848's Retirees Continue Good Meetings

Local 848's retirees held their monthly luncheon on May 12. They had rousing discussions about issues close to their economic survival. On the day before United Airlines had just successfully used a bankruptcy judge to dump some of their pension obligations onto the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PRGC). The United States Congress was discussing proposals to "reform" Social Security in ways that are disapproved of by the retirees and most of the American people.

Brother James Lambert asked if we could get a busload of 40 people to go on a free casino trip to Oklahoma. There weren't enough volunteers; consequently they decided to ask other UAW locals.

Retirees remarked on the death of Julio Salazar and, especially, on one of our stalwart retiree activists, Marie Simmons. Simmons was in her 80's and had steadily supported our local even after she became a widow. Union bookkeeper Dawn Kellogg provided a web site for her obituary: http://www.legacy.com/dallasmorningnews/LegacySubPage2.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=3504765
Several seekers for union office came to the meeting to ask for the retirees' votes for Executive Board seats. Retirees quizzed them about their commitment to defending the union through political processes.

President Reecie Giesecke swore in our new retiree officers. He also provided a rundown of situations within Vought.

Ed Reach worked through the meeting to get people to buy VCAP tickets raffle tickets. He said, "If we don't do political action, we're just dead and that's all there is to it." The retirees contributed $75 to the VCAP drive.

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