Total union coverage
Here is a photo (left) that my wife took of our granddaughter, Megan Mocek. She is now 6 years old. When she was born, she had several beautiful baby blankets, but she chose this towel to be her “blankey.” She has always used it and she cannot sleep without her blankey. She has used her blankey so much that it has become threadbare and somewhat ragged on the edges. This towel has to be the best giveaway item that the Skilled Trades Department ever had.
Jimmy Higgins
Local 882
Griffin, Ga.
Low-income prescriptions
I read your article on health care costs in the October issue with great interest. My mother recently lost her health care coverage due to the death of my stepfather. Many seniors lose needed coverage in this manner. Like many other seniors, my mother requires a number of prescription drugs and her insurance loss has made the purchase of these drugs prohibitive. I am sure a great number of people don’t realize that a number of American drug companies have programs available to low-income people without prescription drug coverage that allow them to receive free or low-cost drugs. Information on these programs can be obtained through doctors’ offices and the drug companies’ Web sites. I hope this information can help the many UAW seniors out there who depend on prescription drugs to maintain their health.
Claudia Valentine
Local 1700
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Solid support
We the membership of UAW Local 21 would like to thank the leadership of Region
1D; our area rep, Rob Naugle, and all of our brothers and sisters of the other
locals in Region 1D, for the tremendous moral and financial support that was
given to our membership during our recent strike against Cone Drive/Textron.
Your support was crucial in our fight to ensure affordable health insurance
and preserve our pension benefits for future retirees. Our victory would not
have been possible without your support.
Duane S. Lautner, President
Terry Weber, Bargaining Chair
Skip Newman, Dave Walters,
Dan Crocker, Committeemen
Local 21
Traverse City, Mich.
Kmart is union
I am writing to ask everyone to think about where they do their holiday shopping this year. While there are numerous places to shop, there are not many stores that have union employees. Retail stores, and especially discount retailers, are not known for their union workforce.
However, did you know there are about 2,000 Kmart warehouse workers who belong to the UAW? There are also several hundred who belong to UNITE and the Teamsters. Wal-Mart, on the other hand, has no union associates and has shown it will go to drastic means to keep unions out of its stores and warehouses. Now, I am not implying that Kmart is pro-union; in fact, the union contracts that members enjoy were hard-fought. However, whether Kmart likes it or not, it is union and union workers need your support this holiday season more than ever! Shop Kmart and tell the checkout clerk that you are shopping there because you are union, and you support union workers.
Steve McCumber
Local 2901
Warren, Ohio
Feed the people
There is something drastically wrong when 30 million Americans go to sleep at night suffering from food insecurity.
Something is foul when millions of working families in America continue to exist on low-wage jobs that do not pay enough to meet their rent and medical bills and to buy food.
Hunger and feeding the masses must become a priority in our country. At present,
we have the resources, but lack the political leadership to rectify this.
Niles F. Bell
Local624
Minoa, N.Y.
