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Lansing Labor News
Established 1945
 
 
March 29, 2024
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Archived Articles for Joe Douglas
May 06, 2013

Critical mid-term elections
I hope everyone had a safe winter. This was one of the worst winters I can remember, with snow accumulation over 50 inches. Spring is right at our doorstep so hang in there.
It is also tax time and you will undoubtedly feel the tax increase given to us by Gov. Snyder. Oh, they won’t call it an increase but it surely is: HB 4361 taxes seniors on their pensions for the first time ever; EITC, which is EARNED, was lowered from 20% to 6%; Homestead Property Tax will be cut; and your $600 child exemption for children under 18 is no longer allowable. These bills and many more can be found at www.legislature.mi.gov.
Please educate yourself on all of the upcoming issues for the midterm election and do not rely on misleading ads from Super PACs.
One question to ask yourself is “why are they spending so much money to defeat something?”
Right to Work is a prime example. Republicans really do not care about workers, they care about destroying Unions because typically we tend to back Democratic candidates, because they work for the middle class.
You will receive information in the next few months with UAW endorsements. We are not telling you how to vote, just reminding you who the candidates are that are labor/middle class friendly.
Only by working together can we have a STRONGER voice in the workplace.
I hope everyone has a safe and very enjoyable summer.

What the union does for you
Hello, fellow UAW 4911 brothers and sisters, I hope you all had a safe winter and have a safe and blessed spring and summer.
I would like to talk to you about the importance of having a Union and what it means to each of you.
The phrases I hear most are “What has the Union done for me?” or “What good is the Union?”
To answer the first question, the Union has done several things: increased wages, no increase in healthcare premium for three years, job security, and a retirement plan.
You may not feel what the Union is doing for you every day, but the representation is a continuous process.
The second question has a clear
answer. The Union gives you a voice in the workplace regarding wages, health care and all of the examples given.
Businesses and corporations don’t give these things out of the goodness of their hearts, we have to fight and struggle for everything we receive.
If the Union were not here we would have a marked increase in health care premiums, lower wages, less vacation time, and little or no job security—meaning you would be an at-will employee (fired for any reason!).
And, of course, no union dues are used for any political purposes. The UAW uses V-CAP voluntary contributions to fund all of our efforts to improve people’s lives through the political process.
We are a hard-working group that only wants dignity and respect for a hard day’s work.
We work hard every day to improve work conditions to make your jobs easier.
All of the legislation that has been pushed through over the last few months does nothing to help save our voice in the workplace. We would be left to accept what is given to us from management!

The importance of collective bargaining
Hello my UAW brothers and sisters. Well, summer has come and gone and I hope all of you had a safe and enjoyable one. I want to talk to you about the importance of collective bargaining and the attack on the middle class that is being waged on us by special interest groups and politicians.
Collective bargaining is very important to each and every one of us for better wages, better health care coverage, safer work places and better pensions. Hundreds of bills have been passed through the current Republican controlled House, Senate and the Governor—and not one bill has been introduced to help create jobs. Bills have only been passed to cripple our rights to bargain collectively, or to tax our seniors, or take critical aid from our young children for school essentials.
Proposal 2 is one of the most important issues on the upcoming ballot in November, aside from re-electing President Obama for four more years. The proposal will amend the Michigan constitution to protect collective bargaining and keep our voice alive in the workplace. These companies that we work for now and are covered by a collective bargaining agreement would not give us what we have gained through collective bargaining had we not had a union.
The UAW is exactly that, YOU-AW! You are the most important part of the union, your involvement is crucial to keep our voice alive and you must remember that in the November election. Please educate yourselves on all of the issues and do not rely on a 30-second commercial for your information.
There have been changes in voting districts, so please know where you need to vote. See www.michigan.gov/vote for the right information on precincts and times. This is the most crucial election in our lifetime and we must move forward! If you would like information to become a volunteer please go to our website: www.uawlocal4911.org.
Thank you and enjoy the upcoming holidays with family and friends. Yes on Proposal 2!


 
 
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