MAY
2001
2001
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MAY
2001 |
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From the assistant director
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| Two of the top speakers at the UAW CAP Conf. this year were from Region 4 states, (above) Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn. and (below) Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill. |
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That was the theme under which CAP delegates from Region 4 and throughout the country gathered in Washington, D.C., in February.
We were there to talk to your U.S. representatives and senators about issues that concern all working men and women. An example is the ergonomics regulation that was recently repealed because businesses lobbied hard against it. They said it was too expensive, even though strong evidence pointed to large cost savings due to fewer lost work hours, lower insurance rates, and reduced workers compensation costs. When we don’t get hurt, we come to work.
Business is not sitting down on this or other issues, and neither should we. I believe we should ask our congressional representatives how they voted, and then ask them, “How much is too much for our lives?”
These next four years will keep us all on our toes, as our newly Supreme Court-appointed president and his corporate buddies will be on the attack to reduce our influence on behalf of workers.
We must work harder than ever to keep the voice of workers heard. Our voices on issues such as securing Social Security, prescription drugs for both children and seniors, basic health care for all, and our right to form a union or strike without fear of losing our jobs must never be silenced. That’s why we must expand programs such as worker-to-worker. Members can’t help it if they’re not informed and not asked.
While the majority of UAW members were disappointed in the outcome of the national elections, we want to congratulate all of you who gave your time and talent to help. Both Paul and I were pleased to see that on election night, the four states that most of our members live in were all painted in the Al Gore column.
Over the last several years, we’ve been reviewing delegates’ thoughts and ideas about our summer schools and how we can better prepare leadership. This year’s programs will reflect some of those ideas. We will have one basic week dedicated to newly active members who want to learn more about their union. A second advanced week is designed to help current leadership improve their skills and education. A separate third week will be devoted entirely to health and safety.
Hopefully, this agenda will better serve your needs as we move into a new century. Remember: “Today’s UAW” is more than just a phrase in Region 4. I encourage you to get involved in your union. To protect workers’ living standards, defend our rights, and build a better society for all, your union needs your activism, your ideas, and your time. To get started, I urge you to contact your local union president.
Dennis Williams
Region 4 Assistant Director
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