UAW Local 31

Retiree Chapter - Elected April 19, 2005
Chairman - Jack Yunghans		1st Vice Chairman - David Moreno
2nd Vice Chairman - William J. McNeal		Recording Secretary - Bobbie Bennett
Financial Secretary - Clint Simmons		Trustee - Bill Bledsoe
Sergent At Arms - Lester Minturn		Chaplin - Bobbie Bennett
Retiree Rep Executive Board - Clint Simmons		Recreation (Retiree's) - Johnnie (Lori) Cox
Community Service Committee (Retiree's)
Patricia Hull	Alice Hampton	Bobbie Bennett

By W. J. McNeal, Retiree Editor and 2nd Vice Chairman

Retiree Information & News

“Ten thousand times has the labor movement stumbled and bruised itself.  We have been enjoined by the courts, assaulted by thugs, charged by the militia, traduced by the press, frowned upon in public opinion, and deceived by politicians.  But notwithstanding all this and all these, labor is today the most vital and potential power this planet has ever known, and its historic mission is as certain of ultimate realization as is the setting of the sun.”
……..Eugene V. Debs 1894

May 27, 2008, Chairman Jack Yunghans and I attended Tri-County Labor meeting.  On Wednesday June 4, 2008, Jack and I attended our first meeting with the newly formed Intercultural Advisory Council at Kansas City Kansas Community College.  The jest of the meeting and goal of the council is to create an environment that values the uniqueness and maximizes the potential of all people.  Jack and I are going to do what we can to get more union/worker Buy American information to both the students and faculty.

Local 31 was well represented from June 8 thru 13, 2008 at UAW Region 5’s 66th Annual Summer School at University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK.  Brothers Wilbert Neal and Claude Thornton were instructors.  Others in our retiree chapter also attended: Chairman Yunghans; Brother Bill Bledsoe, wife Ina; Financial Secretary Bobbie Bennett; Sister Brenda Lakey; and Brother Jonnie Cox, wife Lori.  “Confronting Our Challenges”, “What’s at Stake” and “Taking the Future into Our Hands”, are a few of the issues addressed.  One of the highlights of the week was a class report given by a legal immigrant, Thuyet Q-Do from Local 218 in Fort Worth, TX.  He spoke on facts of foreign countries shipping of goods into the US via Canada and Mexico by trucking them across US borders, taking away US truckers and port jobs.  Mr. Thuyet’s motto is “Keep our money in our own pockets until we can spend it on US made products”.

UAW Local 31 Retiree Chapter Executive Board met on June 17, 2008.  The meeting opened with prayer and pledge of allegiance by Sister Mary Green of the Chaplaincy Committee.  Motions were made and approved to accept all reports as printed.  Jack gave a report on Region 5 Summer School in Oklahoma.  The trip to Warsaw is set for Thursday September 25, 2008.  We will leave the hall by bus at 7:30 am and the cost will be $22.00 per person, with a pay deadline of August15, 2008.  Anyone wishing to go can contact the Union Hall to get on the list.  If we don’t get enough, the trip will be canceled.   Brother Clint Simmons reported that we have raised about $1000.00 through different fundraisers to help offset trip costs.

A request for volunteers was made.  Anyone wishing to do phone banking for November election can call the hall to sign-up.

The regular retiree meeting that same day opened with prayer and pledge by Sister Mary Green.  The minutes of the previous meetings were read by Recording Secretary Vivian Lewis; membership approved.  Shop Chairman John Melton thanked the retiree chapter for their help and support during the recent strike at the Fairfax plant.  Melton also said that due to more production and retirement, over 300 employees from other plants were brought into the plant along with over 150 new hires.  The plant is currently working overtime daily and some Saturdays.  We then welcomed guest speaker Mr. Edwin A. Alft, American National Insurance.  Mr. Alft gave an eye-opening report on why we should update our home and auto insurance every two years.  “…minimum limits $250,000/500,000 bodily injury and un/underinsured motorist, $100,000 for property damage and $27,500-Kansas and 25,000-Missouri for personal injury.  It might also be a good idea to look into flood and earthquake insurance.  You can speak with Mr. Alft at (913) 334-6100, or contact your insurance agent.

Jack also noted that low-income residents of Kansas could get a discount on their phone bill up to $17.50 per month.  A national fund created by the telecommunications providers, for low-income subscribers, will provide the discount if you are single with an income of less than $21,000.  To get more information on this discount, call your local telephone company or by accessing the internet at www.kcc.state.ks.us/pi/pipeline.htm.

The 130th Emancipation Celebration in Nicodemus, KS will be July 24-27, 2008.  Anyone wishing to attend needs to get their hotel reservations made now.

Next Retiree Meeting is September 16, 2008.

W. J. McNeal
Retiree Editor

IMPORTANT PHONE
NUMBERS:
BENEFIT OFFICE:
913 321-5405
FIDELITY (PENSIONS)
1-800-489-4646
VEHICLE PURCHASE PLAN
1-800-235-4646
UNION HALL
913-342-7330

REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR ADDRESS & PHONE NUMBER UPDATED AT THE UNION HALL.