/1984Design
May 2014
William D. Lang............ 12/3/1990Design
Richard J. Peters............ 12/1/1965 Parts Fab
June 2014
Lawrence E Erickson....... 8/9/1976
Rory L. Windrim............ 5/16/1977
Gsb1
Vec
Thank you for your years of service.
Congratulations on your retirement.
Page 6
RETIREE CHAIRMAN
Continued from Page 5
Grinnell’s Pianos
Once known as the “largest piano
factory on the earth,” Grinnell’s Pianos
opened its doors in Holly, MI in
1913. The company lasted for nearly
a century, thanks in part to its quality
pianos and to its consistent community
involvement hosting annual statewide
music festivals.
Harmony House
Carl Thom opened the first
Harmony House music store in Hazel
Park in 1947. Known for its superb
selection of Detroit music, the chain
grew to 38 stores before finally closing
in 2002.
Highland Superstores
In 1933, Harry Mondry founded the
first Highland Appliance Store, named
for its location in Highland Park. The
company had a dramatic rise and fall
in its time, expanding to three states
before finally liquidating in 1993.
Himelhoch’s
The first Himelhoch’s clothing store
opened on Washington Boulevard in
downtown Detroit in 1907. Fifty years
later, the chain had stretched across
the country, and even to Paris. But in
1977, the company filed for bankruptcy
and closed. Its original location on
Washington has been preserved as a
historic landmark.
Hudson’s
The J.L. Hudson Company was
founded in 1881 by Joseph L. Hudson.
The 29-story flagship store, located at
1206 Woodward in downtown Detroit,
was the world’s tallest department store
throughout most of the 20th century,
with 706 fitting rooms, 68 elevators,
51 display windows, five restaurants, a
fine-art gallery, and a wine department.
After many changes in the retail sector,
the chain was eventually folded into
Macy’s.
Hughes & Hatcher
In 1910, Fred Hughes and Leslie
Hatcher opened their clothing store in
downtown Detroit, and it soon became
the top name in gentlemen’s fine
apparel. Aside from its stupendously
stylish suits, Hughes & Hatcher was
known for having the largest display
windows in town.
Jacobson’s
In 1838, the first Jacobson’s store
opened in Reed City, MI. The store
catered to the fashion needs of upscale
Michigan clientele, and eventually
expanded to Florida and other states.
The store is still profitable in Florida,
but the Michigan stores, after more
TECH ENGINEER
than 150 years, remain closed.
Joshua Doore Furniture
In 1973, Harvey Leach opened the
doors to Joshua Doore and, for years,
drew in customers with the charming
slogan “You’ve got an uncle in the
furniture business.” A few years later,
amid the company’s transformation
into Uncle Robinson Furniture, Leach
was found dead in the trunk of his
car, allegedly as a result of financial
challenges.
Kern’s
Where the Compuware building
stands in downtown Detroit today once
stood another grand retailer of the city’s
golden era, Kern’s Department Store.
Kern’s opened in 1900 and competed
with J.L. Hudson’s until closing in
1959. After much restoration, the
famous Kern’s clock was rededicated by
Compuware in 2003.
Kinsel Drug Store
The next time you need a remedy
for a late-night cough, you can thank
Edward C. Kinsel, who opened
Detroit’s first 24-hour drugstore.
Kinsel’s opened in 1894 and offered
patrons everything from cold remedies
to cold cuts.
Kline’s
Eugene B. Kline founded Kline’s
women’s fashion store in 1911. The
chic-looking store on Woodward
Avenue was called the most modern
store in the country in 1940.
Merchant of Vino
Founded in 1974, Merchant of Vino
was well known for its fine wine and
gourmet foods. Although Eddie Jonna
eventually sold his popular chain to
Whole Foods Co., his sons Marc and
Matthew picked up where their father
left off, opening the state-of-the-art
Plum Markets now seen around metro
Detroit.
New York Carpet World
Marvin Berlin opened New York
Carpet World in 1967. Along with his
partner, Irving Nusbaum, Berlin grew
the chain to an impressive 250 stores in
17 states, including Michigan, making
it the top source for household flooring.
Perry’s Drug Store
Jack A. Robinson founded the hugely
successful Perry’s Drug Store chain,
which was taken over by Rite-Aid in
the mid-’90s. The first Perry’s store
opened in Pontiac in 1957, named for
its location on Perry Street.
Pfeiffer Brewing Company
Conrad Pfeiffer began brewing
his own beer in 1882. His Art Deco
red-brick brewery was built between
Beaufait and Bellevue avenues on the
east side of Detroit, complete with a
stable and hospitality area that offered
tours, products for sale, and a beer
garden. Pfeiffer Brewing Company
began producing its olive-drab cans
with black lettering for the government
during World War II, soon after it
began selling its yellow Johnny Fifer
cans to the public.
R.H. Fyfe and Company
Detroit was once home to the largest
shoe store in the world. Fyfe’s opened
in 1865 and, by 1919, it had expanded
to include 10 floors of shoes and
service areas, as well as a miniature-golf
course. After closing, the headquarters
at Woodward and Adams was converted
into residential lofts.
Sam’s Jams
Opened in 1979, Sam’s Jams was
a hip Ferndale record shop where
customers could always find rare and
vintage tunes. Sam’s frequently hosted
album signings with popular and
alternative bands of the day. But much
to the dismay of the local underground
music community, Sam’s closed its
doors in 1993.
Sanders
Frederick Sanders opened his first
retail shop in downtown Detroit on
June 17, 1875. At one time, Sanders had
over 57 stores around town selling an
assortment of candy, fudge toppings,
and baked goods. Sanders sold his
first ice cream soda in 1876, when he
substituted ice cream for the sweet
cream used in his sweet cream soda.
Sebastian S. Kresge/Kmart
With his humble beginnings, historic
philanthropist Sebastian S. Kresge
likely couldn’t have imagined that the
city of Detroit would turn his modest
five-and-dime store into the gargantuan
enterprise it became. S.S. Kresge Co.
opened in Detroit in 1899, and later
expanded into Kmart Corporation,
before merging with Sears, Roebuck &
Co.
Sibley’s Shoes
Aaron Ross and Norm Rosenfeld
opened the first Sibley’s shoe store in
Detroit in 1920 and soon expanded
to various locations throughout
Michigan and Ohio. Headquartered
in the Fox Building and, for a time,
the Renaissance Center, the chain was
finally dismantled in 2003.
Stroh’s
In 1850, Bernhard Stroh established
what would become a Detroit
institution, then referred to as Lion’s
Head brewery. During Prohibition, the
company stayed afloat by producing ice
cream and “near beer” and selling it in
grocery stores and ice-cream parlors
(Stroh’s Ice Cream can still be found
Summer 2014
today). With its headquarters at Grand
Park Centre near Grand Circus Park,
Stroh’s was family-owned and -operated
for more than 145 years.
