'WHOLE-HEARTED' SUPPORT AT HOLLISTER
I wanted to let you know that my employer, Hollister Inc., locked out 300-plus union employees for three weeks in November 2001. When we failed to ratify the new contract because of their failure to “reward” us for team base culture, they took offense and locked us out! We were willing to work but were not allowed to.

The International Union, UAW came into the picture. We all received strike benefits. They had an insurance company lined up to take over our coverage. They supported us whole-heartedly.

Thanks, UAW! I am proud to be a member of such a great organization with such good people.

Phyllis Hamilton
UAW Local 710
Kansas City, Mo.

'SOMETHING SPECIAL'
You can well imagine how pleased I was to turn the pages of the January-February issue of Solidarity and find my Credo of the Labor Movement in full print. I have already received several phone calls from UAW buddies--all retirees--complimenting me. After all of these years since my retirement in 1980, gazing at this statement in the best magazine publication in the labor movement is, indeed, something special.

Irv Bluestone
Retired vice president
International Union, UAW

YOKICH: A JOB WELL DONE
I read in the current Solidarity about the retirement of Steve Yokich as president of the UAW in June.
I want to thank him for the hard work and service he gave the UAW workers and for helping UAW retirees also, of which I am one.

James E. McAfee
UAW Local 136
Fenton, Mo.

LEGISLATOR FIGHTS FOR SAFER NURSING HOMES
As a UAW member for more than 33 years and as a state legislator, I could not agree more with the letter from Brother Tony Coates of Detroit (“Nursing Homes Need Improvement,” November 2001).

I served on the House Democratic Nursing Home Task Force, which heard heart-wrenching testimony that served as the impetus for several pieces of legislation that my Democratic colleagues and I introduced. These include proposals to ensure adequate staffing ratios in nursing homes, reasonable wages for care providers, more frequent and unscheduled state inspections, and the prompt investigation of nursing home complaints.

I would like to compliment Solidarity for doing an outstanding job of getting important information out to UAW members in Michigan and throughout the country. Keep up the good work!

Raymond E. Basham
Michigan State Representative,
22nd District

WHO WILL BUY?
I am a proud member of UAW Local 1619. I started at the Shiloh-MTD automotive parts factory in 1987. We now have 75 workers laid off at our shop. Things are so bad that we are being denied vacation time for January 2002. I am 53 years old and don’t know what will happen if I lose my job.

We’re not the only ones with problems to address. LTV Steel closed a few weeks ago in Cleveland, Ohio, and 3,200 workers lost their jobs. With the loss of jobs at suppliers, the total could reach 10,000 jobs. Cheap foreign steel imports have killed or damaged our country’s jobs.

Also, TRW Automotive’s Cleveland plant is closing in June 2002--another 600-plus jobs gone. Most of the jobs are going to Mexico. Who is going to buy new cars and trucks if our steel jobs and automotive supplier jobs are gone?

Gregory Yursa
Local 1619
Valley City, Ohio

A NEW FUND FOR ORGANIZING?
I know the importance of V-CAP. I do my best at my local to make sure everyone is a contributor to V-CAP and understands the importance of V-CAP. I also think we should start a V-ORGANIZING fund because we must continue to bring in new members to the UAW.

We as the UAW will not survive unless we have a very strong organizing program put into place, much stronger than we have today. I am not saying we don’t have good organizers--we have the best in the country. We just need more of them.

We must continue our fight for our rights, and with more members our chance to control corporate America is greatly enhanced. This is my suggestion and I hope the leaders of the UAW will consider a V-ORGANIZING fund.

Eric A. Funston
Local 286
Tulsa, Okla.

BROWN ALUM BACKS UAW
As a Brown University alumnus, a union member and a Providence resident, I am saddened to read that Brown is engaging in union-busting tactics related to UAW’s graduate student organizing campaign (Solidarity, January-February 2002).

Please know that Phil Wheeler and the UAW members in Region 9A have my support in their efforts at Brown. My alma mater should show their true commitment to the free exchange of ideas by stopping their anti-union campaign and letting the ballots be counted.

Robert A. Walsh Jr.
Executive Director,
National Education Association
Rhode Island
President, Ocean State Action

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