UAW Local 31

Dedire Hawkins

Greetings Sisters and Brothers:

I would like to welcome all transfers and new employees to our plant.  I encourage you to attend our union meeting on the third Saturday of the month.  Executive Board at 1:00 pm and Regular Membership at 2:00 pm    If there is anything I can assist you with, please let me know.

Recently I attended the Leadership class in Palm Springs, CA.  One of the most interesting things was about foreign trade and the high content of lead in our household items – Lego toys, toothbrushes and toothpaste, dog food and many other things.  Please buy American-made products and start reading labels on the items you are buying.  Safety for you and your family should always come first.

My afternoon class was basic information on the UAW Constitution that was adopted at the 34th Constitutional Convention in June 2006.  It is somewhat the Bible of the Union.  “The Constitution of the UAW is the highest law of our Union.  It not only provides the basis of the day-to-day operations of the UAW, but equally important, it sets forth the rights, guarantees and responsibilities of all UAW members,” (Ron Gettelfinger)  One of my duties as a UAW member is to attend the union meetings on the third Saturday of every month, so I hope to see you there.

2008 is a very important election year.  The race for delegates is so close in both parties.  Consultants predicted that thousands of voters would attend the primaries on Super Tuesdays and they did.  At the Woodlands Race Track in KC, KS roughly 700 voters supported the caucus and roughly 3,000 at the KCK Community college.  As a former member of the worker-to-worker program, we know our hard work was not in vain.  In 2004 we stressed the importance of being a registered voter.  We canvassed workers at the plant, transfers with new addresses and family members who were not registered.  So to all the registered voters - keep up the good work and know that your vote does count.  If you’re not registered by now - don’t wait any longer.

If you missed the Valentine’s party hosted by the Recreation Committee you missed a treat.  One of our very own local members, Dustin Woods was the DJ and he kept the members on the dance floor.  The food was prepared by our own retiree, Libby Dantzler.  Thank you – recreation committee for always doing an awesome job.

Did you know that March is National Women’s History Month?  Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825 – 1911), an eloquent writer, promoted abolition and civil rights and the empowerment of women.  “Never settle for mediocrity when excellence is always possible.”
Remember – Knowledge is Power and it only takes one person to make a difference.

Solidarity Forever, 
Dedire Hawkins