Thorn Apple Valley
After miraculously escaping from
a Polish concentration camp during
World War II, Henry Dorfman
immigrated into the United States and
opened his own butcher shop in Detroit
in 1949. The small company, originally
called Frederick Packing Company,
expanded nationwide and was renamed
Thorn Apple Valley in 1984.
Towne Club
In the mid 1960s, Harold Samhat
began selling Towne Club soda at
various “pop centers” around Detroit.
Towne Club, sold in wooden crates
with 24 glass bottles in each, was more
affordable than Coke or Pepsi and was
famous for its wide variety of flavors.
Twin Pines Dairy Farm
It’s been a long time since fresh
milk, cream, and cottage cheese were
delivered right to your milk chute,
but for almost 20 years, Twin Pines
was perhaps Detroit’s finest creamery.
Before the emergence of convenience
stores, Twin Pines was such a success
that it even had its own children’s
television show, Milky’s Party Time,
from 1950 to 1967.
Vernors
Legend has it that Vernors ginger
ale was created in 1866 when Detroit
pharmacist James Vernor returned
home from the Civil War and found
that the syrup he’d created and stored
for four years had transformed into a
“deliciously different” drink. Combined
with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
(preferably Stroh’s), the distinctly
Detroit soda created a Midwest
delicacy: the “Boston cooler,” believed
to be named after Detroit’s Boston
Boulevard.
Winkelman’s
The first Winkelman’s store was
built in Detroit in 1928. The founders,
brothers Isadore and Leon Winkelman,
were born and raised in the Upper
Peninsula, but fell in love with the city
and stayed to open their successful
clothing stores.
Woolworth’s
Perhaps the best-known of the old
five-and-dimes was Woolworth’s, which
expanded into a larger discount store
chain and thrived for most of the 20th
century. After the store’s demise in
the ’80s, the company broke off into
several parts, including a sportswear
division now known as Foot Locker.
In closing, have a safe and enjoyable
summer after this long winter.
Summer 2014
TECH ENGINEER
Page 7
This dinner is sponsored by the UAW Local 160 Retiree Chapter. Serving:
All proceeds will go to the ARC Detroit • Tickets available at the Union Hall 12:30-8:00 p.m.
DonationS
WELCOME
Adults..........$7.00
Children.......$5.00
Retirees........$5.00
Carry-Outs....$7.00
e
l
a
S
Bake ff le
& Ra
INCLUDING:
If you can help sell tickets,
please contact Retiree Chair
Dennis J. Henry
at (586) 247-7883 or
Hank Johnson
at the Arc at
(313) 831-0202
0
UAW Local 16
Union Hall
28504 Lorna
092
Warren, MI 48
If you have a few hours and
want to feel great about
pitching in and helping at the
dinner, volunteers are needed.
Please contact Retiree Chair
Dennis J. Henry at
(586) 247-7883.
Spaghetti
Bread
Salad
Pop
Coffee
GM Tech Center
LORNA
12 MILE RD.
LOCAL 160
28504 Lorna
Warren, MI
I-696
UAW
Region 1
VAN DYKE
GEORGE MERRELLI
WEDNESDAY
September 17, 2014
MOUND RD.
TANK RD.
I-696 Westbound
Service Drive (11 Mile Rd.)
36
Page 8
TECH ENGINEER
Summer 2014
TH CONSTITUTIONAL
Newly Elected UAW President
DENNIS WILLIAMS
CONVENTION
Continued from Front Page
These are just some paraphrased
examples of the spoken debate which
went on before the vote which passed the
proposal.
Much talk throughout the convention
was about communication with our
membership. Our President, Bob King,
reminded everyone and we, as delegates,
want to echo the “Pro Member” link
on the UAW website. This tool has
been available since January to our
membership. There is a survey the
membership can take on issues important
to them. This is also a way for the
International to communicate its plans
and direction. Link provided: http://
www.uawpromember.org/
Another point President King talked
about was the alliance with many other
international unions. We need to work
together with these unions since most of
the corporations we work for and bargain
with are global companies. The attending
Union leaders were introduced to the
convention. They came from Australia,
Brazil, Canada, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, Sweden and several other
countries.
There were also keynote speakers.
Here are some that stood out. Early in
the convention, we heard from Frank
Patta, General Secretary of Volkswagen’s
Global Works Council, speaking on the
struggles to organize the Volkswagen
plant in Chattanooga. The opposition did
not come from Volkswagen Corporation,
but by outside influences. We are all
familiar with those results.
We heard from Jerry Dias, the first
President of the Unifor union, which is
a merger of the CAW, Communications,
Energy and Paperworkers Union of
Canada. He spoke on his background as
a Trade unionist and the fight to have
young people to find good-paying jobs
that support a decent standard of living.
Mary Kay Henry, President of the
Service Employees International Union
(SEIU), spoke on the solidarity among
auto workers, health care workers and
the move to organize the fast food
workers, and showed a moving video of
young people protesting at McDonald’s
Headquarters.
An inspiring speech given by James
P. Hoffa, President of the Teamsters,
pledged his solidarity with the UAW and
we have to think of new ways to fight
against anti-union movement and rightto-work campaigns.
Other speakers were Mayor Mike
Duggan, Congressmen John Conyers,
President of the Sierra Club Michael
Brune and Heather McGhee, President
of Demos, a public policy organization.
A major part of the four-day
convention was reviewing, discussing,
and voting on the 35 resolutions
presented. These are positions the UAW
will take on these social issues. Again,
every delegate had the opportunity to
speak for or against the issue.
Examples of some of the resolutions
are: “Education for a Strong Union,”
“Collective Bargaining and Economic
Justice,” “Work and Family,” “Trade
Policy,” “Ensuring a Decent Society
Toward Universal Health Care,” “Civil
and Human Rights,” and “Supporting
Our Troops, Honoring Our Veterans.”
You are welcome to come see any one
2014
TECH ENGINEER
of us, or we have a booklet if you would
like to read about any of the resolutions
to gain a better understanding of where
the UAW stands on any of these social
policies.
We also spent a short time reviewing
some word changes to our UAW
Constitution. There were not many
changes; mostly that the Locals will
be responsible to now keep records
electronically and communicating them
to the International.
