Come Join Us!

Local 848's Retirees hold their covered-dish luncheon at 11 AM each Second Thursday at the union hall. Everybody who retired as a union member, and their spouses, are invited. We usually hold a short discussion of retiree issues before we enjoy our meal.

The union local supplies the main course.

Local 848's retirees are active in our union local. We also participate with the UAW Area Council and with the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans.

Retirees have a lot of problems that we can solve if we work together. Please join us!

For updates on Texas retiree issues, click here.

For a look at Local 848's past, click here.

Retirees Will Guard Social Security

The first question in the Holy Bible, according to Texas Retired Americans President Shane Fox at our August 12 retiree meeting, is, “Where is your brother?” Fox said that all of us have to defend Social Security not only for ourselves, but for our brothers and sisters everywhere.Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are on the chopping block in Washington. National Alliance for Retired Americans field organizer Sarah Meeks told the retirees that conservatives in Congress had pushed President Obama into calling for a “fiscal responsibility” commission whose main agenda is to get their hands on the $2.3 trillion in the Social Security trust fund. Here are some of the ways they plan to do it:

Benefit cuts – They lie when they say that Social Security is bankrupt or going bankrupt soon, or that any revenue problem could not be easily fixed by raising the “cap” on Social Security payments. The “cap” is now fixed at incomes of $106,800 per year. Many wealthy people quit paying their annual Social Security early in the year, while those of us who make less money continue paying every month.

Dropping the COLA – 2010 was an unusual year in that seniors did not get a cost-of-living allowance. Usually, Social Security increases almost cover the rising cost of Medicare. Social Security COLA is based on the Consumer Price Index, which is skewed downward because medical costs, a major problem for seniors, are not included in the calculations.

Means Testing – Enemies of Social Security want to weaken it by having it apply only to people of certain means, instead of to everybody. Consequently, they would cut away support for the program.

Raising the retirement age to 70. Not only is this a terrible idea for retirees, but it is a terrible idea for every working person, because keeping older people on the job means fewer jobs for the younger unemployed people.

Sarah Meek said that the Alliance for Retired Americans believes that simply raising the $106,800 cap on paying for Social Security would solve all problems. They could also make a slight adjustment in the amount of payroll taxes, from the present 6.2% to 7.3%, and solve all financial problems for decades to come. Another possibility would be to dedicate the estate tax to the retiree trust fund. These are all simple and practical solutions, but not the ones wanted by those greedy politicians who want to raid the Social Security trust fund.

President Shane Fox said that 81% of all American voters continue to strongly oppose cutting Social Security. But the corporate-dominated media, including the Dallas newspaper, are intent on propagating untruths in order to undermine our right to Social Security.

The first week of UAW Summer School in Norman Oklahoma has delegates from all over Region 5. It includes active members like Hannah Sumpter from Wentzville, Missouri, and Tony Morales from UAW 848.

The delegates and their spouses studied the most pressing union problems of the day, starting with the 2010 elections, when almost everything could be won or lost for working people. They then turned to organizing and other aspects of union leadership.

--Gene Lantz

Retirees Hear Martina Alvarado

Retirees Have More Fun in March, 2010

Elia and Timo Rodriguez enjoyed their first retiree luncheon

Local 848's retirees had a rousing discussion on American-made automobiles at our luncheon on March 11. Joe Silva gave statistics on how many jobs had been lost, and Manuel Wallace commented on important political issues.

Sergeant-at-Arms James Lambert provided the day's highlight with a joke about a highway patrolman who stopped a car for driving only 15 miles an hour in a 65-mile zone. The driver was a sweet little old lady, and there were three absolutely terrified ladies trembling in the back seat. He explained to the driver that she had made her mistake when she saw a sign for "State Highway 15," and mistook it for the speed limit. He then asked why the three ladies in the back seat seemed so frightened, and they replied, "We just got off State Highway 95!"

