Auto workers react to the UAW's betrayal of conflicts contracted between GM, Ford and Chrysler

"They steal us, we have nothing!"

Auto workers react to the UAW's betrayal of conflicts contracted between GM, Ford and Chrysler

By
our journalists

September 14, 2019

The WSWS Autoworker Newsletter have met widespread opposition of workers to the conspiracy of the UAW company during campaigns conducted in auto manufacturing plants on Saturday afternoon.

There was a strong feeling for a united struggle of American auto workers with their counterparts in Mexico, Canada and internationally. "I read articles about the struggle of GM workers in Silao [Mexico] on your newsletter, "said a worker at the Delta Township Assembly Plant in Lansing, Michigan. "I would love to carry out a joint strike action with them against General Motors. I think a lot of people would do it.

"There is always the attempt to oppose each other," said another worker at the factory. "We have to stay together, regardless of the country."

Rosalinda, a Mexican worker who took part in the wild cat strike in Matamoros earlier this year, sent greetings to American workers. "I wish you all the best in your fight," she said. "Get ready, because in the war, there are always fallen soldiers. I was one of them and, believe me, the return to work was not easy because it was blacklisted after the strike. I am currently unemployed. I hope that in the fight of my colleagues from GM, Ford in the United States and Silao, all their jobs will be respected and preserved. "

At the Ford and Fiat Chrysler factories, many workers denounced United Auto Workers' decision to extend their contracts indefinitely, leaving General Motors workers, the main negotiator of contract negotiations, to defend themselves in the event of a strike.

"What everyone is asking is, if we are supposed to be all in the UAW, why do not we all strike together?" Said a second-tier worker at the Ford Chicago meeting. "Why do not we all walk together? It's starting to affect a lot of people. Many people think that if we all go out together, they will not be able to beat us. "

"In recent days, we have seen a significant increase in the number of union officials present. Not necessarily saying a lot, but watching us. The person distributing the brochure about a possible strike told everyone not to do anything unless the UAW did. "

The UAW is terrified at the prospect of not being able to force a concession contract, he said.

"That's exactly what people say. They converted a lot of TPT [Temporary Part-Time employees] but what the UAW did not understand was that the TPT did not forget that they had been screwed up for two or three years, with no signing bonuses or profit sharing. They will not want to vote for what the union will propose. "

"The UAW did not tell us anything," said another employee of the Chicago Assembly. "Many of us did not even know that the contract had been extended. I've been working here for eight years. It reminds me a lot of what happened in 2015. Hide the details, keep the workers in the dark, all to get another bad contract. "

A TPT worker spoke with activists at the Ford factory at Dearborn Truck. "I'm not surprised by the corruption," he said. "But they steal a lot of us, who have nothing at the bottom.

"I do not know if people know, but many TPT workers have to have a second job to survive. It's really difficult, you know. I am a mother of seven children. Sometimes I just can not believe I have to do that, but I do not know how to take care of my children.

"I have two jobs. I do not know how to make ends meet sometimes. I would also like to fix my teeth, but I have no advantage. It will cost me $ 300 just to get an appointment, x-rays and all that, even before they do anything. I just can not afford it. So all this stolen money makes me so angry. "

At Fiat Chrysler's Sterling Heights assembly plant in suburban Detroit, a worker said, "We need a new crew [in the UAW] because they are all corrupt!

Karissia interview with the WSWS Autoworkers Bulletins

She added, "If GM is not able to conclude a feasible contract, [GM workers] need to go on strike! Too many concessions have been made. None of these companies are trying to give back anything, yet they generate billions of dollars of blood, sweat and tears in these plants, and that is unacceptable. "

When asked what she thought of workers setting up grassroots committees, she replied, "I'm for." We have to go back to the time when the union was feared, basically. "

The UAW is continuing its information breakdown since the expiry of the contract, Saturday at midnight. It forces GM workers to stay at work without a contract on Sunday and will not announce its final decision on a strike or an extension of the contract until the end of Sunday morning.

"We have never heard of this contract," said a factory worker at GM's Delta Township plant in Lansing. "Whenever I ask someone, they can not tell me anything."

The worker explained how GM uses robots and other advanced machinery to reduce labor costs. "At the general meeting, they have a robot running on the line next to the workers. They eliminated a lot of jobs by outsourcing and introducing robots.

"Before, we had a complete line as long as this building to produce the engine rail. Now, he has already come assembled from a factory in Jackson. And the shock towers – we built them before. We had a lot of small containers with coins. We now have large containers with parts already assembled. "

Another employee from Delta Township said, "I heard that they needed medical attention. They have already made cuts. I had to pay $ 400 for a new pair of glasses. I even have to pay extra for safety glasses because I need progressive lenses and different mounts. He would "absolutely" support a strike against concessions, he said.

"It's terrible," said another worker. "[GM chief executive Mary Barra] makes more than $ 20 million a year. I will not do that in 30 years!

Another described the brutal work regime inside the factory. "I throw 10,000 pounds of steel by hand in nine hours. I weigh 127 pounds. Six days a week. In case of breakdown, we had to spend 10 hours a day for two weeks.

«Most OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] the regulations are inapplicable. No law protects me against that. There is no law in force forcing companies to give us a break after four hours. I have to have an MRI for my arms because I probably have carpal tunnel syndrome in both arms.

"Some laws protect animals, but no law protects us."

The worker denounced the UAW, which does nothing to protect workers against such conditions. "The UAW has become a business like everything else," she said.

We urge self-employed people to sign up for the Autoworker Newsletter online forum sure Thursday, September 19 at 7 O'clock: 0 0 pm EDT to discuss a strategy to advance this fight: wsws.org/autocall.

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