Texas UAW Leaders Confer on Politics
Region 5 Director Wells told the Texas meeting about some of the bad developments. Three brothers from UAW Local 514 in Waxahachie stood while Wells explained that their jobs would be in Mexico by mid-December. A brother from UAW Local 2157 in Wichita Falls stood up while Wells explained that his employer, Delphi Auto Parts, is trying to cut wages and benefits by half.
Wells
also explained that an employer in the hurricane area had jerked a settled contract
off the table in order to cut wages and benefits for hurricane victims. The
problem, Wells explained, is the government. He said, "Bush doesn't care!"
He went on to talk about the great immorality in todays' government. The oil
prices, he pointed out, were nothing but a scandal.
The most important point, which Wells returned to again and again, is that government action can greatly hurt or help working people. He said, "If you think politics doesn't matter, you have your head in the sand!"
In the near future, Congress will try to pass extensive budget cuts. Wells said, "Guess who's going to get hurt? The working poor!" "There ought to be people marching in the street!" In fact, Wells pointed out, UAW members within Region 5 actually did hit the streets in many cities, including Arlington, on the last day of October.
While people's wages, rights, and benefits get cut, the politicians continuously try to distract everybody with emotionally-charged diversions. Wells said, "They are going to put the blinders on the American people." "That has worked every time, and God help us if it works again!" "We're either going to wake up or we're going to go backward in history!"
Bankruptcy laws were Wells' next target. He pointed out that bankruptcy judges are working with corporate management to cut our livelihoods. He talked about the concessions currently being voted on by General Motors members. He said that the threat of bankruptcy, especially as presently being used by Delphi, hangs over all the workers in all of the auto industry.
The next issue was what the Bush Administration calls "tort reform," which limits the rights of working people to collect damages when they are injured. Wells summarized with a question, "How much more do they have to kick us before they stand up?"
He then turned to better news. Region 5 continues to be a leader of the entire union on raising political money. The Cruise Ticket Raffle raised around $100,000. Total V-CAP money raised in the region will again top $1,000,000. None of that money, Wells says, will go to politicians who have voted with the corporations and against the workers on "trade" agreements. He said, "I guarantee that the money ain't going to go to anybody who votes our jobs away."
Wells was also proud of the work done within the region to help hurricane victims. An emergency response system is being developed in case of future disasters.
Gary Tessmar, Ron Cohagan, and Romeo Munoz listened to Director Wells' presentation. Reecie Giesecke and Gene Lantz also attended