'Unionize'

The year was 1969,
When I hired on the assembly line.
Just out of the service
With a wife and a kid,
Did I need this job?
You bet I did!

The job was the toughest I’d ever had
But the union was there
And we sure were glad
Great benefits and good pay, too
I was happy to pay my dues.

Many years have come and gone
We all walked picket when things were wrong

The UAW was always there
Fixed the problems
Cleared the air.

I sometimes wonder how things
might have been
If there were no union to help us win
All the struggles, all the strife
The UAW improved our life.

There’s one last thing I’d like to say
To those who labor for low pay
This poem should make you realize
To improve your life, unionize!

Workers' Words showcases the creativity of UAW members, active and retired. Whether writing about their jobs, families, friends or a political issue, our union's brothers and sisters reflect a pride in working people often missing from the regular media. We hope you enjoy their creativity.

If you’d like to submit a story, an article or a poem, e-mail it to
uawsolidarity@uaw.net; mail to Solidarity magazine, 8000 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit, MI 48214 ATTN: WORKERS' WORDS; or fax to (313) 926-5120.