UAW President Ron Gettelfinger, center, and other labor leaders and supporters welcome Sen. Barack Obama to Detroit's Labor Day rally.

It's a question on the minds of just about every active and retired UAW member, and worthy of considerable kitchen-table debate: Which presidential candidate will take action on the issues important to America's working families: John McCain or Barack Obama?

Working families care about the issues that will affect the lives of everyday Americans. Among them: Health care for all. Fair trade agreements. A worker's right to organize and bargain collectively. Retirement security.

For UAW Local 637 retiree Roger Wade and his wife, Pat, who was a delegate to the Democratic Convention in August, the choice is clear. The couple went to Denver as Hillary Clinton supporters and left "1,000 percent for Obama," he said.

"We believe in him. Obama is for America. We believe in his programs and his ideas. No question about it," he said, adding he also believes the nation's unfair trade agreements must be part of that change.

Wade was president of his Muskegon, Mich., local for 25 years when there were 600 people working at his plant, formerly owned by Dana Corp. Now it's closing Nov. 1 after the company phased out all labor production, went bankrupt and sold it.

"NAFTA and CAFTA were the biggest mistakes. Believe me these trade agreements have destroyed Muskegon County. We've lost 40,000 good manufacturing jobs in the last several decades," he said. "These companies want to reduce wages and benefits for working people all down the line. And Bush and McCain are for the super rich and just looking out for their friends overseas."

For UAW Local 2865 member Christine Petit, spreading the word about our issues and keeping members focused are key to this presidential election.

"It's our job as union leaders, community members, and friends and family members of other voters to keep people focused on the issues that impact us most: improving the economy and labor law and providing access to quality health care and education, to name a few," said Petit, president of Local 2865, which represents UAW workers at the University of California-Riverside. "Who will represent us the best in these areas? Obama."

Harold Wilson of UAW Local 420 talks to his union brothers and sisters a lot about UAW issues, but he believes they're not just our issues.

"When it comes to UAW issues, it's about working people's issues, like keeping manufacturing jobs in America," said Wilson, who works at Ford Motor Co.'s Walton Hills (Ohio) Stamping Plant and is also his local's CAP chair. "I'm fortunate to have a good-paying job with benefits, so why can't my neighbor have the same?"

"We have a choice on Nov. 4 to make history or be history," he added. "I believe Barack Obama can change things for the better."

It's time for a change. The choice is yours.

Jennifer John

This portion of this Web site is paid for by the UAW V-CAP (Voluntary Community Action Program), 8000 E. Jefferson, Detroit, MI 48214, with voluntary contributions from union members and their families, and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.