Doing good
As we pen (or type) this, the snow is finally gone, but the April showers are still chilling to the body and soul. Until we see the buds on the trees and hear the roar of the lawnmower, we will reserve judgment on the celebration of spring with open arms.
Back to the theme from the last article: Right to Work. I don’t think it’s right for Michigan, right for the middle class, and mostly not right for our families. Check out stats from other RTW states and you will see lower wages, less affordable health care, higher poverty rates and less money from our payroll taxes going to education, the roads, and our environment. That is just my humble opinion, but hopefully one shared by many of you as well. As the saying goes, stay tuned for more details as they become available
Switching to our community, there are several items coming up. The Mystic Lake Union Camp Committee has been meeting and has granted scholarships to some union affiliated kids already. We are a little behind in our donations, so please contact Dean at 517-203-5027 for information about donating either as a Local Union and/or Unit or as a member. Additionally scholarship forms are also available.
On May 11 the largest one-day food drive in the country is happening. In its 20th year, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Food Drive continues to help fill up America’s food banks right before school is let out. With many of our children depending on getting a breakfast and lunch at school, they continue to have a need when school lets out and the cupboard is bare. So please put out some non-perishable items, if you can, to help out our community. The donations go to the Greater Lansing Food Bank and then are distributed to area food pantries. The NALC Food Drive has been in the Lansing area for 19 out of the 20 years and has been blessed with many wonderful volunteers. The group that has faithfully worked the day in the downtown and west Lansing area happens to be all union members who give their day to help out. Their selfless act helps feed families that are dependent on the pantries to sustain their families.
On May 22 the annual Volunteers of America (VOA) Homeless Veterans Stand Down will again be taking place at Adado Riverfront Park. First, the fact that the words “homeless” and “veterans” are mentioned in the same sentence is troubling enough.
It should be against the law to say them together. But until that happens we applaud the efforts of the VOA in sponsoring the event. The UAW Region 1-C Veterans Association has been very active in their participation with the event and will again this year. You can help by collecting personal needs items and dropping them off at the hall. We will make sure that the items get to the vets.
On June 22 the annual UAW Local 724 golf outing will be held at Centennial Acres in Sunfield. Check with your Unit Chair or the hall for a registration form. Also check the Local 724 website, www.uawlocal724.org, for more info.
Speaking of checking on the website or the hall or Chair, check for details about the Local 724 picnic.
Recently the Bharat Forge was approved for the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. The TAA roll-out happened in April and will allow the membership to get some enhanced benefits in their quest for the next path in their employment. In their proud and lengthy history the Unit has served their members and the Local with pride and dignity. We consider it an honor to have known many of them and wish them good luck.
Recently the Delta Dental and Huntsman Units ratified new collective bargaining agreements. With the looming RTW deadline, they were able to negotiate a fair agreement to bring back to their respective memberships.
We wish to send our thoughts and prayers to former Local 724 Executive Board member Juan Villastrigo on the passing of his wife last month. Juan was the Unit Chair for Bodycote, formerly Lindberg Heat Treat, until it closed. Juan also served the membership as the
Local Civil and Human Rights Chair.
Last month the membership approved moving the Local monthly meetings to 5:00 pm. Hopefully this will allow ample time for folks to come to the meeting, then tuck the kids into bed for the evening. The meetings are on the second Tuesday of the month and usually we suspend the meetings for July and August. Hope to see you there.
In May of 1940, UAW Local 724 was chartered. In the proud history of our Local we have seen many highs along with some lows. In 2015 we will be celebrating our 75th Anniversary as a Local Union. There have been some initial plans for an event to commemorate the event. We are looking for active and retired members who would like to help plan the event or have items to share from their history at the Local. Contact the Local at 517-482-7377 if you want to be involved.
May the wind be at your back and peace and joy within your soul.

Race for the cure
April 28 was the date of the 11th annual Komen Race for the Cure at the State Capitol. This important event raises funds to make the following programs possible:
Free mammograms and diagnostics  
Support services for breast cancer survivors
Education about the warning signs of breast cancer, methods of early detection and the latest treatment options
Cutting edge research to find a cure for breast cancer
Up to 75 percent of net proceeds are used for local programs like those listed above, with 25 percent used to fund breast cancer research.

AMALGAMATED UAW LOCAL 724

UAW Local 724 was chartered on May 14, 1940. The Local consists of twelve different worksites that are part of the Independent Parts Suppliers (IPS) and Technical, Office, & Professional (TOP) sector of the UAW. The following are the Bargaining Units of the Local:

