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February / MARCH 2008 February / MARCH 2008 February / MARCH 2008 February / MARCH 2008 February / MARCH 2008 AUTOWORKER “An Injury to One is an Injury to All” THE LOCAL 879 uAW THE LOCAL 879 uAW THE LOCAL 879 uAW THE LOCAL 879 uAW THE LOCAL 879 uAW Making their own History Page 2 OUR EDITORIAL POLICY To our readers:
This newsletter is the voice of your local and international union. This is our only
vehicle for bringing to you, on a regular basis, the views and actions of the leaders you
elected, so you may evaluate them. Through the publication, we explain union
politics and show how your dues are spent. The publication also is the voice of
membership. We welcome articles from UAW members and stories about members.
All articles should contribute positively to the welfare of this union and its members.
We will accept no personal attacks on any union leader or member.
We will accept a thoughtful discussion of all related issues in the letters column.
We reserve the right to reply to those that seem to reflect a misunderstanding of the
union and its policies. Thanks for your support,
and we look forward to hearing from you. Publisher .......................................................................... UAW Local 879
Executive Editor ................................................................. Roger Terveen
Managing Editor.................................................. Marilyn Bobick Johnson
Composition ...................................................................... Delores Velline
Computer Layout Artist............................................... ... Dennis G. Beimert
Production ......................................................................... Impact Printing
Circulation .................................................................................. Local 879 Committeepersons, U.S. Mail The Autoworker is published monthly by Local 879 UAW and is distributed at the
Ford Motor Company’s Twin Cities Assembly Plant by UAW Committeepersons and
by mail to Local 879 Retirees. Circulation is 2,200 This paper is the property of the membership of UAW Local 879 and its pages are
open to all members. The Local 879 UAW AUTOWORKER “An Injury to One is an Injury to All” Official Publication of UAW Local 879 2191 Ford Parkway St. Paul, MN 55116 651-699-4246 RECYCLED PAPER PRINTED WITH SOY INK CHAIRPERSON’S REPOR T Chair Report ( Continued on page 7 ) Our rolls are 929. The Bargaining Committee has just re- turned from the National UAW/Ford Coun-
cil, in Detroit Michigan February 18 and
19, 2008. Subjects that were covered
ranged from the Shrinking UAW Member-
ship, National Attendance policy, the Buy-
out program, Family Days and the five
unpaid personal days for Temporary Mem-
bers, transfers, VEBA, and GEN & SUB
funds. President Ron Gettlefinger of the Inter- national UAW spoke to the council about
our VEBA trust fund and how important it
was for all UAW members and particularly
our appointed representatives to be actively
involved with their locals and regional di-
rectors on Political Action. See more de-
tailed information in our Bargainers report. As Bob King, Vice President, UAW/ Ford Department, spoke to the UAW/Ford
Council, it was apparent he was not happy
with Ford Management. Ford Motor Com-
pany has totally disregarded some basic
agreements between the parties. In particu-
lar, the health and safety arena where the
bulk of harsh discipline only falls on the
UAW memberships. Health and Safety
responsibility rests with everybody, includ-
ing management. BUY-OUTS Enterprise-Wide Buy-outs are available in Labor relations from Tuesday, February
19, 2008 through Tuesday, March 18, 2008
in Labor Relations for employees inter-
ested in applying for special retirement
incentives or buy-out packages. The UAW-
National Ford Department had a represen-
tative available at TCAP to explain the
options being offered on Monday, February
18, 2008. These packages are not for Tem- porary Members. Unlike the previous buy-outs, selection is irrevocable. UAW hourly members will
not be allowed to sign off or decline the buy-
out offer after the completion of the sign-up
period, March 18, 2008. TRANSFERS We had a discussion with Chuck Brown- ing, Administrative assistant to Bob King.
Chuck Browning has ASSURED your bar-
gaining committee that we should see trans-
fers sometime in the next three months.
Obviously, some basic things need to hap-
pen before we get transfers. A lot of things can happen between now and then, but we
continue to seek out transfers for our mem-
bers. TEMPORARY MEMBERS Provided you have worked at the plant at least one full year you will be able to use
your 2 Paid Family days starting June 2,
2008. Once any Temporary member reaches
their one year anniversary after June 2,
2008, you also will receive your 2 Paid
Family days to use. These days must be
scheduled in advance. Page 3 PRESIDENT’S REPOR T For me, this past Christmas was a great one, as I’m hoping it was for you also. As
always, the spirit of the holidays seems to
bring out the best in all of us. Case in point
was the 2007 Toys for Tot’s collection at
TCAP which was nothing short of spec-
tacular. The whole plant pitched in and
donated over 1,600 toys. We ended up
filling six new Rangers, three of them 4
doors, packed solid with toys. In the back of
the 4 doors were hats, scarfs and mittens
that were also collected. Then the Rangers
were driven to the Kare 11 News station by
six volunteers where they were dropped off.
The military men on duty to take the dona-
tions were somewhat overwhelmed by the
amount. The only time I can say that per-
haps the military was understaffed! But I want to tell you about a certain person who went beyond the gift of giving.
Anyone in Body Build and the Skilled
Trades Department, who knows Louie
Fragale, knows that he has a huge heart. But
his donation of toys valued at over $10,000
was beyond words. Louie was presented
with a Humanitarian Award by me and the
plant manager, Kurt Wurtzel. It was a very
moving moment. But an award should be
given to all of you that made this happen.
It’s true what they say, “I am my brother’s
keeper”. Politically As you may be aware, precinct cau- cuses were held February 5 th for the State of Minnesota. It is very rare when you or I are
part of history making events, but this Presi-
dential election is that rare event. Whoever
you believe would be the best President is
your personal choice, but I urge you to get
out in November to vote. The next Presi-
dent will have a huge burden to carry.
Balancing a National Budget, trying to get
out of a recession and ending the war, will
be a an enormous challenge. Locally Even though the Christmas Party at the Crown Plaza in January wasn’t a huge turn-
out like last year, I think everyone had a
good time and again the food and entertain-
ment was great. Thanks go to the Recre-
ation Committee and all that helped arrange
the party. I also attended the Retiree’s Christmas Party and as usual, Gene Neuman and the
rest of the Retiree’s Board, did a great job.
The Hall was packed and it was good to see
so many faces that I have worked with over
the years. It’s always heartwarming to hear
what they are doing after retirement. Of
course, the ones who told me they were
heading south for the winter made me envi-
ous! Upcoming Events March 12 th from 7-9 pm at the Local Hall, the 2008 Labor & Community Film
Series Presents: Who Killed Vincent Chin?
This Academy-Award nominated film ad-
dresses issues such as the souring of the
American dream for U.S. workers and how
racism takes hold in our communities. At the April Membership Meeting, nominations will be taken for all elected
officers and District Committee persons.
You must be a member in good standing for
one year to run for a position. After the
nominations, you can accept, decline or call
for 5 days to make your decision. If you use
the 5 days, and decide you want to run, you
must in writing accept the nomination to the
Local Union Election Committee at the hall
within the 5 day period. Elections will be
held at the Hall May 6 th , 2008 with the polls open from 5 am till 5 pm. Run-offs if neces-
sary will be on May 20 th , same time, same place. Polls for JCI and Menomonie
(TCHVC) will be determined. I’d like to say a few words on some comments from workers in the plant who
feel that they are “second class citizens”. In
this Local, we are all union paying mem-
bers, and therefore are treated equally. No
one is better than someone else. You may
recall these words “We hold these truths to
be self evident that all men are created
equal”. These words were spoken not only
by Thomas Jefferson, but by Martin Luther
King Jr. as well. I realize many feel that the new entry level wage of $14.20 per hour is unfair and
some demand that it be removed from the
new contract agreement. The fact is, that our local voted in favor of the National
contract. A “Yes vote” meant that you were
in favor of the entire contract, which in-
cluded the lower entry level wage. It was
approved by other Ford Locals across the
country as well. The only way this can be
changed is by changing the language in the
next contract. For those who stand up to
voice they’re opinion, I admire your strength
and courage. With that I’d like to leave you with these words; “Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult risk
we take is to be honest with ourselves”. In peace and solidarity, Roger Terveen President, Local 879 Think you’ll get lucky and find a good job? Improve your odds with the Dislocated Worker Program Sign-up Wed. March 19 @ 4:30 PM Training Center Auditorium Questions? Call Tracy Ausen @ 651-695-3502 Page 4 BALANCE ALL FUNDS Balance on hand, December 31, 2007 ........................................... $693,183.30
Income, January, 2008 ....................................................................... 70,208.63
Expenditures, January, 2008 ............................................................. 84,973.79
Balance, January 31, 2008 ............................................................. $678,418.14 DEATH BENEFIT FUND Balance on hand, December 31, 2007 ........................................... $880,301.59
Income, January, 2008 ......................................................................... 8,195.20
Expenditures, January, 2008 ................................................................ 2,000.00
Balance, January 31, 2008 ............................................................. $886,496.79 Note: If your beneficiary for the Death Benefit Fund has changed since the
last time you filled out your beneficiary card, please contact Bob Killeen Jr. at
the Union Hall for an update. This is your $1,000.00 life insurance plan
through the Union. INTERNATIONAL STRIKE FUND REPORT - NOVEMBER The following is a summary of Strike Fund Income and Expenditures for the
month of November 2007.