On Wednesday afternoon of the
convention, it was time to elect our
UAW Executive Board, the leaders who
will guide us for the next 4 years. The
following people won their positions
unopposed:
Gary Casteel – Secretary /Treasurer
Jimmy Settles – Vice President
Cindy Estrada – Vice President
Norwood Jewell – Vice President
For the President position, there were
two nominations: Dennis Williams (our
current Secretary/Treasurer) and Gary
Walkowicz (a delegate for Local 600 out
of Dearborn). A Roll Call vote was taken,
each Local was called to a microphone,
and one of the Local’s delegates would
announce their choice for President. This
went on till one of the candidates had a
majority vote.
It was a landslide vote with Walkowicz
receiving votes from only three Locals
before Williams reached the majority of
the 3,222 possible votes.
On Thursday, the final day, we finished
up some resolutions and our newly
elected president, Dennis Williams,
gave a speech of his visions and goals.
The theme phrase throughout the
conventions was “IT’S OUR TIME” and
Williams drove this home. He challenged
the people to speak out as workers to win
their country back.
If you would like to read his speech,
key in this link at http://convention.uaw.
org/node/51.
We then closed the Convention by
marching across the street to the Crown
Plaza, marching around the building
which makes up a city block and showing
our support for the hotel workers
making $8 an hour and are working with
UniteHere Local 24 to organize.
After four days of discussions and at
times intense debates, we the convention
delegates of the 36th Constitution hope
we upheld your ideals and beliefs. We
strongly believe in our Executive Board
under the leadership of Dennis Williams,
who will lead the fight to restore our
losses and lead us to a progressive future
for all our members and our families.
The corporations we work for will not
voluntarily give us higher wages, better
health care, and provide safe working
conditions. It’s time for all of us to stand
Page 9
UAW VP Norwood Jewell and
Region 1 Director Chuck Hall
together with our leadership. We have a
lot of work ahead.
Remember, being part of a union is
not about “I,” but is about “us” doing
our part and standing strong together.
The UAW starts and ends with its
members, so what you put in is what you
get out. There is strength in Solidarity!
UAW Local 160
Convention Delegates
(L-R) Robert Bethea, Lisa Henderson, Tony Micallef, Mike Measel
Debra Pollack, Denise Street, John Bolin
Willie Anderson and his wife
(At the mic) Tony Micallef
reporting the vote.
UAW VP Cindy Estrada
GM Chairman
Earl Fuller, Jr.
TECH ENGINEER
Page 10
Schemas: A New Way of Thinking
Brothers and Sisters,
managed to accomplish what
A very, very long
at that time was considered a
time ago, I had
remarkable or even impossible feat.
You see, the team that achieved
a class where we
the benchmarks was comprised
were shown a video
of engineering students primarily
about a competition
from the field of Fluid Power.
that challenged
Fluid Power is a ten dollar name
universities from
for hydraulics and pneumatics.
across the country to
Rather than using a motor to
build a car that got
directly drive the wheels of its
100 miles to a gallon
vehicle, the Wisconsin team used
fuel economy.
the engine to power a hydraulic
There was a long
district 1 pump that pressurized hydraulic
list of other criteria
committeeperson fluid in a hydraulic accumulator.
also given that had
The accelerator pedal in the
to be met such as
car controlled a variable flow valve
acceleration from zero to sixty miles
that applied the pressurized fluid in
per hour below a given time, having
the accumulator to a hydraulic motor
the ability to carry a given number of
that powered the driving wheels. This
passengers, a top speed above some
allowed a very small gas engine to run
miles per hour, etc. Mind you that this
continuously at maximum efficiency
was quite a few years back when an
without respect to the conditions the
economy car was at the head of the
car was being driven.
class if it got over 30 mpg, and 100
It also switched the hydraulic motor
miles to a gallon fuel economy was
into a pump when the brakes were
considered a pie-in-the-sky fantasy that
applied to create a regenerative braking
some viewed as impossible.
Remarkably, there was only one
system to recapture and store energy
university that did in fact design,
hydraulically. Think of it as crude
engineer, and build a vehicle that
hydraulic version of the Volt.
did achieve the standards; and if
For some time now, Ford has been
my recollection is correct, it was the
exploring this type of technology for
University of Wisconsin. Everybody else
use in heavy vehicles such as garbage
fell short by substantial margins.
trucks and city buses that start and stop
However, the video itself was not about
constantly.
making cars. What it discussed was the
The actual topic of the film,
question of why did all the universities
however, was a concept called
and colleges that had programs or
“schemas.” Wikipedia defines schemas
majors in automotive engineering fail
as “an organized pattern of thought
rather miserably in their attempts,
or behavior that organizes categories
yet a school that had no automotive
of information and the relationships
engineering curriculum had somehow
among them. It can also be described
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as a mental structure of preconceived
ideas, a framework representing some
aspect of the world, or a system
of organizing and perceiving new
information. Schemata influence attention
and the absorption of new knowledge:
people are more likely to notice things that
fit into their schema, while re-interpreting
contradictions to the schema as exceptions
or distorting them to fit. Schemata have a
tendency to remain unchanged, even in the
face of contradictory information.” The
italics are mine.
At the end of the day, facts are just
facts; what matters most is how we
interpret them and what we do with
these interpretations.
So schemas are a mental filter
that allows us to quickly identify and
categorize things and events so that we
can mentally process the world around
us and make sense of it. For example,
every time you see a dog you do not
have to go through a mental process
to determine what it is. Regardless of
size, color, and shape you automatically
identify this thing as a dog and use this
information to make decisions as to
whether this creature is a threat to you
or not. In this regard, schemas are really
a very useful thing.
Without schemas, the world would
be even more complex for us to
comprehend than it already is. Arguably,
without schemas our brains would
go into information overload and we
would be unable to function. However,
on the other hand, if one’s schema is
inaccurate and were to categorize a
hungry lion as just a big kitty cat, you
could end up having a very bad day.
The point is schemas can be either
beneficial or detrimental depending
on whether they are accurate and
how applied to the situation at hand.
Schemas can be a negative thing and are
an integral part of prejudices, biases,
and discrimination in that respect.
The point of the movie was that the
students who built the 100 mpg car
were not restricted or boxed in by the
conventions, practices, or “established
truths” that the automotive engineering
students were. This allowed them to come
up with an unorthodox solution to solve
a problem that “the expert” automotive
engineering students could not.
Schemas (along with rationale and
logic) are what have allowed mankind
to rise to the level it is today. However,
history is also full of examples of
inaccurate schemas causing errors,
catastrophic events, and great tragedies.
Schemas can close the minds of entire
societies and cultures.
Copernicus was a heretic in his day
when he took the position that the
Summer 2014
earth revolved around the sun and not
vice-versa. Christopher Columbus was
considered to be a crackpot by many of
his peers because he did not believe the
world was flat.
