Tag Archive for: LOCAL 900

WAYNE, MI – Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz joined UAW members and leaders at UAW Local 900’s union hall in Wayne, Michigan, to discuss the issues that matter to working class people in this election. 

Local 900 represents thousands of members at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant, one of the three original Stand Up Strike locals that walked out on September 15, 2023. These members were the leading edge of a strike that brought Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis to the bargaining table and agree to record contracts for 150,000 Big Three autoworkers. 

“I am so deeply honored as a lifelong supporter of union labor, for Tim and I to have the endorsement of the UAW,” Vice President Kamala Harris said. “When you know what you stand for, you know what to fight for. We stand for the people. We stand for the dignity of work. We stand for justice. We stand for equality. And we will fight for all of it.” 

“Thank you for the privilege of walking the picket line with you last year and thank you for allowing us to lift up our voices,” Governor Tim Walz told UAW members in attendance. “The work that you did didn’t just benefit UAW workers – it benefited all workers. So, I couldn’t be prouder to be on this stage and couldn’t be prouder to stand with the UAW.” 

“At the end of the day, we all know that we rise and fall together,” Local 900 President Dwayne Walker said. “And that’s why we need to be involved in this process. It’s now or never. We may never have this chance again. We need to be together, and we have to be proactive.”

“We wanted to let Vice President Harris know we got her back,” Region 1A Director Laura Dickerson said. “We’re proud that she stopped by to see us here in Wayne, Michigan. We know she’s with us because she understands that all UAW members want is to make an honest living, feed our families, and put our kids through college.” 

“I’m very proud, on behalf of the UAW, to welcome Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz to our house – to labor’s house,” UAW President Shawn Fain said. “This election is about a choice, about whether we continue forward or whether we go backward. This is a ‘which side are you on moment,’ and the choice cannot be any clearer.” 

The UAW International Executive Board voted to endorse Kamala Harris last week, citing her record of standing with the UAW and working class people, opposing anti-worker trade deals, and taking on corporate greed.  

On Wednesday, thousands of UAW members joined tens of thousands of Michiganders in welcoming the Harris-Walz ticket to the state, building a movement to win for the working class in November and beyond. 

The 100 workers at GNS North America in Canton, Michigan voted to join UAW Local 900, Region 1A on February 20th. These workers make hot stamping and conventional stamped parts for GM, Tesla, and Stellantis. This includes structural parts, roof enforcements, bumper components, B-pillars, and door beams.

“My coworkers, the VOCs, and I wanted to form and start a Union. We felt a change was much needed,” said Weld Operator, Gwendolyn Green. “I am very honored and excited to be a part of this group and most of all a part of the UAW once again.”

“Although the organizing process has been very rewarding; it was exhausting. Being under management’s microscope throughout the campaign and not knowing what new union busting tactics they would throw at us the next day,” said Laser Automation Technician, Roberto Garcia. “In spite of the company’s efforts to suppress our Union, we stood together in the face of adversity, supported each other, rallied others and ultimately, got the win! Looking forward to the much-needed change and a brighter future for all of us at GNS.”

Weld Automation Technician, Brian Herbst said, “Forming a union now gives us workers a voice that will be heard.”

“We welcome the GNS workers to the UAW and Local 900,” said UAW Local 900 President Dwayne Walker. “UAW Local 900 has a long tradition of standing with workers and the community to make people’s lives better. Congratulations on this hard-fought win!”

Region 1A Director, Laura Dickerson said, “We’re very excited to have the members of GNS as part of Local 900 and Region 1A. Workers are exercising their rights and making sure their voices are heard.”

LUCA Helps Us Stay in the Know

Danita Brantley accepts a LUCA Award
Local 900’s Danita Brantley, with her son, Kyle, also of Local 900, was honored for inspiring and mentoring other union
members.
Photo by Don Lehman, Local 249

When local UAW members want to know what’s happening in their local and what the issues are that bring them together — like who the best candidate for workers is in the upcoming election — there’s no one they trust more than their union local. The UAW members who make that communication happen work tirelessly, usually on their own time, to bring it to their union sisters and brothers. Using all the platforms available to them such as social media, photography, video, publications, websites, email, texting and more, the UAW-Local Union Communications Association (LUCA) on Aug. 25 honored those hardworking communicators for a job well done over the past year.

The UAW-LUCA communicators were recognized at their regular conference at the UAW Walter and May Reuther Family Education Center (Black Lake) in Onaway, Michigan, with awards for winners of LUCA’s Excellence in Communications Contests.

Winning the Alfred E. “Pops” Nudi Spirit Award contest in the Unsung Hero category, for inspiring and mentoring other union members for several years, was Local 900’s Danita Brantley. Brantley has been involved with her local for 19 years, is the local’s newsletter editor and was nominated for actions over the years that demonstrate “hope and solidarity for the future.” Local 685 Mike Rankert was this year’s Pops Nudi Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, having been involved in several leadership positions at his local, including editor and website administrator, for decades. He’s also a longtime LUCA member, taking his first trip to Black Lake in 1972.

Other first place contest winners Aug. 25 included Local 249 for Best Essay or Issue Article and Best Union Involvement Story in the Writing contest, and for General Excellence for a Publication Designed by the Local in the Publications contest. Local 412 was the winner of the Publication contest’s General Excellence for a Publication Designed by a Vendor. Local 933 took first place for Best Front Page Designed by a Local, and Local 598 took the top place for Best Front Page Designed by a Vendor, also in the Publications contest.

In the Website contest, the Best SolidWeb website award was given to Local 578, and Local 1981 received top honors for the Best non-SolidWeb website category. Local 602 took first place for Best Social Media in the Social Media contest, and Region 1A Retiree News was the winner of the Photography contest’s Best Photo category. Local 685’s Retiree Chapter came in first in the Video contest’s Best Video category.

There were many other award winners that night at Black Lake, but all the LUCA communicators there were winners in the UAW’s book. Congratulations to all!

Joan Silvi