NET WORTH, OCTOBER 31, 2007 ..................................... $881,602,909.63
INCOME FOR NOVEMBER 2007
Dues Per Capitaa Tax .................................................... 3,445,034.41 TOTAL TO ACCOUNT FOR ................................................ $885,047,944.04
DISBURSEMENTS FOR NOVEMBER 2007 .......................... $9,967,986.33 NET WORTH, NOVEMBER 30, 2007 ................................. $875,079,957.71 There are 22 strikes in effect at the present time, involving 4,001 members. MARCH, 2008 Robert (Bob) Killeen, Jr. , Financial Secretary FINANCIAL REPORT UAW Local 879 FINANCIAL SECRETARY’S REPORT This year started in similar fashion to 2007. Since January 1 st , 19 members have retired bringing our Retirees Chapter up to
1,536 members. We currently have 142
members on Pre-retirement Leaves. Be
reminded that all retired and active mem-
bers are entitled to and encouraged to vote
in the upcoming May 6 th Local Union elec- tion. On a sadder note, Local 879 has lost 6 retired members who have passed away this
year. These members have left behind
spouses and families who continue to re-
ceive some of the most comprehensive
survivor’s benefits in the industry. Our
members, both active and retired, can be
proud of the job the UAW and Ford have
done to provide for those left behind. Local
879 also sends a floral arrangement to the
funeral services of members, which is truly
appreciated by our survivors. This practice
will continue. We also send flowers to our
active members who have suffered a loss in
their immediate families. I would also like to remind our members that the Union Hall is still available for rent.
The cost is $350.00 and you must hire a
policeman. Call the Hall for details. 2008 elections are in full swing. Barack Obama continues to win primary after pri-
mary and caucus after caucus. Obama has
truly inspired our hopes for change in the
direction that our country has been taken by
the current administration. At this time the
International UAW has not endorsed a can-
didate. Hopefully an Obama endorsement
is forthcoming. On February 15 th the Minnesota State CAP Executive Board screened candidates
for United States Senate. All major candi-
dates were invited to screen including Norm
Coleman, who declined our invitation. After
interviewing and careful consideration, the
Minnesota State CAP Executive board has
voted to endorse Al Franken for United
States Senator for the State of Minnesota. Also screened and endorsed was Ashwin Madia, who is running for the 3 rd Congres- sional seat being vacated by Jim Ramstad
who has decided to retire. Madia recently
returned from Iraq where he served in the
Marine Corps. He has pledged to support
manufacturing workers and their families. During the screening Madia stated, “I’m in
this race on behalf of the working families
who make America great. That’s who I’ll
be fighting for every day when I go to
Washington.” What a breath of fresh air –
a Democrat who actually acts like a Demo-
crat. As far as I know, the Annual Retirees Pig Roast is scheduled for Tuesday, August
5 th in Garrison, MN and the Retirees Sum- mer Picnic is to be held on August 18 th . In solidarity, Robert J Killeen Secretary-Treasurer ON THE COVER In honor of Black History and Women’s History
months, we acknowledge the
2 people - and their support-
ers - who best represent the
theme of this issue of The
Autoworker. Middle class
working Americans will ben-
efit from either of these labor
friendly presidential candi-
dates. We can’t lose! Page 5 B BB BB ARGAINER ARGAINER ARGAINER ARGAINER ARGAINER ’’
’’’ SS
SSS R R R R R EPORT EPORT EPORT EPORT EPORT Jim Eagle, Tom Reis and John Killeen recently attended the National Ford Coun-
cil Meetings in Detroit, Michigan Feb 18 th - 19 th . There are currently 51,453 active mem- bers which is a 3.5% drop from a yr. ago,
this follows on the heels of the Enterprise
Wide Buyouts. There are 691 members in
protected status of which 340 are in the
skilled trades. There are 8 members on
indefinite layoff. The GEN fund is at $944
million and the SUB fund is at $918 Mil-
lion. Ron Gettlefinger, President of the UAW addressed the Council and spent quite a bit
of time talking about the VEBA Trust Fund.
They have finished the staffing of the Trust
and there are 5 UAW trustees and 6 non
UAW trustees. Managed correctly he said
there is enough current funding to keep the
trust solvent for 70 years. He then played
some promotional TV commercials about
the UAW that are being aired in 5 different
markets around the country. These were
very well done and approved by the Coun-
cil. He then went on to talk about the up-
coming Federal and State elections and
how important it is for UAW members to
actively support candidates that support
labor. Mr. Gettlefinger made it a point to
mention that all appointed reps should be
actively involved with the locals and re-
gional directors on political action. Those
who are not may not be appointed any
longer. Bob King then addressed the Ford Coun- cil. Bob spoke about a plethora of issues
facing the UAW. The following is a grocery
list of the items he mentioned. Anyone with
ideas on non supervisory salaried organiz-
ing should relay that info to him. Terry
Thurmond vice president of organizing is
taking any suggestions. The bargaining com-
mittee at the Atlanta plant is currently orga-
nizing 1000 to 1500 taxi cab drivers in the
metropolitan area. They are an amalgam-
ated local, which made this easier to do.
Bob believes the only way to eventually
eliminate the entry level wages is through
aggressive organizing and growth of the
union. Bob went on to talk about diversity in
the union and maintaining the diversity we
have with the exit of a lot of the full time
reps due to buyouts. Bob talked about the Millennium Development Committee and
some of the ways the UAW supports their
efforts to end poverty, child mortality, HIV,
and education for children across the globe. We then attended to matters more di- rectly relating to the membership here at the
Twin Cities Assembly Plant with Chuck
Browning and other reps from the Ford
Department. They are as follows. TRANSFERS – Chuck Browning, ad- ministrative assistant to Bob King assured
us that there would be transfers for our
members within the next few months. He
did not give specifics on numbers or dates
but as this unfolds we will let the member-
ship know. INTERNATIONAL SKILLED
TRADES JOB FAIR – They told us that on February 28 th the International is spon- soring a job fair for skilled trades employ-
ees that may be interested in various skilled
trades jobs around the country. These are
not necessarily jobs covered by the UAW
bargaining units. ATTENDANCE POLICY – The new attendance policy was rolled out to the
Council and when approved by Bob King
will be implemented some time in early
March. Any questions on this policy should
be referred to the bargaining committee. NEW BUY OUT PACKAGES – The sign up window for the new buy outs will
close on March 18 th . If you are signed up at close of business that day you cannot back out. The grow-in period will end on Nov
30 th . Any questions about the buyouts should be referred to the bargaining committee. UNPAID PERSONAL DAYS/FAM- ILY DAYS FOR TPT EMPLOYEES –
TPT employees will be entitled to 5 unpaid
personal days starting June 1 st of 08. You must have 1 year of seniority to qualify.