I long ago remember hearing an
assertion made that its fairly typical
for major breakthroughs in any given
discipline to be made by someone
outside that field who is not bound
by “expert knowledge” in that field.
Brothers and sisters, schemas are an
extremely powerful thing that effects
almost every decision we make in the
course of a day, right or wrong, and have
profoundly shaped recorded history.
If you’re still reading this, then I
haven’t bored you to tears yet, and
you are probably wondering why we
are having this discussion. As of late,
there have been a very high number of
problems, issues and dissatisfactions
with how the shops are running voiced
by the membership in a variety of
forums. I have given a lot of thought to
how the issues and problems we have
experienced in PPO came to be. I come
up with three things. I have concluded
in my mind that we have to some extent
been victims of our own success.
Success has brought us
unprecedented growth and volume
of work. But success has also stressed
this operation in ways few, if any, saw
coming. Truth is, for better or worse,
we have seen a dramatic departure from
the way things were done in PPO even
a couple of years ago.
I have also come to a second
conclusion that inaccurate schemas are
at the heart of most, if not all, of the
issues that the membership has brought
forward. But I have also come to a
third very sad and bitter conclusion that
could have prevented much of this:
GMS IS DEAD! At least at CCO it is.
I guess an equally apt title for this
section could be “the tale of two cities.”
The two largest shops in District 1 are
MTS and CCO. The differences in the
application of GMS are striking. In no
way, shape, or form is GMS operating
perfectly in MTS. But it is light years
ahead of where it is in CCO. The
membership is by and large engaged at
MTS and do have a significant voice in
the decision-making process.
The tools that GMS gives them are
being used to solve problems and improve
the operation on a daily basis at MTS.
I would say that the majority (though
not all) of the areas at MTS are actually
being run by the Team Leaders with the
Group Leader acting in a supporting
role. People stay in their “swim lanes.” I
attribute this to several factors.
continued on next page
Summer 2014
continued from previous page
First and foremost, MTS is run
by management that has a wealth of
experience with GMS to the point of
“not knowing how to run the business
any other way” and believing that “the
people on the floor are the experts.”
A significant percentage of MTS
management has been there for a long
time and understands the business well
enough to know there are things they
don’t understand and are better off
letting the teams handle them.
Implementing GMS in MTS is in
my opinion a much more difficult and
arduous endeavor than at CCO. But
GMS is working at MTS, as evidenced
by the positive things happening there
and the bright plans for MTS. But
MTS does not resemble a production
operation very much, whereas the other
areas of PPO do. We are getting into
that powerful schema thing now.
An inability to comprehend because
of established schemas I believe is what
has been killing GMS. Quite frankly,
established schemas have been the
problem with just about every other
aspect of the business also. And to
use an old cliché, it’s been death by a
thousand cuts. Since PPO is part of
‘Manufacturing’ on the Organization
Chart, a legitimate and critical question
is just how far up the ladder do these
schemas extend?
We are also seeing something similar
manifesting itself in the Facilities
Group by trying to impose a plant
template on a campus that has over 40
buildings and covers over a square mile.
It fits like a fish on a bicycle. Schemas
would also explain why the current
management at PPO is so fixated on
petty issues that may matter in an
assembly plant but don’t really amount
to a hill of beans in the type of work
we do here.
Based on my time filling in as Zone
Rep., I believe that General Assembly
(GA) has much the same issues occurring
on the floor as CCO. According to
what I have been told, the majority of
team leaders in GA were at one point
considering resigning en masse as a form
of protest to the way that GMS is being
run there and what it has morphed into
since we began this journey. The bottom
line is that there was an understanding
by this membership under previous
management about how a production
developed system like GMS would
apply in a non-production/engineering
environment.
Please understand that I am in no
way belittling or disparaging work in
a production plant. All of us receive
a paycheck because of the toil of the
TECH ENGINEER
good people who work the production
line. Those folks are grossly underpaid
for the grueling and demanding work
they do in my opinion. But at the end
of the day, due to the nature of the
work that is done in a plant, GMS
has a much more clearly defined and
limited scope of influence there than is
possible, and I believe required, in PPO.
A recurring theme that I have heard
in my discussions with the membership
is that the ability to use GMS as a tool
for them to resolve their problems
has diminished dramatically over time
from when we first started GMS. I do
not believe that this membership feels
satisfied with the level of empowerment
that has occurred here, especially when
they see things that are going wrong not
being addressed. Small wonder that the
floor has lost faith in GMS.
I would venture to say that the
overwhelming majority of management
in PPO is extremely uncomfortable
and resistant to empowering the GMS
teams to the level needed to make
them more than “the keepers of arts
and charts” and actually having a
meaningful impact on the operation.
And here is where that schema thing
comes into play again.
Recently, when speaking with a
member of management for the
umpteenth time about what is in my
opinion a profound lack of enablement
of the teams, it was stated to me
“that I have never worked in a place
where teams were so empowered.”
Empowered to do what? Keep up
their Level 5 boards? I have also had
management state to me that “the team
leaders have been unwilling to take the
wheel.” That is a load of manure if I
ever heard one.
I recently brought that remark up
with some of our team leaders and
was told, “they have given us a steering
column without a steering wheel and
then complain we can’t steer!” A
typical statement I hear goes like this;
I’m empowered to use GMS to do
only what my boss tells me to do. The
sentiment is that issues the membership
tries to bring forward are quickly
buried and that GMS has become
a ‘management only’ tool to strictly
address their issues. I think it is fair to
say that the membership had and has
much greater expectations.
When Temporary employees need
to be job assigned as co-champions
on Level 5 boards because the
permanent workforce has become so
disenfranchised by GMS, that should set
off alarms. The permanent workforce
has not seen tangible results in resolving
the problems they struggle with on a
Page 11
daily basis. By heavily staffing Level 5
boards with Temps, GMS as an entity
begins to take on a temporary feel.
Also, how can GMS ever take root
in the non-MTS areas of PPO if
there aren’t stable teams? There is a
significant portion of this membership
that has come to believe that one of
the prime motivators for management’s
constant movement of people is to
intentionally blunt the power of the
teams and limit GMS in affecting
change in the workplace. Shuffling
people around like a deck of cards
pretty well ensures that a person never
really truly learns a job, but just as
importantly I think gives one hell of an
insight into how the skill sets of this
workforce are regarded.
Trying to take what was considered
a skilled trades shop that had SSOs as
helpers and turning it into a production
operation with the assistance of skilled
trades is what has really occurred here.
I suspect that schemas have a lot to
do with this, especially when the true
nature of the work is not understood.
That would explain the comment I have
heard several times from members of
management “that I can train a monkey
to do this work.” This attitude has
become pervasive in PPO.
