Not Done Yet
Local 977 retirees care and share with community
“Nothing makes me happier than to get people involved when they retire,” said Dale Stambaugh, vice chairman of the UAW Local 977 retirees’ chapter. “I tell people that when they leave the plant they aren’t done with the local.”
Retired from the Marion, Ind., General Motors Stamping plant since 1993, Stambaugh has seen lots of union members suddenly become active when they reach retirement. “I think some people miss sharing fellowship with their co-workers. They’ve also got time now to do what they want,” he said.
For an impressive number of Local 977 retirees, “doing what they want,” means giving back to their community. This highly industrialized town of 31,000 people half way between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne on I-69 has seen more than its share of plant closings.
To address the lingering hunger problem in Marion, Local 977 retirees have been running a Care and Share program since 1983. This past Christmas, they provided a two-week supply of food to 650 needy families. To raise money for Care and Share, the retirees hold an annual fish and tenderloin fry and a local auction.
“Local businesses donate items, and the city gives us abandoned and unclaimed stolen bikes. We have professional auctioneers auction off TVs and you name it,” Stambaugh said.
The chapter also runs an emergency food bank out of the union hall. Funds for the food bank come largely from donations of aluminum cans by Local 977 active members. Hardly a day goes by that someone from the Marion area doesn’t come in seeking help.
The 100 or so activist retirees at Local 977 give their time because they care about their neighbors, but they also do it for other reasons.
“You mention union around this part of Indiana, well, you better watch out,” Stambaugh said. “My Dad worked nonunion at a plant that ended up paying him a pension of $30 a month after all the years he gave them. He would say you need to have unions if you ever hope to have anything. Our work in the community is good PR for unions.”