These days can be used after the fact assum-
ing a good attendance record. They cannot
be used after the fact to collect holiday pay
on absence occurring day before or after a
holiday. TPT employees are also entitled to
2 family days as of June 1 st , also 1 yr. seniority required. MEDICAL COVERAGE - The Ford Department is active in negotiations to help
our members here at TCAP to keep our
Health Partner coverage. This coverage gets
re-negotiated every yr. and is in serious
jeopardy of being taken away. I would ask
that all questions be referred to Dorothy
Sokolowski (Benefits Rep) on any possible
changes to our health care coverage. No-
tices will be put out to the membership if
there are changes. DISLOCATED WORKERS PRO- GRAM - If you have not attended an orien- tation class for dislocated workers please
call Tracy Ausen at 53502 in the Training
Center to get signed up. This is a very good
program to take advantage of in light of the
plant closing and the benefits available. In Solidarity, Bargainers UAW Local 879 John Killeen and Tom Reis Page 6 CONSERVATION
NEWS DOWN ON THE FARM: Despite the constant grumbling I hear about the cold, I
continue to enjoy the climate and lifestyle in
which I live. I wouldn’t trade my life here
for anything unless it meant taking all of my
critters with me. Daily chores, though more time con- suming in the frigid North are what keep me
motivated and mobile. Frozen water dishes
have been the biggest challenge as the chick-
ens and goose demand a hearty drink each
day. Thanks to the invention of electric tank
heaters, the horses have constant access to
fresh water from their 100 gallon tank that
only needs filling once a week. With a
steady supply of food and care, the outside
critters have fared the winter well. The farm dogs turned house dogs – have their own story to tell. They have
enjoyed this winter like no other, taking
delight in the best of both worlds. They help
me with the chores and then race me to the
house for the warmth of the woodstove. Unfortunately, such is not the case with many family pets this winter. When people
fall on hard times, their animals do too.
The failing economy and loss of
jobs has also meant a record
high in home foreclosures.
More than 13,000 Minneso-
tans lost their homes last year
– double from 2006. Across the country, homes are vacant but not entirely empty. In a panic to vacate,
some homeowners are forced to abandon
their dogs and cats. Sometimes folks are
forced to move in with family members,
into a smaller house or apartment and un-
able to make arrangements for their pets. Small and large animals alike are turn- ing up dumped or released near farms and
in rural areas – hoping someone will take
them in. I now believe that is how our
beloved yellow Lab, Buck came to find us
last year at this time. With the present crisis, shelters are at full capacity. When the economy plunges –
adoptions drop as well. There are things
you can do. If you have the means to care for
a pet, now is the time to adopt. If you have
ever considered fostering for a rescue group
– now is the time to do it. Even a temporary
home can make a difference. Most impor- tantly, don’t judge anyone during these des-
perate times. If you hear of someone on the
verge of eviction or foreclosure with no-
where to take their pets, try to find help for
them and their critters. CELESTIALLY: A February lunar eclipse put me in my humble place in the
universe. The frosty breath leaving my lungs
momentarily clouded my vision as I watched
the moon mysteriously change before my eyes. The warmth of the horses standing
next to me gave a brief reprieve from the
sub-zero temps of the night. The middle of
the horse pasture - free from distracting
lights seemed the ideal spot for me to enjoy
the view. Whenever and where ever I experience the phenomenon of a lunar or solar eclipse,
I have a sense of wonder about those who
share it with me at the same time – be it my
immediate neighbor or my neighbor some-
where else in the world. Do they see it the
same way I do…do they feel what I feel…? A lunar eclipse occurs when a full moon passes into the Earth’s shadow and is blocked
from the sun’s rays that normally illuminate
it. The sun, Earth and moon must be per-
fectly aligned (in that order) during a full
moon for this to happen. The exact color of the eclipsed moon depends on dusts and clouds in the atmo-
sphere. These colors can range from a dark brown to a coppery-red hue, which can be
the result of volcanic eruptions somewhere
on the planet. If you missed this one which
occurred on the night of February 20 th , join me - and the rest of the planet - for the next
one due to appear on December 20 th , 2010. IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES: As I continue my work as a regular volun-
teer at the Wildlife Science Center in Forest
Lake, I marvel at all there is to learn about
the raptors and animals I care for. During a
recent public event, I was given the oppor-
tunity to educate others about the raptors I
was handling – a Long Eared Owl and an
American Kestral. There are seven birds
that reside at the Center; a Great Horned
Owl, Long Eared Owl, Eastern Screech
Owl, Red Tail Hawk, Red Tail Hawk-
Kriters, Rough Legged Hawk and an Ameri-
can Kestral. Daily care of the birds includes
monitoring their weights, checking for inju-
ries or illness and preparing food that con-
sists of a diet that they would find in the
wild. Small mammal care is also a part of the daily duties – providing food and water to
the likes of fox, porcupine, lynx, skunks and
raccoons. On occasion, I have been allowed
to assist with wolf restraint and partake in
wolf reproductive research. It has been an
honor to work in close proximity with wolf
researchers, biologists and educators. The next fundraising event for the Cen- ter will take place on Saturday, April 11 th at the American Legion in Forest Lake from
6:30-9:00pm. Join us if you can for an
evening of wine tasting, food and silent
auction. Visit the website for more informa-
tion www.wildlifesciencecenter.org or call
651-464-3993. Until next time, remember... “Clouds come from time to time-
and bring a chance to rest…
from looking at the moon.” Basho(1664-1694) Japanese Haiku poet In Solidarity, Marilyn Bobick Johnson Conservation Committee Retiree Page 7 Once upon a time, back when America had a strong middle class, it also had a
strong union movement. These two facts were connected. Unions negotiated good wages and benefits for
their workers, gains that often ended up
being matched even by nonunion employ-
ers. They also provided an important coun-
terbalance to the political influence of cor-
porations and the economic elite. Today, however, the American union movement is a shadow of its former self,
except among government workers. In 1973,
almost a quarter of private-sector employ-
ees were union members, but last year the
figure was down to a mere 7.4%. Yet unions still matter politically. Be- fore I get to that, however, let’s talk about
what happened to American labor over the
past 35 years. It’s often assumed that the U.S. labor movement died a natural death,
that it was made obsolete by globalization
and technological change. But what really
happened is that beginning in the 1970s,
corporate America, which had previously
had a largely cooperative relationship with
unions, in effect declared war on organized
labor. Don’t take my word for it: read Busi- ness Week, which published an article in
2002 titled “How Wal-Mart Keeps Unions
at Bay.” The article explained that “over
the past two decades, Corporate America
has perfected its ability to fend off labor
groups.” It then described the tactics –
some legal, some illegal, all involving in-
timidation – that Wal-Mart and other giant
firms use to block organizing drives. These hardball tactics have been en- abled by a political environment that has been deeply hostile to organized labor, both
because politicians favored employers’ in-
terests and because conservatives sought to
weaken the Democratic Party. “We’re go-
ing to crush labor as a political entity,”
Grover Norquist, the anti-tax activist, once
declared. But the times may be changing. A newly energized progressive movement
seems to be on the ascendant, and unions
are a key part of that movement. Most
notably, the Service Employees Interna-
tional Union has played a key role in push-
ing for health care reform. And unions will
be an important force for Democrats in next
year’s election. Paul Krugman Times Daily, December 2007 STATE OF THE UNIONS UNPAID PERSONAL DAYS The Bargaining Committee also asked about the use of the Temporary Members’
unpaid personal days after the fact and
according to Chuck Browning, providing
you have a good attendance record, you
may use them after the fact under the same
requirements as your Family Days. Have
one year of working at Ford Motor Com-
pany and cannot use them before 1 June
2008. The after the fact unpaid personal
days will not qualify you for a paid holiday
if you are AWOL. NATIONAL ATTENDANCE
PROGRAM The National Attendance program will be implemented on March 3, 2008. The
Company will be putting out a bulletin very
soon. Please consult with you District
Committeeperson and/or attend the next
Union Meeting on March 5, 2008 for a
clearer understanding of how this may af-
fect you personally. MEDICAL COVERAGE Our Health Partners coverage is in seri- ous jeopardy. Our Benefits Rep. Dorothy is
aggressively addressing this issue. As your
Chairman, I brought this to the whole body
of the National UAW/Ford Council and in
person to Bob King for their help. Please
see bargainers report for more information. In closing, we all understand that work- ing families and the working men and
woman, everywhere, are under attack as we
race to the bottom in wages and benefits,
but nothing will change unless you and I are
willing to become involved in our own
destiny. It is very easy to blame others
while doing nothing for ourselves. Get
involved. “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor free-
dom, and deprecate agitation, are men who
want crops without plowing up the ground,
they want rain without thunder and light-
ning.” -Frederick Douglass In Solidarity and respect, Jim Eagle
Chairman UAW Local 879 Chair Report ( Continued from page 2 ) American flags sold in the states must be manufactured in the United
States, beginning January 1, 2008. Sponsored by Rep. Tom Rukavina (DFL-Virginia) and Sen. David
Tomassoni (DFL-Chisholm), the provi-
sion is included in the omnibus jobs and
economic development and housing fi-
nance law, most of which took effect
July 1, 2007. When first introduced as a stand- alone bill, the selling of novelties and
other items depicting the flag would
have been prohibited. This provision
was removed before the bill was consid-
ered and passed by the House AMERICAN FLAGS MUST BE USA MADE Page 8 Fog drifts over the old shipyard, casting a veil over the shoulders of empty factories
where thousands of women once thronged,
welding and hammering and typing and
filing as they put a lipsticked smile on the
face of the war at home. This is the Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historic Park, a
sprawling tribute to the sacrifices of a gen-
eration located in what was once a wartime
boomtown on the shores of San Francisco
Bay. As recounted in Ken Burns’ recent docu- mentary “The War”, which details the im-
pact of the war boom on cities including
nearby Sacramento, Northern California was
as swept up in the homefront mobilization
as any region of the country. “There is no more charged period in history – hate, love, fear, despair, every-
thing that goes along with a human emotion
is just heightened during a period of war.