I find those words and that mindset
extremely insulting to the people I
represent and to which I will respond
with the comment that if we had
properly functioning GMS here, then
it could be “managed by a monkey.”
The shops would run themselves.
Many times, I have tried to explain to
management how GMS can make their
jobs easier and more manageable in
addition to creating a more satisfied,
productive workforce and fixing
a laundry list of issues including
efficiency. I may as well talk to the wall
for as far as that has gone.
If someone could step back in
time and look back a few years at the
shop floor, I suspect that they would
quickly come to a stark conclusion:
Most knowledgeable and experienced
supervision has been deliberately
and systematically removed. Maybe
their schemas didn’t coincide with
the new schemas that came into this
organization. There seems to be a
belief on the floor that old supervision
has been replaced by bobble heads
that nod yes to whatever orders they
are given and have no clue as to the
ramifications.
One of the loudest complaints I hear
from the membership is that an SSO will
come on board and a couple of months
later be made a Per Diem supervisor
without ever really learning the business
that they are now supervising. Quite
frankly, many of the journeypersons
have told me they find this downright
insulting. Without a solid understanding
of the business, some really questionable
decisions are made. Again, based on the
feedback I’ve been getting, the problems
are eerily similar in GA.
The alternative path to GMS that
has been chosen appears to be an
increase in the amount of supervision
on the floor. And with so many new
supervisors trying to make a name for
themselves, what empowerment the
teams had has been pilfered. What
is truly needed is the exact opposite
of what has happened; reducing the
number of supervisors will allow the
teams to actually function.
In my opinion, given the background
and collective experiences of current
management, there has been a
See COMMITTEEPERSON on Page 13
Credit Unions... of the People.
by the People.
for the People.
The appeal of the democratic concept is that it puts people first. As
cooperative financial institutions based on democratic principles, Credit
Unions are true people organizations that serve the common good. The
people who use a Credit Union are its members...and its owners, all with
an equal say.
A Credit Union exists for the sole benefit of its members and among
all financial institutions, stands alone as the only one which operates on a
not-for-profit basis. Take advantage of Credit Union membership. People
always come first at the credit union.
UNITY CREDIT UNION
CU
CREDIT
UNION
7240 East Twelve Mile Road
Warren, Michigan 48092
(586) 573-4110
TECH ENGINEER
Page 12
Summer 2014
All Elections have Consequences!
MICHIGAN
VOTING
INFORMATION
Michigan Primary • August 5, 2014
General Election • November 4, 2014
Registration Deadline: (Generally 30 Days before vote date)
• Primary Registration Deadline - July 7, 2014
• General Registration Deadline - October 6, 2014
Absentee Ballot – Absentee voter ballots are available
for all elections. They provide voters with a convenient method
for casting a ballot when they are unable to attend the polls on
election day. Your request for an absentee voter ballot must be
in writing and can be submitted to your city or township clerk.
Pick up an Absentee Voter Application at the Union Hall or online:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/AbsentVoterBallot_105377_7.pdf
DATES to REMEMBER
JUNE, 2014
15
16
16
18
21
22
30
Father’s Day
UAW Local 160 Golf Outing
Deadline for Local 160 D. Henson Scholarship Application
Retiree General Membership Meeting & Lunch, 10:00 a.m.
Summer Begins
General Membership Meeting Cancelled for Summer
Start First Week of Shut Down
JULY, 2014
4
16
23
Independence Day – UAW/GM Holiday Off
Retiree General Membership Meeting & Lunch, 10:00 a.m.
WTC Employee Car Show 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
AUGUST, 2014
17
20
Local 160 Family Picnic
Retiree General Membership Meeting & Lunch, 10:00 a.m.
September, 2014
1
11
17
17
20
25
28
Labor Day Parade
GM Unit Membership Meeting, 1:30 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
Retiree General Membership Meeting & Lunch, 10:00 a.m.
Retiree’s Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser (ARC), 12:30 p.m.
Women’s Committee Fall Steak-Out
3rd Party Unit Membership Meeting, 2:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
General Membership Meeting, 10:00 a.m.
could go but I'll get to the point.
How's it going
sisters and brothers
All Elections Have Consequences!
of Local 160!? It's
This upcoming election might
not 10O below zero
be the only chance we have to
repeal RTW, not to mention we
any longer, so at
might lose the chance to ever
the very least we
win any state-wide election if
have that going for
they (Mchigan Republicans) split
us! After such a
the way the Electoral College is
brutal winter that
represented in Michigan.
we thought would
If you still don't care, here is
never end, the sun is
the part that will really get your
shining once again
attention. We are going into
and seeds we have
sown are beginning
CAP CHAIRMAN negotiation for a new contract
to sprout.
next year and you better believe
And on the subject of planting seeds
GM management has been paying
that we wish to bring to harvest in the
attention to what has gone on in
fall, you know it is my duty to discuss
Lansing. If you think they haven’t,
what we have before us politically in
you’re fooling yourself.
the upcoming November elections and
We got lazy after the 2008 election,
primaries August 5th.
and a lot of folks did not bother to
show up and vote in 2010, and look at
All elections are important, but
everything that has happened. We got
this one is a little different than past
taken to the woodshed and whipped
elections here in Michigan. The
good. They don't win elections if we
Governor who ran as a moderate in
just show up and vote! This isn't about
2010, and only participated in one
an R vs D any longer. This is about
gubernatorial debate, was elected and
a couple of extremely rich people
then it started... First, it was an attack
wanting to be able to buy elections
on our school children by defunding
and put their own laws into place so
public education, followed by a huge
they can take more money out of your
give-away to his corporate friends to
the tune of $1.8 billion. Then he started pocket and put it into theirs. But I
will save Dick DeVoss and the Koch
picking on our retirees with a pension
brothers for another writing session.
tax, and if that wasn't enough he took
Right now what I need you to do is
away the home credit tax, further
if you’re not already registered to vote,
hurting seniors on a budget. Then he
please to do so. If you know a family
went after school teachers unions and
public sector unions, some of which are member or friend who isn't, get them
to register.
UAW members.
Hope you all have a very safe and
Next came something that most
fun-filled summer and hope to see
never thought would happen here in
you all at the Local 160 Picnic! And a
the state where Labor Unions built
special thanks to all the membership
America's middle class; back-door
who signed up for precinct delegate this
legislation in a lame-duck session made
Michigan a right-to-work (for less) state. year...THANK YOU!!!
Now as if that wasn't enough, I
Together we win!
JARON
garza
For ALL THE LATEST
News & Updates
find us online by visiting:
www.
uawlocal160.org
UAW Local 160
Sign up for “UAW Local 160 Email Alerts”
and
“ETech” in lieu of the paper issue.
