BALTIMORE RETIREE APPRECIATES UAW
After 32 years at GM Baltimore I retired in 1996. This week I received our Christmas bonus and just started thinking how much the union has done for me and my family. I can’t think of a better investment I could have made with my union dues. To be retired and not forgotten is truly a comforting feeling.

I spent some of the money having my Harley-Davidson air brushed with the logo “American Made With Union Labor.”

Jerry Krysiak
UAW Local 239
Baltimore, Md.

PRIVATE POLICY WAS A JOKE
Each time you hear that Social Security should be privatized please think of me.

When I became disabled, I thought I had planned for the future. Not only did I have Social Security to fall back on, I had a long-term disability policy. Well, I still collect Social Security disability, but my long-term disability policy was a joke. I was able to raise my arms, I was able to walk a half a block, and because I was able to attend church, the private insurance company said I was not disabled, even though three doctors stated I was.

Royce Shamel
UAW Local 157
Lapeer, Mich.

IBEW WORKER THANKS UAW
I just wanted to say thanks to all UAW members for their contributions and efforts and for the support provided after the 9-11 tragedy.

The recent television commercial prompting this e-mail to you featured the unselfish efforts by the UAW and the generosity of GM (to build and donate trucks to the New York Fire Department). That made me proud of all of you who worked so hard.

Dave Comstock
IBEW Local 145
Rock Island, Ill.

UAW INCLUDES HONDA WORKERS
I was happy to read about the organizing drive at Honda in Ohio, although the last line of your article, “None of Honda’s North American plants is unionized,” is incorrect. Sixty workers including myself at the Honda Mt. Laurel, N.J., Parts Distribution Center are proud members of UAW Local 1612, which has been unionized since 1974.

Paul Betzler
Honda shop chairman
UAW Local 1612
Mantua, N.J.

WHOLE FAMILY VALUES UAW
Eight years ago my husband worked for a popular chip company. He was told when to come in, when to leave, even when to go to the bathroom. If they wanted him to come in early or stay late, he had to do it. If our kids were sick or having surgery, it didn’t matter to them.

After seven years he left his job to look for a better one. It was the best thing that ever happened to us. He now works for Navistar International in Dallas, Texas, and is a part of UAW Local 119.

Not only has he doubled his salary, but we now have great benefits as well.

We would like to challenge every union and non-union worker in America to take a stand, to unite. Don’t let the small things get to you. Don’t fight among each other. Sooner or later it will break you. And trust me, we have been where there is no union, and it’s not very pretty there.

We gladly pay our union dues and give to V-CAP. It’s the least we can do for such an awesome privilege to say that we are members of UAW Local 119.

Brazel family
UAW Local 119
Carrollton, Texas

THANKS FOR HELP ON WORKERS’ COMP
I’d like to concur with the letter from Bob Badour in the December issue of Solidarity entitled “Union Reps Took Action.”

I was on workers’ comp for over two years with a bad back. On several occasions I received medical bills from either the doctor or the hospital because my employer was either very late in paying or wouldn’t pay.
Thanks to the wonderful people in the UAW, all I had to do was drop off the bill and they would take care of it.

Michael W. Rowe
UAW Local 974
East Peoria, Ill.

Letters
We welcome letters to Solidarity. Because we receive so many, we cannot print them all and we reserve the right to edit for length. Please keep letters brief and include your name, address, and local union number.

Send to Solidarity magazine, UAW, 8000 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit, MI, 48214 or via the Internet: uawsolidarity@uaw.net