No one was left untouched by this experi-
ence,” says Lucy Lawliss, a National Parks
Service landscape architect who is among
the people working to establish the park. The iconic image of Rosie the Riveter is of a cheerful, blonde housewife. But many
Rosies didn’t fit that image at all. For Betty Reid Soskin, a black woman already living in the San Francisco Bay area
when World War II broke out, life on the
home front meant confusion and change. Workers, male and female, were re- cruited from all over the country to work in
the shipyards, including people from states
where blacks and whites wouldn’t be shar-
ing drinking fountains for another 20 years. Soskin went to work, too, keeping cleri- cal records for the segregated union set up
for black shipyard workers. These days, Soskin tells stories, her own and others’, as a community outreach
worker for the Rosie the Riveter park. Soskin hesitates to call herself a “Rosie.” She didn’t wear a welder’s mask or build tanks or even know much about the massive
effort going on at the Richmond shipyards.
At the time, she didn’t really feel part of the
war effort, filing cards and making address
changes. Looking back through the prism of the civil rights movement, she sees it differ-
ently. “When you’re in the middle of that, you don’t have a sense of what you were in-
volved in historically. I certainly didn’t’
she says”. “But now at 86, I look back and I can see the pattern as it swept across the country
and can have the pride in that heroism of the
people who suffered through that, who learned from that.” The Richmond shipyards produced 747 ships, an enormous effort that required
round-the-clock shifts. Mary Head worked with the welders, knocking off the rough surfaces and prim-
ing paint for the next step of construction.
She was a relief worker, stepping in when
someone took a break or was late. She remembers the work as “greasy and dirty and cold. Honey, it was cooold,” she says her voice drawing out the vowels. Step carefully down the crumbling steps that lead to the old “galleries,” long, multi-
leveled chambers where hundreds of work-
ers could work on the same ship at one time,
and it’s easy to imagine just how hard and
gritty the work was. “Even with the pre-assembled pieces, it was a hand-crafted industry,” Lawliss said.
“It required thousands of people doing indi-
vidual jobs to assemble this huge thing.” The Rosie the Riveter park is a work in progress. A memorial walkway, flanked by
metal structures meant to evoke the hull of
a ship, was dedicated in 2000. Park offi-
cials also were allotted space in a refur-
bished Ford assembly plant, a cathedral-
like expanse of soaring, glass-paned walls.
They hope to open an exhibit these soon. Visitors get a map and directions to the park’s landmarks, such as a housing devel-
opment built for shipyard workers and Ship-
yard No. 3, home to the USS Red Oak
Victory, an ammunition ship built in Rich-
mond that is being restored by a volunteer
group of World War II veterans. Among those who have visited the park is Kate Grant, a former Rosie. Grant was a
tack welder and used to go 40 feet down to
the bottom of the ship to lay beads of hot
lead on seams. She worked the graveyard
shift, 12 am to 8 am,, getting home in time
to care for her baby, who was watched at
night by her younger sister. She had two weeks training and was outfitted with a hood, goggles, leather pants,
gloves and instructions to stay wrapped up
when the acetylene torch was going. She
was careful; she never got burned. Her husband joined the Marines and was shipped overseas. She can laugh now
about the can of Spam she sent him as a care
package. But there was a serious side to her
work. “I said, ‘Honey, I feel like I’m
building a ship for you to come home in.’ ” - Associated Press As national park tribute shows, wartime Rosies still riveting By Michelle Locke Page 9 VV
VVV ICE ICE ICE ICE ICE P P P P P RESIDENT RESIDENT RESIDENT RESIDENT RESIDENT R R R R R EPORT EPORT EPORT EPORT EPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of
nails and told him that every time he lost his
temper, he must hammer a nail into the back
of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as
he learned to control his anger, the number
of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled
down. He discovered it was easier to hold
his temper than to drive those nails into the
fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father
about it and the father suggested that the
boy now pull out
one nail for each
day that he was
able to hold his
temper. The
days passed and
the young boy
was finally able
to tell his father
that all the nails
were gone. The father took his son by
the hand and led
him to the fence.
He said, “You
have done well,
my son, but look
at the fence. The
fence will never
be the same.
When you say
things in anger,
they leave a scar just like this one. You can
put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t
matter how many times you say I’m sorry,
the wound is still there.” The little boy then understood how pow- erful his words were. He looked up at his
father and said “I hope you can forgive me
father for the holes I put in you.” “Of course I can,” said the father. We are all family here at TCAP, some new and some old. It is all of us who make
this a special plant. I hope that I/we can
follow this example in the story, be kind to
each other, and of course forgive each other just as the father forgave the son in the story.
I know I have fallen many times, gotten
angry, and lost my temper but it is our
capacity to forgive and accept apologies
that makes this such a special plant. The Peer Support Committee is putting on another class “BE YOUR OWN BOSS!
The Keys to a Successful Small Business
Start-Up.” Bob did a great job last time and
is back by popular demand. Call Tracy
Ausen @ 651 695-3502 to sign up. The Peer Support Committee – which is a wonderful committee whose purpose is to
prepare everyone for life after Ford, and assist them with anything they might need in
their life right now. The committee is com-
prised of a mix of compassionate people
who represent a cross section of folks who
all have different situations, be it TFT, FT,
buy-out’s...We are always looking for new
ideas for classes or services to offer. Any-
one with ideas can reach me at my plant
number 60761, or contact one of the mem-
bers who are located throughout the plant,
and out of the plant. Members include Tracy
Ausen - Skills Enhancement Center, Patrick
Wiles - Warehouse, Kari Altema - Central
Maintenance, Denny Dickhausen - Paint
Booth Cleaner nights, Tanya Wade - SPC,
Margie Rios - Torque, Brian Gustafson - out of plant, Joseph Groleau - Pre-Deliv-
ery, Barb Rothfolk - Paint, Stanley Kasal -
out of the plant and Roger Terveen, UAW
Local 879 President. We also have the
counselors for the Dislocated Workers on
our team and Lynn Larken-Wright from
United Way. I or any of the members can
put ideas on our agenda and talk about how
to implement at the next meeting. Any one
interested in attending or joining in our
meetings please contact me or Roger
Terveen. I also am a member of the CAP Commit- tee. There are some big elections coming up president, senators…. We have the power
of the vote here in America - it is our voice
in what happens to all of us. I brought my
two sons to their first Caucus on February
5 th , my oldest will vote for the first time in November, as he turns 18 in October. Thank you again for allowing me to serve you, In Solidarity, Marsha Anderson-Shearen UAW Local 879 Vice-President Nails in the Fence Page 10 50) My personal favorite: go out and sing
karaoke! Take time for yourself every day. It doesn’t matter how much or how little time;
just enough for you to do something which
makes you feel replenished and refreshed.
