This week the UAW is holding it’s bi-annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. On Tuesday, President Obama stopped by to address both the misinformation spread during the GOP Michigan primary but also some of the history involved. I paticularly enjoyed his “analysis” of the Job Cremator that won the Michigan contest. You will enjoy this speech and the President came to this event on a mission – Get Fired Up!
Browsing Posts tagged UAW
Today, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon visited the GM Wentzville Assembly Plant to celebrate the official announcement that General Motors will be investing $380 million in the Missouri plant.
In additon to over 1,600 new jobs at the plant and the construction jobs created by the 500,000 sq/ft expansion over the next year it challenges this recent story in the The Onion alleging an ancient race of job creators found in the Rust Belt.
Numerous scholars told reporters the findings have challenged everything they thought they knew about the fundamental organization of human societies, calling it “staggering” and “almost unbelievable” that a culture predating our own had been able to provide work to nearly every person who sought it.
“By today’s standards, the job creators’ society was highly unusual,” anthropologist Carla Delgado of the Smithsonian Institution said. “One of its more bizarre customs involved workers being employed at the same job at the same location day in and day out for their entire adult lives. It was grueling, perhaps, but astonishingly, some of these individuals were able to set aside part of their earnings for the future, slowly saving money with the hope of improving the prospects of their offspring.”
“The amazing part is, this bafflingly high level of economic security went on for generations,” Delgado added
I enjoy The Onion, but for thousands of Missouri residents and their families this story will remain just entertaining satire, thanks to the efforts of Governor Jay Nixon, the UAW, and General Motors!
Today, Governor Jay Nixon joined the Ford Motor Company and the UAW at a special event to announce a $1.1 billion investment in the Kansas City Assembly Plant and the addition of 1,600 new jobs at the facility. For those keeping score that makes four automotive plants that have started or expanded operations in the last two years – Smith Electric, Emerald Automotive, General Motors-Wentzville, and Ford – Kansas City.
According to Senator Rob Mayer, President of the Missouri Senate, this would never happen without Right-to-Work for less legislation.
Mayer said Missouri has had trouble competing for new automobile manufacturing plants because of the right-to-work issue. He noted that all states that border Missouri, except for Illinois and Kentucky, have such laws.
The tentative agreement between the UAW and General Motors will create over 6400 direct American jobs and thousand more in suppliers, vendors, and related occupations. 1,850 will be in Wentzville as they add a second shift to build full-size vans and a third shift to build a new mid-size pickup truck.
Both parties would like to thank the American consumer for their support. Buying American creates jobs! Speaking of which, General Motors Wentzville Assembly will be a Job Fair in O’Fallon, MO on September 29, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The event will be at the O’Fallon Civic Hall, 305 Civic Park Drive, O’Fallon, MO 63366. Bring your resume!
So in the last year, Missouri has seen Smith Electric in K.C., Emerald Automotive in Hazelwood, and General Motors in Wentzville announce or begin automotive manufacturing operations. Sounds like Right-to-Work for less doesn’t have much to do with manufacturing job creation. I would contend that the $5,000 less per year in wages that workers in Right-to-Work for less states earn mean less buying power for the middle class and even fewer manufacturing jobs. Funny how the facts defeat the right-wing spin on this issue.
The UAW Local 2250 (GM Wentzville Assembly) Women’s Committee organized a golf tournament that was held last Sunday, Sept, 11th to benefit the Women’s Safe House of Missouri. The tournament was held in Warrenton and has raised close to $2,000 with some more receipts expected. I had the pleasure of participating and would like to congratulate the Women’s Committee, President Van Simpson, and local leadership for a very well organized event.
The Sunday Post-Dispatch featured an article by Bill McClellan – Working to retrain, reinvent themselves , in which he described the efforts of many area residents to obtain new skills through “green energy” training conducted by the UAW and St. Louis Community College.
While the article discusses the Environmental Technician program there are three other courses of study – Green Energy Technician, Hybrid Automobile Technician, and Green Manufacturing Technician. These classes are open to any unemployed person, Republicans and Democrats, with the next round of classes starting in late September or October.
If you are interested in learning more contact the Deer Creek Career Center at 314-877-0001 and ask for Carol Johnson or Sally Sowards.
On Saturday, May 14, 2011 the UAW Local 136 (Truck plant) Retiree Veterans Committee sponsored their annual Support Our Troops Golf Tournament at Riverside Golf in Fenton, MO. All proceeds are used for care packages that are delivered to troops in harms way.
Thanks to the committment of Veterans Committee Chairman Jerry Dennison and his hard working volunteers this event has raised $6,000 to continue this effort. This tournament received the support of local small businesses and a number of labor organizations as 23 4-man teams competed.
The real winners were the over 2,500 troops that have received these packages in the past and the future recepients. A special thanks goes out to South County Dodge which has paid the approximately $32 per cooler postage for each cooler sent over the last three years. Thanks again to all that participated and helped support our kids and countrymen as they give us their best overseas.
