When Coronavirus struck in the United States, Ford and the UAW stepped up to help ensure that hospitals around the country had the supplies they needed to deal with the influx of patients. A new documentary by Friday Night Lights director Peter Berg shows how the union and the company came together to save American
As delegates gather online for this year’s historic Democratic National Convention, UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada says this online-only convention is key to success in November, especially for women. “It’s exciting because we have the first African-American and Southeast Asian woman vice presidential nominee running a strong, dynamic program,” says Estrada. “Kamala Harris understands the
Unemployment Insurance: Under the CARES Act, passed into law earlier this year, unemployed workers received an additional $600 in weekly benefits from the federal government. The $600 in aid expired at the end of July, leaving workers to rely on often meager state benefits. President Trump’s executive order cuts aid by $200, to $400 per
“Outside the bubble of Washington, D.C. our families continue to struggle with an economy devastated by this pandemic. This impacts UAW members, their families, their communities and their jobs, all of which depend on a resilient economy. This issue needs to be solved. In the short term, families need a temporary extension of current benefits,
The COVID-19 pandemic has sent our world into a public health and economic tailspin. As of May, the national unemployment rate was at 13.3%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Michigan, it is a staggering 21.2% — worse than the Great Recession. The Washington Post reports that more than 100,000 businesses have closed permanently.
“I would like to recognize and commend everyone who plays an integral part as essential workers across the UAW, with a special emphasis on my brothers and sisters who perform cleanup duties. We have always known our value and worth with the jobs we perform, from the roof tops and tanks to the tunnels below,
My Sisters and Brothers, I want to begin this message by recognizing the strength and courage of this union and each and every one of you. These past couple of months have been extraordinarily difficult for all of us — and for all of America. And as we work to open up our economy and
UAW Local 862 member and registered nurse Michelle Crumbie has worked in a hospital as an X-ray technician, and as a nurse in the hospital, the local health department and as a veteran’s benefits representative. None of those prepared her for COVID-19. As a nurse in an auto plant, it is a different world than
This global pandemic is a worldwide tragedy on so many levels for so many people, and the full impact is still an unknown. But what is not unknown is one undeniable, shameful story of inequality, of lost opportunity, of wasted minds and hearts, and of unnecessary pain and suffering. We need only to look at
When Ford Motor Company’s Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky, stopped production in March to prevent the spread of COVID-19, UAW Local 862 member and registered nurse Denise Butsch remained on duty. As one of the local’s six nurses, she answered calls and talked with members who had questions about the virus and resources, or anxiety