Don’t be afraid of trying new things. Create
your own list of stress relievers and make
time to do them. Most of all have fun doing
them! In solidarity,
Kari Altema. Heart disease is not just a man’s disease. If fact, it is the number one killer of women.
It is also the leading cause of disability in
women. The older a woman gets, the more
likely she is going to get heart disease. But
that doesn’t mean younger women shouldn’t
worry about getting it. All women can be
doing things to prevent heart disease. Here
are a few suggestions: Exercise: No pill or diet can ever be a substitute for the benefits of getting up and
getting going. It is recommended that
women (and men) get about 30 minutes of
moderate-intensity physical activity a day.
It can not only make your heart stronger but
also lower the risk of developing diabetes,
heart disease, high cholesterol and high
blood pressure. Even smaller activities are a benefit to your body, like: walking to the next bus stop instead of the closest one, walk around
when on the phone, do yard work or garden-
ing, park farther away from a store or your
job, walk up the stair instead of taking the
elevator, take a walk around the building on
breaks, don’t stay seated more than 30 min-
utes, even start your own walking club. Eat “healthy” fat. Foods like fish, olive oil, walnuts and avocados are considered to
be healthier fatty foods. The unhealthy fats
are saturated fats. Those foods include:
whole milk dairy products and red meats.
Trans fats are usually found in packaged
baked goods and fried foods. Some tips for eating a healthier diet: Eat low fat or non fat dairy products. Pick out
lean cuts of meat and remove the skin from
chicken before cooking it. Broil, bake,
roast or poach foods instead of frying them.
Cut down on sausage, bacon and processed lunch meat. Use egg whites instead of the
whole egg. Egg whites do not contain fat or
cholesterol. In most recipes, two egg whites
can be used for one whole egg. Eat plenty
of fruits and vegetables. Eat plenty of
whole grain cereals, breads, rice and pastas. Relax! Finding way of how to cope with stress without smoking, heavy drinking or
overeating will benefit your health. Adding
harsh chemicals to your body is only going
to stress it out more which adds to the risk
of heart disease. Create a positive attitude and stick with it. As hard as it may seem at times, see
change as a positive challenge or an oppor-
tunity. It could help your heart. Don’t be a statistic. Start today and take care of your heart. In solidarity, Kari Altema 1) Go for a walk.
2) Take a hot bath/shower.
3) Throw darts at a dart board.
4) Talk it out with a good friend.
5) Go see a comedy.
6) Go to a park and swing on a swing set.
7) Put a puzzle together.
8) Draw or paint a picture.
9) Write in a journal.
10) Walk the dog.
11) Go for a bike ride.
12) Light a candle and watch the flame.
13) Dance around the house to your favor-
ite songs.
14) Meditate.
15) Go fishing.
16) Go for a drive and sing at the top of your
lungs.
17) Make a priority list.
18) Do something nice for yourself on a
daily basis.
19) Help someone else.
20) Get enough sleep.
21) Say “no” to activities that don’t fit into
your schedule.
22) Get together with an old friend.
23) Talk to a therapist.
24) Go to a support group.
25) Volunteer at a Humane Society, nurs-
ing home, or homeless shelter. 26) Plant a garden indoors or out.
27) Play a game.
28) Go window shopping.
29) Clean your house.
30) Treat yourself to a dinner out.
31) Allow yourself time to heal.
32) Let yourself cry.
33) Laugh at your mistakes.
34) Take a class at a community college.
35) Take a mini vacation or go on a week-
end get-away.
36) Count your blessings.
37) Breathe.
38) Bake cookies.
39) Read a book.
40) Throw a full-blown 2-year-old temper-
tantrum in the middle of your living room
floor (without an audience).
41) Stop feeling guilty about things you
cannot change.
42) Blow balloons up and pop them.
43) Stop putting yourself down and start
thinking positively.
44) Write a letter.
45) Go for a horse back ride.
46) Praise yourself for accomplishments,
big or small.
47) Quit being a perfectionist.
48) Stop procrastinating.
49) Forgive. Heart Disease and Women 50 Stress Relievers Page 11 Retirees Texas Get-Together - February 8, 2008 Page 12 RETIREES January - February 1, 2008 Toth, Calvin J. 1-1-2008 Diaz, Daniel F. 2-1-2008 Dickhausen, Brenda E. 2-1-2008 Diesling, Randall L. 2-1-2008 Dineen, Brian P. 2-1-2008 Killeen, Joan M. 2-1-2008 Toni Whiteside 1-1-2007 No Picture Available Severson, Robert A. 1-1-2008 Dervie, Thomas A. 2-1-2008 Finamore, Michael A. 2-1-2008 Kane, Lyle T. 2-1-2008 Mondry, Gregory B. 2-1-2008 Zawol, Dennis A. 2-1-2008 * I won’t need much to live on. Many experts estimate that on average, to main-
tain your standard of living in retirement,
you’ need 60 to 80% of your pre-retirement
income. And that income has to continue to
grow enough in an attempt to keep up with
inflation. RETIREMENT MYTHS Page 13 March 17, 2008 1:30 PM April 21, 2008 1:30 PM RETIREES’ CHAPTER MEETING There is a short business meeting followed by the Local President’s report on in-plant activities. Coffee and donuts are served and there is time to socialize with your fellow workers. LIFE AFTER FORD Notes from the Outside How good is your memory? Some people say that they can remember back to
their youngest years – say three or four
years old. Who knows? Me? Well, don’t
ask me what I had for dinner yesterday or
where my reading glasses are right now.
With that in mind, let me tell you of my
problem. In the mid-60’s in the Central Mainte- nance Shop, there was a little area devoted
to the repair of seat covers. It was staffed by
one man and a sewing machine. It was close
– almost a part of the toolmaker area that
backed up to the wall separating the tool-
maker area from the old lye tank room. The
guy running the seat cover area was very
outgoing in nature. You know the type that
could share a cup of coffee with you and tell
a good story. He not only did the repairs on
the seat covers, but also used throwaway
scraps to make tool pouches for all the
trades that wanted them. And they were
well made to boot! I can remember talking to him and hear- ing that before he came to the Twin Cities
Assembly Plant he worked at a Ford Motor
plant either in Northern Wisconsin or the
upper part of Michigan. This plant made
either wooden steering wheels or tire rim
spokes for Ford cars, or maybe both. Now back to my problem. What was his name? This feeble brain of mine keeps
saying, “His first name started with the
letter A.” But for the life of me I just cannot
remember the first name or the last. But I do remember very well some of the toolmakers who worked in that area
‘way back when’. So, hey guys, yes, you
toolmakers from yesteryear, how about some
help with my memory problem. How about
you, Don (Pat) Patterson up in Hackensack,
Jerry and Kenny Anderson (the Anderson
brothers), Merl Heitman, Dick Hendricks,
Gordy DeYoung, Bill Brengman, to name a
few. One of you may know this man’s name so please help me solve my memory loss!
Either call the Local Union Hall and give
the information to Dee or Bob, or drop me
a line or two in care of our Local’s Union
Hall. The address is on the inside page of
your “Autoworker”. To paraphrase an old saying, “My memory thanks you, Life after Ford thanks
you, your Autoworker thanks you and I
THANK YOU!” Cubby May 19, 2008 1:30 PM Greetings! I presently work for Dunlap Shipping as Captain. We ship goods up and
down the West Coast, up to Alaska and out
to Hawaii. It’s a great life. Aloha to all.
Captain Russ Mead We regret to inform you that due to local budget re- straints, the number of issues of The Autoworker to be
published in 2008 will be reduced to four times a year. We
have appreciated your comments and support over the
years. Following this issue, we are tentatively planning the
following months of publications: February/March - April/
May/June - July/August/September and October/Novem-
ber/December. Your feedback is always welcomed. Marilyn Bobick Johnson, Editor RETIREMENT MYTHS * I’m too young to worry about retire-
ment. You’re never too long to make plans. The sooner you begin saving for retirement,
the less you’ll have to put aside. For ex-
ample: If you want to have a $200,00 nest
egg by age 65, you’ll only have to save
about $26 a week if you start at 35. But if
you wait until you’re 55 to start, you’d have
to put aside $233 every week. Both cases assume that your money is invested earning a hypothetical 9% return.