The group passed two important motions. The first was to get Joe Silva to serve out the remaining term as Recording Secretary, and it passed unanimously. The second had to do with March being Women's History Month. We are proud of the progress that women have made, and of our union for having made "equal pay for equal work" a reality for so many. Among the outstanding women that we are proud of is our own Financial Secretary, Dale Johns. Johns has served this union in every capacity for many years. She was catcher on our championship women's softball team, and she has helped with union functions for many years. It was pointed out that she is the first Financial Secretary in remembrance to completely prepare our hall for the retiree luncheon before retirees begin arriving. In fact, on that particular day, everything was laid out in perfect order except that there were too few plates. Immediately, the retirees went looking for Sister Johns, but couldn't find her, and were told "She's out getting more plates!"

The motion was to honor our terrific Financial Secretary, Dale Johns, and it passed unanimously.

V-CAP Rep Commended At October Meeting

Billy Brown

Dr. Luther Castillo

Local 848’s October 18 meeting unanimously commended Billy Brown for excellent work on this year’s political fund drive. Brown said the praise belongs to the many members who pitched in.

Jeff Benge asked all members to contact him when there is a need for the new Chaplaincy Committee. He attended a UAW conference in Shreveport and is eager to help serve our membership. Reach him at 214-925-8874.

Gene Cates was nominated for our "Union Samaritan" award for his work with the National Alliance for Mental Health.

Here is Local 848's resolution:

WHEREAS The national AFL-CIO and an impressive number of unions have taken the side of democracy in Honduras, and

WHEREAS the big issue with Honduras is fair trade instead of what they call "free trade", and

WHEREAS all three major union federations in Honduras are on general strike for the return of democracy

BE IT RESOLVED THAT WE, the Executive Board of UAW 848, support the return of democracy and fair trade in Honduras.

In solidarity

Gene Lantz, Editor

UAW 848

Retirees Relax Together

by Gene Lantz

Local 848's retirees had barbecue for their October 8 (2nd Thursday) monthly luncheon. Chaplain Gene Cates was back after missing a meeting or two due to minor surgery. He reported that he was repaired and ready for duty. Cates opened the meeting with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

We missed our top telephone caller, Frances Smith, who is taking some time off to help the family of a deceased friend. Even without her outstanding efforts, our attendance rose slightly over the September effort.

Other than our usual rousing discussion of all the world, national, and local events affecting retirees, we had no pending business to discuss. Financial Secretary Rex Redden reported a slight increase in our Retired Worker Fund, so the outlook seemed good for future activities.

Another phase of our "video history" project was launched by creating a short video of the meeting and posting it on YouTube.com

at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqtjMoZv7jk. An easy way to find it and, hopefully, future videos is to put "genelantzalot" into the search box at www.youtube.com.

Our November 12 luncheon will be our Thanksgiving meal. All Local 848 retirees and/or spouses are always welcome at 11 AM.

Retirees Pitch In

By Gene Lantz, Retiree Chairman

Local 848’s retirees had a robust discussion at our September 10 luncheon. Tony Fantroy talked about the way that con artists seem to target seniors. He reminded everyone that they should not give out their Social Security number, Texas Drivers License Number, or other personal information to people who telephone them.

Most of the discussion was about the outrageous lies being told to America’s seniors about health care. People who want to sabotage the reform are actually telling seniors that the government wants to kill them! Others are saying nonsense about undocumented Mexican workers getting free government benefits.

The health care issue has made Local 848’s retirees increasingly aware of just how vital our union political program has become. We have always known that anything we won at the negotiating table could be taken away at the ballot box, but the situation has grown especially critical today. Because we are more aware, our contributions to the V-CAP fund are growing far beyond any amount of money we have ever raised before.

Local 848’s retirees are the only ones in the aerospace industry with a pension deduction program for V-CAP. We can sign up for small monthly deductions that we never miss because they come out of our pensions before we ever see them. The Local’s V-CAP Rep, Billy Brown, initiated a letter to retirees this year to increase donations. A number of retiree activists volunteered to call up to 100 of our members. They were: Mable Casey, Gene Cates, Wallace Manuel, Rex Redden, Neal Sloan, and Gene Lantz. We do not have phone numbers for all members, but we managed to call an estimated 400 retirees.