NOTE: The Alerts and ETechs are two separate lists.
Just include in the Subject line the desired action(s).
EMAIL BECKY ERVIN, EDITOR at: [email protected]
Summer 2014
COMMITTEEPERSON
Continued from Page 11
reinforcing and self-validating spiral
that has taken place. There is a term for
that: Group Think. Merriam-Webster
defines Group Think as “a pattern of
thought characterized by self-deception,
forced manufacture of consent,
and conformity to group values and
ethics.” The term was coined during
the Kennedy administration when an
analysis of the decision-making process
leading up to the disastrous Bay of Pigs
invasion occurred. What researchers
discovered was that the individuals
advising President Kennedy had, on a
personal level, doubts and misgivings
about the plan, but didn’t voice them
because of the dynamic of the group
and the commonalities they shared.
Group Think occurs very readily
when people have similar backgrounds
and experiences. Nobody wants to
“rock the boat.” Hmmm, seems very
familiar and very “old GM” to me.
At the risk of overstepping my
bounds or airing dirty laundry, I’ll
share some of my frustrations as a
representative. Since the bankruptcy
until a couple of years ago, we had a
Union/management relationship at this
location based on respect and, yes, even
trust. In the last couple of years, I have
heard the phrase “Paragraph 8 gives
me the right to run the business” more
times than I have heard it in my prior
twenty-some years being employed at
GM. I have also heard the utterance
“Do you have that in writing?” an awful
lot as of late.
So you can see how I find it rather
remarkable that management has
repeatedly claimed and tried to uphold
“verbal” agreements allegedly made in
the past. However, when I investigate
a matter, I get told “we talked about it
once, but we never had an agreement.”
Well you know what, we have also been
given a lot of “verbals” in the past.
Things such as: “GMS teams would
be empowered to run their own area,”
“teams will be tasked with the day-today operations on the floor,” “teams will
handle their own vacation scheduling
and other absences,” “team leaders will
be responsible for the movement of
manpower,” “once GMS has matured,
CCO will only need two supervisors.”
So how’s this supposed to work?
When it benefits management, then
alleged verbal agreements of the past
are okay, but if they don’t like what
the Union puts forward then we
need to produce a signed document?
Seems to me that there is an attempt
being made to take advantage of the
TECH ENGINEER
relationships, understandings, and trust
that were built in the past with others.
I believe that the majority of the shop
committee would echo my sentiments.
I have to be honest with you,
whenever I hear the term “partner in
the business” used by some members
of management anymore, it makes the
hair on the back of my neck stand.
What it used to mean was that decisions
would be made jointly with the input,
experience, knowledge, and voice of
the membership being an important
part of the decision. At any rate, that is
what GMS was being sold as and what
I signed up for. Anymore, when I hear
the term “partner in the business,” it
has come to mean one of two entirely
new connotations to me: “I got my
rear end is a sling and I’m going to
need you to save me,” or “I’m going to
screw you and the membership over.”
When uttered from the lips of some
members of management these days, it
even seems to have a certain amount of
sarcasm attached to it.
A lot has changed since the heady
days during and shortly after the
bankruptcy when a new vision and
direction for this business had been
charted for PPO.
One thing I’ve learned from raising
kids and life in general is that people
will meet the lowest expectation set
for them. If management at PPO
continues to proceed in the current
direction of treating this operation as a
manufacturing plant, then they need to
be prepared for the type of workforce
that they will get. There is an old saying:
Management gets the Union they
deserve. Perhaps another way to look at
this that might register with the MBAs
is in terms of “value.” Value can be
defined as the cost of something paid
versus the amount, quality, or level of
goods and services delivered.
The current approach to increase
value seems to be strictly by lowering
cost. The problem with this approach
is that the level of goods and services
being received is no longer equivalent
to what was being given before.
In my opinion, if the other part of
the equation was addressed, increasing
what you get for your money, then
value would increase well beyond what
the simplistic approach up to this point
has yielded. By pushing real GMS to the
side, the true value of PPO is not being
realized but is instead being squandered.
The fundamental issue now, I believe,
is if and how are our Bargaining Unit
members going to be allowed and
enabled to do what they do best to the
fullest of their potential.
But, brothers and sisters, we are
not without fault. Part of the blame
for this situation does belong to us,
the membership. Often times, we
have failed to appreciate the intense
competitive and cost pressures that
we face. Both as individuals and
collectively, we have failed to demand
strongly enough that the spirit and
vision of GMS be followed. Maybe we
have just gotten worn down by trying to
save these folks from themselves.
As representation, there are
limitations as to what can be addressed
in this arena, since GMS really is more
of an attitude and operating philosophy
than a contractual matter. I’m of
the opinion that the management
that has been put in place has taken
advantage of the new hires and temps
to obfuscate and redefine the purpose
and scope of GMS to more closely
resemble what they were used to in
a production environment (schema
again!). Giving this membership the
power that is necessary for GMS’s
success at this location is beyond what
the majority of new management
has experienced and must seem very
foreign and unsettling to them.
However, if only one thing has
come through loud and clear to me
via the meetings I’ve attended and
informal conversations that I’ve had,
it is that this membership cares and
wants to be successful. With the events
of the last few weeks, one thing that I
consistently hear from this membership
is that you want to do your jobs like
the professionals that you are. But
impediments must be taken out of your
way. You take great pride in what you
do, and see what you do as a reflection
of yourself and who you are.
My impression is that the majority of
the membership wants what they do to
matter and have purpose and meaning.
This is much more than just a job for
most of you. But we have never had
such a turnover of management here.
And for better or worse we are all a
product of the experiences that we have
had and the schemas that are formed
through those experiences.
Don’t get me wrong, I do not
necessarily think that all the new
managers we have here are bad
people or incompetent. In fact, from
my layman’s perspective, I see some
incredibly talented, capable and
promising ones. But I do think that
virtually all of our newer arrivals
are prisoners of the schemas they
developed elsewhere and came here
with. And maybe I’m nothing but a
spoiled little Tech Center brat, but I
believe that this place is unlike any other
operation in GM, if not the world.
Page 13
What I will fault the new regime for
is a failure to accept what is different
from their past experiences and for
ignoring this membership when we
point this out and how it is detrimental
to the business at hand.
The bottom line is that the wholesale
changes in management are a major
part of our growing pains and more
specifically the schemas that they
have brought with them that are often
just plain wrong. This creates the
astonishing lack of respect for the
history, accomplishments, people, and
capabilities of this location that so many
of you have complained to me about.
There seems to be no clue whatsoever
of the potential of this operation or the
people that made the difficult changes
needed for us to be successful.