This example is for illustrative purposes
only and is not intended to reflect the actual
performance of any security. Investing
involves risk and you may incur a profit or
a loss. Page 14 The Barack Obama Biography Barack Obama (born August 4, 1961) is a U.S. Senator from Illinois. He is a
member of the main Democratic Party. He
has received international media coverage
for his keynote address at the 2004 Demo-
cratic National Convention, delivered while
he was still an Illinois state senator. He is the only African American who is currently serving in the U.S. Senate, and
the fifth in the entire United States history
and the third since Reconstruction. The
2004 U.S. Senate election in Illinois made
history as the first Senate election to fea-
ture black nominees from both major par-
ties. Obama won the election in a landslide,
with 70% of the vote. His Early life Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to Harvard-educated economist
Barack Obama, Sr., a native of Kenya, and
S. Ann Dunham, of Kansas. At the time of
Obama’s birth, both his parents were stu-
dents at the East-West Center at the Univer-
sity of Hawaii at Manoa. “Barack” means
“blessed” in Swahili. Of his years in Hawaii, Obama has writ- ten, “The irony is that my decision to work
in politics, and to pursue such a career in a
big Mainland city, in some sense grows out
of my Hawaiian upbringing, and the ideal
that Hawaii still represents in my mind.” When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father eventually re-
turned to Kenya, and he saw his son only
once more before his death in 1982. Ann
Obama married another East-West Center
student from Indonesia. The family then
moved to Jakarta. When Obama was ten he
returned to Hawaii under the care of his
grandparents, and later his mother, for the
better educational opportunities. His College experience and career Upon finishing high school, Obama stud- ied for two years at Occidental College in
California, before transferring to Columbia University in New York City. There he
majored in political science, with a special-
ization in international relations. Upon
graduation, he moved to Chicago, where he
took up community organizing in the Altgeld
Gardens housing project on the city’s South
Side. He left Chicago for three years to study law at Harvard University, where he was
elected the first black president of the
Harvard Law Review. He graduated Magna
Cum Laude. While working one summer at
a corporate law firm in 1989, Obama met
Michelle Robinson, whom he married in
1992. Robinson is also a graduate of Harvard
Law. While in Chicago as a community orga- nizer once again, Obama organized an ag-
gressive voter registration effort that aided
in the election of President Bill Clinton and
Senator Carol Moseley Braun. The cam-
paign registered over 100,000 voters. Soon
after, his talents earned him a position at a
local civil rights law firm, and he became a
lecturer of constitutional law at the Univer-
sity of Chicago, where he served as a pro-
fessor until his election to the U.S. Senate. Barack Obama and Politics In 1996, Obama was elected to the Illi- nois State Senate from the south side neigh-
borhood of Hyde Park, in Chicago. He
served as chairman of the Public Health and
Welfare Committee when the Democrats
regained control of the chamber. The Chi-
cago Tribune called him “one of the Gen-
eral Assembly’s most impressive members.” Regarded as a staunch liberal during his tenure in the legislature, he helped to author
a state Earned Income Tax Credit which
provided benefits to the working poor. He
also worked for legislation that would cover
residents who could not afford health insur-
ance. Speaking up for leading gay and les-
bian advocacy groups, he successfully
helped pass bills to increase funding for
AIDS prevention and care programs. His United States Senate campaign In 2004, Obama decided to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. Peter
Fitzgerald. As Obama’s name recognition
rose, voters took a liking to the bright,
charismatic senator. He won decisively in
the March primary, dispatching the other
six candidates easily, and winning more
than 50 percent of the vote. Entering the U.S. Senate campaign, Obama had become a national Democratic
star. Keynote address Obama was chosen to deliver a keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National
Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, and
became the third African American to do
so. (The first was Barbara Jordan, at the
1976 Democratic National Convention, and
the second was Harold Ford, Jr. at the 2000
Democratic National Convention.) His speech outlined his own family’s pursuit of the American Dream, and his
belief in a ‘generous America’. He criti-
cized the Bush administration for not sup-
porting troops in Iraq. Finally he spoke for national unity: “Well, I say to them tonight, there’s not a
liberal America and a conservative America;
there’s the United States of America.” The address was generally regarded as a great success, thrusting Obama into the
national spotlight (similar to New York
Governor Mario Cuomo’s address at the
1984 DNC). Senate career Obama was sworn in as a Senator on January 5, 2005. He ranked 99th out of 100
Senators in terms of official seniority (greater
seniority brings greater privileges in the
Senate), ranking ahead of only new Demo-
cratic Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado. In
his first few months in office, Obama drew
praise by his perceived attempts to avoid
the limelight and devote large amounts of
effort to being a Senator; a Washington
Post article spread an anecdote of Obama
refusing an upgrade to first-class on a flight
home. In March of 2005, Obama announced
that he was forming his own PAC, a move
not usually undertaken until several years
into a politician’s career. In late March 2005, Obama announced his first proposed Senate bill, the Higher
Education Opportunity through Pell Grant
Expansion Act of 2005 (HOPE Act), which
aims to raise the maximum amount of Pell
Grant awards to help assist American col-
lege students with paying for their tuition.
Obama announced the bill at the Southern
Illinois University Edwardsville and said,
“Everywhere I go, I hear the same story:
‘We work hard, we pay our bills, we put
away savings, but we just don’t know if it’s
going to be enough when that tuition bill
comes.” The April 18, 2005 issue of TIME Maga- zine listed the 100 most influential people
in the world. Obama was included on the list
under the section of ‘Leaders and Revolu-
tionaries’ for his high-profile entrance to
federal politics and his popularity within
the Democratic Party. Page 15 Hillary Rodham Clinton was elected to the United States Senate by the people of
New York on November 7, 2000, after
years of public service on behalf of children
and families. She is the first First Lady of
the United States elected to public office
and the first woman elected independently
statewide in New York State. A strong
advocate for New York, Senator Clinton
works with communities throughout the state
to strengthen the economy and expand op-
portunity. The Senator supports a return to
fiscal responsibility because she knows that
wise national economic policies are essen-
tial to protect America’s future. She serves on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; the Envi-
ronment and Public Works Committee; the
Special Committee on Aging; and she is the
first New Yorker ever to serve on the Senate
Armed Services Committee. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Senator Clinton worked with her
colleagues to secure the funds New York
needed to rebuild. She fought to provide
compensation to the families of the victims,
grants for hard-hit businesses, and health
care for front line workers at Ground Zero.
