Friend, brother, teacher, leader
“Steve was a passionate person. He was passionate about his family, his friends, his union, his community. He was passionate about bargaining and politics, about charity and providing scholarships, about golf and fishing. He was passionate about how his shirts were ironed. These weren’t separate passions; they were part and parcel of the fabric that was his life.
“And the great thing about that passion is that it was not to be contained. It spilled out of him, out of every pore; it gushed, bubbled and erupted.
“If you were with Steve, you were infected with that same deep, profound joy. There was no vaccine against Steve Yokich’s passion, even if you wanted to steel yourself against it. There were those who did, I guess. I wasn’t one of them.
“I spent some time at the bargaining table with Steve. His skills and accomplishments are legendary, especially in auto. But for the non-manufacturing TOP sector of our union, the accomplishments are as important. There was a list of contract demands granted, naturally, but the more significant legacy was the lesson learned about building on the contractual foundation of the past while preparing for future improvements.
“Steve’s commitment to diversity is also well documented. These issues are of deep significance to our union, to our community — and complex. But I don’t think there was anything complicated about these issues for Steve. His passion for life simply included a curiosity, a respect, a deep desire to understand how workers with the different backgrounds — gender, race, sexual preference, ethnicity, religion, occupation — approached an issue, a challenge. He felt personally enriched and believed “Solidarity Forever” was better when sung by a full choir of voices.
“None of this is to say that Steve was an easy man. He loved his friends and his union. But, let’s be honest, we all took our share of beatings from him. I know I did. This one stands out:
“In May of 1998, I gave a speech in Steve’s presence. I was one of his administrative assistants at the time and tried as eloquently as I could to set forth the great accomplishments of President Steve Yokich. I thought it was pretty good. He didn’t. He told me (well, shouted at me) that it was the worst speech he had ever heard. I said I thought I had captured his achievements well. He told me he had achieved nothing. Every accomplishment that had occurred during his presidency and before was the result of teamwork and solidarity.
“He meant it.
“He challenged. He challenged the non-manufacturing membership to join our collective battle for fair trade; he challenged the auto sector to support public sector workers. He challenged sportsmen to understand gun violence is a problem in our communities that needs to be addressed. He challenged Christians to face the reality of discrimination against Jews and those practicing Islam. He challenged the skilled trades to stand up for safety. He challenged us to keep learning and keep fighting and keep enjoying one another.
“There were other moments when Steve was a quieter man. Twice, I needed to confide in him that because of family emergencies, I was unable to make a scheduled union obligation. We talked emotionally about the specific challenge facing me and about the general challenge all working people face balancing work and family.
“There may be people who say that Steve Yokich was not a gentle man. They are wrong.
“Steve’s death wounded us; his passing left a void. We will all heal with time and we will fill that void. But we will be forever changed by his work, his vision, his sense of justice, his passion.
“He was a friend, a brother, a teacher, a leader. We will be all of these to each other, with strength and with gentleness.”
Elizabeth Bunn is UAW secretary-treasurer.