1. Bharat Forge, affiliated with the UAW in October 1950, is the oldest worksite in the Local. They form steel parts for the automotive and agricultural implement industries.
2. Huntsman produces tooling boards for the automotive, agricultural implement and aerospace industries. They joined the UAW in February of 1955.
3. Industrial Metal Products or IMPCO produces sophisticated machinery that is used around the world. The skilled trades workforce formed their Unit In June of 1972.
4. In April of 1980, the Delta Dental unit became UAW members. The membership provides customer support, data entry, and claims processing for dental insurance market.
5. The Lear Mason workforce supplies seats for the Lansing Grand River General Motors plant. Their members joined the UAW in September 1999
6. Regional Steel Distribution Center or RSDC also became part of the UAW family in September 1999. The membership supplies cut-to-length and blanking for General Motors stamping plants.
7. Dakkota Integrated Systems, UAW affiliated since October 2004, supplies interior cockpit systems for the General Motors Lansing Grand River Rlant. They also produce parts for the Oshawa Canada plant and do some Ford Motors as well.
8. In October 2004, the UAW was recognized at the Woodbridge Lansing plant. The membership provides the drive train/power train for the Lansing Grand River GM plant.
9. The Dimondale Nursing Care Center provides care for those needing care that can’t be provided at home. They care for many of our loved ones and have been UAW members since October 2005.
10.  UAW members since February 2006, the Dr. Pepper/7-UP bargaining unit delivers and merchandises their products in the Mid-Michigan area.
11. Bridgewater Interiors members produce the seats and headliners for the Lansing Delta Township General Motors plant. They joined the UAW in October 2006.
12.  The Alliance Interiors Unit joined the UAW in May 2007. They endured a month-long strike in order to reach their first contract. The membership supplies the interior carpeting and some sound deadening materials for the Lansing Delta Township GM plant. They also have some business for the General Motors Spring Hill, TN plant.

Currently the membership stands at around 2,000 members, although layoffs have impacted the active working numbers.

Alliance Interiors

The Alliance Interiors Unit joined the UAW in May 2007. They endured a month-long strike in order to reach their first contract. The membership supplies the interior carpeting and some sound deadening materials for the Lansing Delta Township GM plant. Terry Summerville is the Unit Chair

Bharat Forge

Bharat Forge, which joined the UAW in October 1950, is the oldest worksite in the Local. They form steel parts for the automotive and agricultural implement industries. Scott Kazmerski is the Unit Chair and the Unit has its monthly Unit membership meeting on the first Saturday of the month at 6:30 p.m.

Dr. Pepper/7-Up

UAW members since February 2006, the Dr. Pepper/7-UP bargaining unit delivers and merchandises their products in the Mid-Michigan area. James Moncada serves as the Unit Chair representing the Dr. Pepper membership.

Huntsman

Huntsman produces tooling boards for the automotive, agricultural implement, and aerospace industries. They joined the UAW in February of 1955. The Huntsman Unit Chair is Glenn Morrill.

IMPCO

Industrial Metal Products or IMPCO produces sophisticated machinery that is used around the world. The skilled trades workforce formed their Unit In June of 1972.  Dean Paseka is the Unit Chair, with Ron Gilbert serving as the Bargaining Chair.  The Unit meets on the fourth Thursday of the month at 3:45 p.m.

Lear Mason

The Lear Mason workforce supplies seats for the Lansing Grand River General Motors plant. Their members joined the UAW in September 1999. Shawn Weicht serves as the Unit Chair. The membership meets monthly on the third Saturday of the month at 2:00 p.m.

By Todd Collins, Recreation Chair and First Vice President, UAW Local 724
   Hello to all my fellow UAW members out there. Our annual Local 724 Golf Outing was held at Centennial Acres golf course in Sunfield on August 6. I would like to thank all the UAW members and their friends and family for coming out and making the day a huge success once again.
   All of the hard work that goes into putting on all the events at our Local is definitely worth it when you see all of the fun everyone is having and the smiles on their faces. The true purpose for all of the recreation events we put on at the Local is to promote solidarity, not only within our workplaces, but outside as well.
   I definitely can’t do all of the work by myself and would like to thank the volunteers who helped make the day a success once again. Terri Niblock from our Dakkota Unit and Dave Levine from our RSDC Unit were our Hole-in-One spotters. Our President, Dean Poggiali, checked the golfers in and made sure we got out on the course without any issues.
   I would also like to thank our sponsors. UAW Region 1-C Director Norwood Jewell sponsored a $10,000 hole-in-one hole. Graff Chevrolet in Okemos sponsored a hole-in-one hole for a new Lansing-built Chevrolet Traverse. The law firm of Rapaport, Pollack, Farrell & Waldron also sponsored the event. Thank you to all of our sponsors for your support. I look forward to seeing you all next year. Solidarity!

Retiree Christopher Arthur Hayward (retired from Atlas) passed away January 5, 2013 in St. Petersburg, Florida.

William Douglas "Doug" Barker passed away Oct., 6, 2012.  He worked at Dakkota.

David E. Marchant  of Dimondale Age 75, passed away on July 16, 2012. Dave spent 27 years working for Melling Drop Forge. Dave served on the Local 724 Election Committee.

Updated On: Jun 19, 2012 (11:17:00) We are sad to report the sudden passing of Al Snauko, a Local 724 member at the Bharat Forge Unit. Our condolences to his family, friends, and fellow union members. Thank you to Scott Kazmerski, unit chair at Bharat Forge, for this information.

Carolyn Evans passed away on July 4, 2010. She was presently employed at Bridgewater Interiors and formerly employed at Labor Source (Heritage)-Delphi. She was a member of UAW Local 724 for the past 10 years.