She continues to work for resources that
enable New York to grow, to improve home-
land security for New York and other com-
munities, and to protect all Americans from
future attacks. She has introduced legisla-
tion to provide for direct and threat-based
homeland security funding to ensure that
first responders and high-target communi-
ties have the resources they need. In 2004, Senator Clinton was asked by the Department of Defense to serve as the
only Senate member of the Transformation
Advisory Group to the Joint Forces Com-
mand. She has visited troops in Iraq and
Afghanistan; at Fort Drum in New York,
home of the 10th Mountain Division; and at
Walter Reed Military Hospital to learn first
hand the challenges facing American com-
bat forces. She is an original sponsor of
legislation that expanded health benefits to
members of the National Guard and Re-
serves. In the Senate, she has continued her work for children and families by leading
efforts to ensure the safety of prescription
drugs for children, with legislation now
included in the Pediatric Research Equity
Act; working to strengthen the Children’s
Health Insurance Program, which increased
coverage for children in low income work-
ing families; and helping schools address
environmental hazards. Senator Clinton continues to work to increase access to health care. She authored
legislation that has been enacted to improve
recruitment and retention of nurses, to im-
prove quality and lower the cost of prescrip-
tion drugs, and to protect our food supply
from bioterrorism. She sponsored legisla-
tion to increase America’s commitment
against Global AIDS, and is now leading
the fight for expanded use of information
technology in the health care system to
decrease administrative costs and reduce
medical errors. To encourage business expansion, Sena- tor Clinton co-sponsored legislation en-
acted in 2004 to extend tax credits to com-
munities in regions designated as Renewal
Communities. She has sponsored confer-
ences and business development tours
throughout the state aimed at attracting new
investment; introduced legislation to in-
crease access to broadband technology in
rural areas; and serves as chair of the advi-
sory board for New Jobs for New York. Senator Clinton has spoken clearly about the importance of protecting our constitu-
tional rights, respecting such landmark Su-
preme Court decisions as Roe v. Wade. Her
commitment to supporting Roe and work-
ing to reduce the number of abortions, by
reducing the number of unwanted pregnan-
cies, was hailed by the New York Times as “frank talk… (and) a promising path.” Strongly committed to making sure that every American has the right to vote in fair,
accessible and credible elections – and that
every vote must be counted, Senator Clinton
introduced the Count Every Vote Act of
2005, to provide a verified paper ballot for
every vote cast in electronic voting ma-
chines; set a uniform standard for provi-
sional ballots, and require the Federal Elec-
tion Assistance Commission to issue stan-
dards that ensure uniform access to voting
machines and election personnel in every
community. Senator Clinton was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 26, 1947. She is the
daughter of Dorothy Rodham and the late
Hugh Rodham. Her father was a small busi-
nessman and her mother a homemaker. She
is a graduate of Wellesley College and Yale
Law School. She is married to former Presi-
dent William Jefferson Clinton. They have
one daughter, Chelsea. Senator Clinton is the author of best selling books including her autobiography,
Living History; It Takes A Village: and
Other Lessons Children Teach Us; Dear
Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids’ Letters to the
First Pets; and An Invitation to the White
House as well as numerous articles. Hillary’s daughter Chelsea with supporter during current
presidential campaign rally in
Hillary’s bid for the White House. Page 16 There is a lot of misinformation going around about the new buyout packages.
Before you make any decision I recom-
mend that you either come and see me or
call the “Special Programs Hotline” at 1-
313-322-7795 or e-mail “Special Programs”
at edoppfaq@ford.com. Anyone retiring from Ford Motor Com- pany who wants to keep their current
healthcare, will need to call 1-800-524-
1234 to authorize the health care deduction.
The current cost is $11.00 for single cover-
age and $22.00 for family. If you fail to do
this, you will be defaulted to the “Cata-
strophic Plan”. Anyone who took the Pre-Retirement Leave from TCAP (85% of your pay), must
remember to call the NESC at 1-800-248-
2444 and request your retirement papers.
Ford Motor Company will not automati- cally send them to you. If you fail to do this
Ford will terminate you as a voluntary quit.
Do not request your papers any more than
90 days in advance. Pre-Retirement Leave employees be sure to open any and all mail from Ford
Motor Company. Some of you might have
been given back credits you lost in previous
years that would change your retirement
date. Ford is sending out letters to the
employees affected. Any retiree who is turning 65 years old needs to sign up for Medicare Part A and B.
Part A is at no cost to the retiree, but Part B
currently is $96.40. Ford Motor Company
will reimburse you $76.20 of that cost. In
order to receive the reimbursement you
need to call 1-800-333-7444 and follow the
prompts to “Special Age 65 Benefit”. Offering free information and confi- dential advice 24/7, the new Union Plus
“Save My Home” hotline is preparing for a
barrage of calls from troubled homeowners
beset by higher mortgage payments as their
adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) are ‘re-
set’. Victims of the so-called ‘sub-prime credit crunch’ include thousands of union
families lured into expensive home mort-
gages that offer attractive initial interest
payments – typically for the first three years
of their loan – after which rates jump sig-
nificantly. Many consumers have found
their monthly ARM payments increased by
$500 or more when a loan resets. Few of the
victims of this phenomenon realized that
the fine print on their loans imposed costly
charges if they sought to refinance to avoid
the higher costs. The picture for many middle and low- income homeowners has been complicated
by the simultaneous drop in house prices
that occurred when the housing bubble burst
about a year ago – meaning that even if homeowners could refinance a loan, the
value of their house wouldn’t cover what
they owe. Acting to ease the pain of these working families caught in the perfect storm of the
sub-prime crunch and the collapse of house
prices, the AFL-CIO and Union Plus have
set up a hotline to provide counseling and
information to help families avoid foreclo-
sure. The hotline will be staffed by profes-
sionals from Money Management Interna-
tional, a nonprofit HUD certified housing
counseling agency. The program also of-
fers face-to-face counseling in any of MMI’s
more than 100 local offices in 22 states and
the District of Columbia. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association approximately 14% of the loans
serviced by its members, or 6.2 million of
all mortgages, are “sub-prime” loans. The
numbers had climbed in recent years as a
result of aggressive marketing. A survey commissioned by the AFL- CIO and conducted by Peter D. Hart Re- search Associates pinpoints the level of
anxiety confronting union families that hold
adjustable rate mortgages. The poll found
that 62% of homeowners with ARMs be-
lieve that escalating mortgages rates are
hurting their communities, and 48% expect
they’ll have to cut back on everyday spend-
ing for groceries, clothing and gasoline
when their payments increase. Among low-
income families (earning $50,000 or less)
80% believe they’ll be forced to make cut-
backs. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, as he announced the Union Plus program, said
the sub-prime drama is illuminating “a tale
of two communities.” “The trapdoor between the American Dream and the American Nightmare for
these homeowners is the ARM adjustment.
This survey shows that many homeowners
simply are not prepared for the steep rise in
mortgage payments that his market inflicts
on ARM holders,” Sweeney said. AFL-CIO Label Letter DOT’S SPOT . . . DOT’S SPOT . . . DOT’S SPOT . . . DOT’S SPOT . . . DOT’S SPOT . . . FROM THE UNION BENEFITS OFFICE TPT’s must be sure to sign up for your health care. You are eligible the first day of
the eighth month following the month of
hire or rehire. Call the NESC at 1-800-248-
4444 and follow the prompts. If you need to
send in paper work, you can bring it to me
and I’ll fax it for you. You will have two
options to choose from: BCBS PPO Plan or
Health Partners. If you want prescription
drug coverage you need to choose Health
Partners. Ford Motor Company will be conduct- ing another health care audit this year. Be
sure to respond. If you do not do so, your
dependents will be taken off your health
care. If you have any questions, just call me at 651-696-0514 or 1-800-211-0016. In solidarity, Dorothy Sokolowski UAW Benefits Representative UNION PLUS OFFERS ‘SAVE MY HOME’ HOTLINE TO ASSIST WORKERS CAUGHT IN SUB-PRIME CRUNCH Page 17 ÿþýüûúùûø÷öõôþóûòñðþïî ÿþýüûúùûø÷öõôþóûòñðþïî ÿþýüûúùûø÷öõôþóûòñðþïî ÿþýüûúùûø÷öõôþóûòñðþïî Be Your Own Boss! Do you have what it takes? The Keys to a Successful Small Business Start-Up Thursday, March 27 @ 4:30 pm UAW/Ford Training Center Auditorium Learn what it takes to start and/or manage a small business. Topics include: • The Benefits of Small Business Ownership • The Downside of Small Business Ownership • A Simple Entrepreneurship Assessment • The Four Ways of Becoming a Small Business Owner • The Universal Keys to Success • Resources Available to You Now To register for this FREE class call Tracy Ausen @ 651-695-3502. This class is open to all present or former Ford employees. Bring your spouse! Instructor Bob Voss has been teaching Business Entrepreneur classes at Dakota County Technical College for 5 years. He is also a counselor at the Small Business Development Center, which offers free professional consulting to small business owners and entrepreneurs. Bob has worked with Dislocated Workers in the past and has extensive experience owning and managing small businesses. Page 18 In Memory In Memory In Memory In Memory In Memory Our Condolences
to the Families . . . BROTHER ROBERT F. JEUKENS died on January 22, 2008 at the age of 77 years.
The funeral mass was held on January 26 th at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Forest Lake
MN BROTHER JEUKENS went to work
at Ford Motor in 1953 and stayed there for
38 years before retiring in June of 1991.
BROTHER STANLEY E. MORTON
died on January 21, 2008 at the age of 80
years. The funeral was held on January 26 th at the Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapel
in Coon Rapids, MN. BROTHER
MORTON began his employment at Ford Motor Company in June of 1949. He spent
31 years there before his retirement in May
of 1980. He worked in General Stores.