New signup cards were still arriving on the day of our luncheon, but the local is already raising three times more than the highest amount we ever raised in any year before this one! It is likely that we are among the top retiree fund raisers in our industry!

Local 848 retirees will continue their commitment to union politics when they attend a special meeting at 4 PM on Friday, September 25, at our hall. The President of the Texas AFL-CIO, Becky Moeller, will talk about what working people and retirees can do to fix the economic crisis we are living through.

Retirees Make Solidarity Car Caravan

UAW Local 848 retirees formed a car caravan to UAW Local 218 after their monthly luncheon on July 9. Production workers at Bell had been on strike for a month. President Romeo Munoz allowed the retirees to carry a load of water and Gatorade that had been collected by active members in the local. They have been regularly sending their contributions since the first week of the strike.

The strike is a tough one. The sun is hot, and the job market is seriously depressed. National unemployment stood at 9.5%, and the Dallas-Ft Worth area was reportedly at 8%, the highest in many years. When the economy is tanking, it is very hard for workers to win contract demands. Nevertheless, the UAW 218 members are bravely battling to save what is left of their health care benefits after many years of corrosion by management.

Retirees and active members of UAW 848 are not the only ones offering solidarity to the embattled employees at Bell Helicopter. Other unions have made major contributions, and students from University of North Texas have been walking picket regularly.

Prior to having lunch, the retirees discussed the serious political situation they face with UAW 848 CAP Rep Billy Brown. Brown stressed the importance of signing up for pension deductions of small monthly amounts. The money would go through V-CAP to carry out our union's political program.

March 31, 2009 Retiree Seminar Pictures

Retirees Go Video

Retirees were keenly interested in a video of their tour

The program Local 848’s retirees on March 12 consisted of a video starring themselves! Videographer Walt Harrison had accompanied the group to the Frontiers of Flight Museum on February 23. He produced a professional DVD that can be seen on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWYqrWvACoY&feature=channel_page&fmt=18.

An account of the retirees’ museum tour is written up on the local’s web page at www.uaw848.org.

On a proposal from the Executive Committee, the group voted unanimously to spend up to $200 to investigate more ways to use video to preserve our local union’s history. They also discussed ways to get enough people to get a discount on an ocean cruise for retirees and other UAW members. Financial Secretary Rex Redden is making up a list of interested people. He can be reached at trexr@sbcglobal.net.

Retirees discussed some of the ongoing political issues of vital interest: health care, voter’s rights, and the Employee Free choice Act.

Retirees Take Fun Museum Trip

Labor Day "Biggest Ever!"

Brother Jim McCasland, Financial Secretary of the Dallas AFL-CIO, announced that the Labor Day breakfast was the biggest ever with a crowd approaching 500! Jobs with Justice had added 12 religious and community leaders to the many unionists in attendance.

The main speaker was Senate Candidate Rick Noriega, who began by thanking the people who served the food at the union-organized Sheraton Grand Hotel in Irving.

Unionists Spreads the Word on Fair Trade vs "Free Trade!"

The President of the Dallas AFL-CIO, Nancy Hall, expects to come to Local 848's September 21 meeting to explain why everybody must oppose the so-called "Colombia Free Trade agreement." She recently returned from a fact-finding trip there sponsored by the National AFL-CIO. More about the trip

President Bush is hoping to pass yet another "free trade" pact, this one with Colombia, before he leaves office. Nancy Hall can explain exactly why all legitimate U.S. and Colombian workers' organizations are dead set against it. She also drives home the importance of political activity by workers in the United States if anything good is going to happen.

On August 20, Hall took her message to the airwaves on the "Workers Beat" program that is presented 8-9 AM every Wednesday on KNON radio, 89.3 FM and www.knon.org.