Magic has and does happen at the
Tech Center when the appropriate
environment is created. One only has
to look at how many of GM’s proudest
moments can trace their roots back to
this square mile.
Maybe I’m a romantic and am bound
by my own outdated schemas in regards
to what I think is possible here. Perhaps
times have changed to the point where
making cars and trucks can be done
using nothing more than algorithms
and cold, hard analytics. But I think
history shows that GM was most
successful in the marketplace when its
vehicles had soul and stirred the public’s
heart. And I don’t believe a car can have
soul without being made by humans
who have passion and enthusiasm.
In its inception, the Tech Center was
supposed to be where dreams became
reality. It’s this inability or refusal by our
new management to grasp this place
that I think the membership finds so
maddening.
If we as a membership have learned
only one thing from recent events it is
that if we do not grab the reigns then
we are going to get exactly what we have
gotten. Those of you who have been on
the fence about GMS should take some
time and think about that. I have said
this before, but I will repeat it. I have
the privilege and honor of representing
the most capable, innovative, and
intelligent workforce in the world. It is a
crying shame to see the direction GMS
and this entire operation have taken and
the effects from that.
As of late, there has been a great
deal of discussion about what has
gone wrong and how we got to this
point. But the most important question
that should be on everyone’s mind,
regardless of position or role, whether
bargaining unit or salary, should be:
What do we do now?
TECH ENGINEER
Page 14
Summer 2014
Twelve Step Programs
they’ll try a 12 step program to tackle the problem
they can’t seem to shake.
The 12 steps of recovery programs are:
As EAP Work/
Family Reps, we
1. We admitted that we are powerless
often recommend
over our addiction, that our lives have
to people that they
become unmanageable.
attend various support
2. Came to believe that a Power greater
group meetings.
than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
The vast majority
3. Made a decision to turn our will and
of these meetings
our lives over to the care of God as we are patterned on the
understood Him.
model established by
4. Made a searching and fearless moral
Alcoholics Anonymous
inventory of ourselves.
in about 1935.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to
If you go on the
another human being the exact nature of
internet, there are
EAP REPRESENTATIVES
our wrongs.
literally hundreds
6. We’re entirely ready to have God
of sites that promote 12-step recovery programs.
remove all these defects of character.
Some of the more popular ones besides AA are,
asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
7.
Humbly
Narcotics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous,
Overeaters Anonymous, Nicotine Anonymous, Families 8.Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and
became willing to make amends to them all.
Anonymous, and Emotions Anonymous. Some of
9.Made direct amends to such people wherever
these support groups also have components to help
possible, except when to do so would injure
loved ones of the addict deal with their issues also.
them or others.
Most people don’t end up in a support group
10.Continued
to take personal inventory and when
meeting by accident. They’ve tried to arrest the problem
on their own countless times, and have had little
we were wrong promptly admitted it.
success. Usually this involves trying to go “cold turkey,” 11.Sought through prayer and meditation to
going to friends, counselors, and sometimes the clergy.
improve our conscious contact with God as we
Sometimes, the court system is involved as the result of
understood Him, praying only for knowledge of
an arrest. Or a person’s work life can be affected and
His will for us and the power to carry that out.
they can be in the disciplinary process. As a last resort,
12.Having had a spiritual awakening as the result
kenNANCY
jones
kelly
of these steps, we tried to carry this message
to addicts, and to practice these principles in
all our affairs.
The first part is admitting a problem exists, and
that you have a desire to face it. The rest of the steps
are about finding a power to help you on a daily basis,
looking at yourself honestly, and dealing with your
issues so they don’t come back to haunt you. Finally,
you end up helping others with similar difficulties.
Although the word “GOD” is mentioned in
several steps, recovery programs are not religious in
nature. No one preaches to you. The major thrust of
recovery programs is about change, getting one to
return to as “normal” a lifestyle as possible. These
changes don’t occur overnight. It often takes years to
get one’s self into a destructive lifestyle; consequently
it takes time to change the bad habits a person has
acquired.
Support groups meet on a regular basis
throughout the community, and provide, through
fellowship, a place to talk about one’s particular
affliction with others who have faced similar
problems. They are proven to work, as evidenced by
millions of people worldwide who have been able to
overcome crippling addictions, and resume normal,
productive lives.
If you have any questions about these proven
effective programs, please contact one of your
Work/Family Reps., we’ll be happy to direct you to a
group that meets your particular needs.
We are: Nancy Kelly at 586-751-4474, and Ken
Jones at 586-986-4166.
A ccommodating Dis A bled People in Transition
by Ken Jones, ADAPT Representative • Link Building • (586) 986-4166
Changes in the Adapt Program
I, along with my salary counterpart, the Plant Medical Director,
and the nursing supervisor recently attended the roll out for the
changes made to the ADAPT (Accommodating DisAbled People
in Transition) program called for during the last round of contract
negotiations.
The national parties put together a focus group of ADAPT
representatives, who made suggestions as to how the program could
be streamlined to ensure better delivery to the employees seeking
ADAPT help at our facilities. Though most of the changes were to
the administrative side of the program, which we as reps administer,
the six-step process we use in the day-to-day delivery of the process
has been greatly simplified.
The medical department is now charged with showing the affected
employee a video showing how the program can be used to help a
person with restrictions to be retained or return to work if he/she so
desires. It is then up to the employee to decide if he/she wishes to
use the program to do a job search if their home department decides
it has no work available for them within their restriction (NJAWR).
Job availability within a classification and seniority also play a role in
our placement efforts.
If no work can be found site wide, the person is then put on sick
leave under the NJAWR designation until they can perform their
duties as determined by the Plant Medical Director.
The six
steps of
the ADAPT
process:
REVIEW
documentation
JOB
search
placement
DISPOSITION
JOINT
INTERVIEW
Initiation
STEP 1 Initiation: Restrictions are issued, video viewed, referral to ADAPT team.
STEP 2 Joint Interview: Employee is interviewed by the ADAPT team (Voluntary).
STEP 3 Job Search: The team does a job search based on the person’s restrictions.
STEP 4 Placement Disposition: If the employee is not placed, they return to
Medical.
STEP 5 Documentation: We document everything we due to ensure consistency.
STEP 6 Review: The disability team meets weekly to review cases.
We are here to help you if you desire to return to work after an injury or illness. A letter
about the ADAPT program is included in the disability packet you receive from Sedgewick
upon your request for sick leave. If you have any questions concerning how the ADAPT
program can help you, please feel free to give me a call at (586) 986-4166.
TECH ENGINEER
Summer 2014
Page 15
A Memorial Day to Remember
we requested assistance with this
On behalf of
task, the response we received was
the Barlow family,
overwhelming.