BROTHER ROBERT W. PHELPS died on February 1, 2008 at the age of 86 years.
The funeral mass was held on February 7 th at the Church of the Holy Rosary, Minne-
apolis. BROTHER PHELPS began his
employment at Ford Motor in December of
1953. After working there for 30 years, he
retired in June of 1983.
BROTHER ROBERT “Bobby” G.
HANOLD died on February 3, 2008 at the age of 64 years. The funeral mass was held
on February 9 th at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Braham, MN.
BROTHER HANOLD began working at Ford Motor Company in May of 1968. He
retired in March of 1998 after spending 30
years at Ford.
BROTHER DAVID N. MILLER died on February 8, 2008 at the age of 53 years.
There was a gathering on Sunday, February
17 th from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at the Mattson Funeral Home, 343 North Shore Drive,
Forest Lake, MN. BROTHER MILLER
worked at Ford Motor Company for 33
years starting in March of 1974 in Michigan
and then transferring here in 1984. He was
a Millwright in the Body Build Department
and retired in February of 2007. Our new board is ready for pictures and/or articles of your
loved ones, family, or friends
serving in the military. If you would like to have someone recognized or remem-
bered, please give this informa-
tion to your Committeeperson
or drop it off with anyone in the
Union Offices or in the Ben-
efits Office. We will then put
them up for everyone to see. Thanks. Kristen Chilson Deb Francis Dorothy Sokoloski BILL WOULD BAN IMPORTS MADE IN SWEATSHOPS Senate Measure Targets Products from China Recalls of millions of unsafe toys may be part of the price Americans pay for
buying products manufactured in China
under sweatshop conditions or by forced
prison labor, worker advocates told a Sen-
ate panel. “When production is outsourced to Chi- nese factories infamous for paying their
workers pennies an hour, dumping toxic
sludge into the environment and for cover-
ing up all kinds of health hazards, it should
come as no shock that the products turned
out by these factories pose a danger to our
own health,” said Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-
ND). “Toxic and sweatshop toys are two sides of the same coin, and need to be regulated
by enforceable laws,” said Charles
Kernaghan of the National Labor Commit-
tee. More than 21 million toys made in China – from Baby Einstein Discover & Play
Color Blocks from Kids II Inc. to Thomas &
Friends Wooden Railway by RC2 Corp. –
have been recalled because of excessive
levels of lead paint, tiny magnets that could
be swallowed or other potentially serious
problems. Mattel recalled an additional 38,000 “Go Diego Go?” toys as part of a larger
recall of 665,000 lead-contaminated
children’s products made in China. That
recall involved 38,000 orange and yellow
Go Diego Go! Animal Rescue Boats, manu-
factured in China and imported by Fisher-
Price. Surface paint on the boats contains ex- cessive levels of lead. The Consumer Product Safety Com- mission also announced recalls in mid-Oc-
tober of 627,000 other Chinese-made toys
that are contaminated with lead. Workers at the approximately 8,000 Chinese toy factories get no safety equip-
ment to use while making American toys,
said Bama Athreya, executive director of
the International Labor rights Forum. They also suffer physical, verbal and sexual harassment, often are overworked
and cheated out of their wages and rarely
have medical insurance, she said. In addition, forced prison labor is also used to make toys for export, said Harry Wu
of the Laogai Research Foundation, who
said he spent 19 years in Chinese prison
camps. Hi Everyone,
As some of you know, I have trained and accomplished several marathons and
half marathons. Well I have decided to train
for another 1/2 marathon in Anchorage,
Alaska for the Leukemia Society. The en-
durance training team is called TNT and
provides world class coaches and training
so I can run like the wind!!! In exchange I
will raise money to help eradicate the can-
cer that destroys lives and families. This is
the 20 year anniversary of TNT and we
hope to reach 1 BILLION DOLLARS.
Check out the links below and visit my
home page to either make a contribution or
check on my fundraising progress. If you would like to make a donation in “honor of” or in “memory of” please let me
know so I can add their name to my training
jersey. Juliemcpherson@frontiernet.net I want to be a part of something that can make a difference, how about you? Thanks for all your support Alaska, look out, here I come!!! Julie McPherson, former Local 879 member and Chassis Zone A worker Want to donate or help? Simply go to the link below: http://www.active.co /donate/tntmn/ tntmnJMcPher1 WALL OF PRIDE Page 19 Hearty Soup Recipes MINNESOTA WILD RICE SOUP 3/4 c. uncooked wild rice
1 med. onion, diced
1 c. celery, diced
1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms, diced and drained
1/2 c. butter
1 c. all-purpose flour
8 c. hot chicken broth
1 c. diced chicken
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 c. half and half
2 tbsp. sherry or dry white wine
Add wild rice to 2 cups water in saucepan. Simmer for 45 minutes.
Saute onion, celery and mushrooms in butter in a large pan about 3
minutes or just until vegetables soften. Stir in flour, cooking and
stirring until flour is mixed in, but do not let it begin to brown.
Slowly add hot chicken broth, stirring until all veg-flour mixture is
well blended. Stir in drained, cooked rice and chicken. Season with
salt, pepper and thyme. Heat thoroughly. Stir in half and half. Add
sherry and heat gently but do not boil. WISCONSIN BEER CHEESE SOUP Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup is one of the most well-known
Wisconsin culinary creations.
4 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup chopped green onion, green tops and white base.
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped cabbage
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup good Wisconsin beer
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups half and half (“half and half” is half heavy cream and half
milk), heated
2 cups shredded aged Wisconsin Cheddar cheese (use aged cheese
for better flavor)
(if you wish, one pound cooked sausage or Brats in bite-sized
chunks)
Melt butter in large, heavy pan Add onion, carrot and cabbage
Cook and stir over medium-high heat until onions and vegetables
become translucent Stir in flour, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly
Add broth, beer and mustard. Stir well until mixture reaches a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add hot half and
half and cheese, and if you wish, cooked smoked sausage.
Stir and warm gently until heated through and cheese is melted.
8 servings. HEARTY WINTER’S NIGHT SOUP 1 lb. ground beef
1 med. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 pkg. hamburger helper mix for chili tomato
5 c. water
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. salt
1 can (16 oz.) whole tomatoes
1 can (8 oz.) whole kernel corn
1/2 tsp. hot sauce, optional
2 c. elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
Cook and drain ground beef; stir in onion and green pepper in a large
cooking container (I use a very large iron skillet). Stir in sauce mix,
water, chili powder, garlic salt, salt and Texas pete. Chop tomatoes
and add (with liquid) to mixture. heat to boiling, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add macaroni and corn with liquid. Cover and cook on low heat for
10 minutes. Serve with cornbread. Serves 8. HEARTY ITALIAN SOUP 1 lb. mild bulk Italian or pork sausage
1 med. green pepper, chopped
1 med. onion, chopped
28 oz. can tomatoes, cut up
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 (8 oz.) cans water
1 tbsp. granulated or 3 cubes chicken bouillon
3/4 tsp. garlic salt
3/4 c. small-shaped macaroni, such as rings or shells
Shredded Mozzarella, Cheddar, or American cheese In Dutch oven or large saucepan brown sausage, green pepper and
onion; drain. Stir in remaining ingredients except macaroni and
cheese. Cover; simmer 15 minutes. Stir in macaroni; cover and
simmer 10-12 minutes, until macaroni it tender. Top individual
servings with cheese. Makes 8 cups. Page 20 MARCH 2008 MARCH 2008 MARCH 2008 MARCH 2008 MARCH 2008 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 8 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 27 28 14 9 10 6 7 15 5 26 Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID St. Paul, MN Permit No. 6138 21 4 3 2 1 Local No. 879 UAW
2191 Ford Parkway
St. Paul, MN, 55116 RETIREES MEETING 1:30 PM St. Pats Day LUCKY YOU! Membership Meeting Door prize winners for January / February 30 29 UNION MEETING E-BOARD MEETING 31 Brian Huseby
John Killeen
Chris Rahmann
Darius Shannon Marcus Carpenter
J Rahmann
Paul Roberts
Tanya Wade Final day to sign up for Buy-out packages First day of Spring! Good Friday Easter

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