I would like to
Mr. Brinker went out of his way
extend our deepest
to find and donate a new marker
appreciation to
that contained not only the World
Mr. Bob Brinker,
War I emblem, but also the years
Chairman of the
of the war embossed on it. As a
Veterans Committee
result of Mr. Brinker’s prompt
at Local #160, for
response to our request, we were
all of his help in
able to adequately decorate the
reparation of the
grave in time for the holiday.
marker on our
In a time when
father’s grave.
Just before
uaw RETIREE such assistance seems
to be overlooked and
Memorial Day, we
underappreciated, I felt it
discovered that the flag holder on his
paramount to acknowledge the
grave was damaged. He was a veteran
responsibility assumed by Mr.
of World War I, and we wanted to
Brinker, and again, to express
replace the marker with one of the
my family’s enduring gratitude.
appropriate era for his service. When
DAN
barlow
IN MEMORIAM
MEMBER
UNIT
SENIORITY
RETIREMENTDECEASED
DATE DATEDATE
MEMBER
UNIT
SENIORITY
RETIREMENTDECEASED
DATE DATEDATE
Fredrick G. CantMCD Headquarters 1/29/1958
3/1/1993 1/6/2014
Norman F. Bartle Engineering
3/1/1958 3/1/19933/12/2014
Beulah M. BanksMCD Headquarters 6/13/1977
4/1/1989 1/7/2014
H. Buddy Dodson Powertrain
4/25/1977 3/1/19933/14/2014
Henry PfuerstingerMCD Headquarters 9/12/1955
1/1/1992 1/9/2014
William D. JenkinsSite Operations
5/24/1982
7/1/2008 3/18/2014
Andrew J. RiversMCD Headquarters 7/9/1984
3/1/1993 1/10/2014
George XiromeritisMCD Headquarters 6/23/1953
1/1/1984 3/21/2014
4/4/1978 8/1/19971/12/2014
James A. KitkaMCD Headquarters 9/12/1973
1/1/2007 3/26/2014
Vivian L. Smith
CCO
Alex MezdreaMCD Headquarters 12/18/1985 1/1/1992 1/13/2014
Roy O. Breuhan
Carl Angelilli, Sr.Site Operations
Design
9/24/1942 5/1/19903/30/2014
6/22/1981
2/1/2000 1/16/2014
Georgia G. Ulch CCO
2/16/1990 6/1/20064/1/2014
William D. HamiltonMCD Headquarters 9/12/1955
3/1/1993 1/22/2014
Robert L. Willett Design
1/8/1962 8/1/20064/8/2014
Eva M. BabayMCD Headquarters 10/20/1980 6/1/2005 1/25/2014
Pamela Shahid
1/7/1985 8/1/20084/9/2014
Virginia PerryMCD Headquarters 10/4/1965
Lucian E. Brittain Design
2/15/1988 6/1/19954/11/2014
Robert CampbellResearch
4/7/1969 1/1/19984/11/2014
Albinas SadauskasMCD Headquarters 10/17/1955 5/1/1986 1/29/2014
Stanley R. McWilliamsSite Operations
1/7/1985
7/1/1997 4/13/2014
Phillip E. Jenkins Design
1/7/1985 7/1/20062/12/2014
Stephen L. UcinskiSite Operations
6/22/1978
4/1/2012 4/23/2014
Richard R. RoseMCD Headquarters 12/10/1959 8/1/1991 2/13/2014
Harold E. SeverSite Operations
1/7/1985
10/1/2001 4/25/2014
William C. Beattie CCO
4/30/1984 3/1/19932/15/2014
David J. EssenmacherDesign
6/11/1979 7/1/20104/27/2014
Albert L. Zykowski, Jr. Site Operations
12/15/1969 8/1/1989 2/26/2014
Michael E. Miles
CCO
6/2/1972 7/1/20064/27/2014
Joseph F. Donato Powertrain
4/16/1984 9/1/19922/27/2014
Carol A. Monberg
Parts Fab
5/21/1979
10/1/2007 5/9/2014
Robert D. BeltSite Operations
2/5/1979
1/1/2007 5/12/2014
James KohoutMCD Headquarters 11/11/1957 11/1/1990 3/1/2014
Ross R. McNeil
Design
10/14/19681/1/2007 5/12/2014
Josef PautzMCD Headquarters 6/28/1965
6/1/1986 3/2/2014
Michael Scarangella Design
8/13/1979 2/1/20045/12/2014
Delores AdamczykSite Operations
1/1/1996 3/5/2014
Walter MadurskiMCD Headquarters 7/11/1963
1/1/1981 5/14/2014
8/1/1982 3/6/2014
Robert J. BollenbergheDesign
8/1/2005 5/19/2014
Frank C. Janowski Design
2/15/1956 3/1/19931/28/2014
Jeanne E. WicksMCD Headquarters 2/25/1980
1/2/1979
Paul R. AndersonMCD Headquarters 8/20/1952
James M. DexterGSB 1
8/1/1983 1/26/2014
1/1/1998 2/28/2014
10/28/1983 6/1/2011 3/7/2014
Engineering
3/4/1981
Herbert MauMCD Headquarters 8/1/1955
5/1/1991 5/20/2014
The Officers, Representatives, Staff and Members of UAW Local 160 wish to extend their deepest
sympathy to the friends and families of these Local 160 Brothers and Sisters for their recent loss.
TECH ENGINEER
Page 16
LOCAL
160
Summer 2014
FAMILY
PICNIC
LAKE ST. CLAIR METROPARK
Waterslides
31300 Metro Parkway
u Miniature Golf
Harrison Township, MI 48045
u Fishing & Tennis Courts
Hot Dogs u Corn u Potato Chips
u Nature Center and Bike Trails
Ice Cream u Pop
u Olympic-Sized Swimming Pools
u Boat Launch ($7 fee paid to park)
u Kids’ Squirt Zone Spray Ground
u
~ ADMISSION ~
$5.00 PER CAR – Advanced Ticket Sales
$7.00 PER CAR – At Park
Refreshment Tickets – 3 for $1.00
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT LOCAL UNION OFFICE
OR SEE YOUR COMMITTEEPERSON IN THE PLANT.
Giant Raffle at 4:00 P.M.
$1.00 Donation
FUN FOR
ALL!!!
SUNDAY, AUGUST 17th • 11A.M. - 5 P.M.
ALL FOOD & DRINK CONCESSIONS CLOSE AT 4:00 P.M.
PARK CLOSES AT 10:00 P.M.
David Small, Acting President • Becky Ervin, Financial Secretary-Treasurer
Nancy Kelly, Recreation Chair • Dennis Henry, Retiree Chapter Chair