Donna 55% Winner, Jim Jr 45%
Mike O'donnell 68% Winner

1 Eboard Top Vote Getter Robin Gelet
9 Eboard Rob Crump
(other eboard winners at www.delphibuyout.com )

It's 12:37pm Thur and I'm exhausted. I've been up since .. all night.
I'm sure most of you that read this frequently know that I have much to say, but I'm friggen tired, so I'm just going to be brief.

Of course I'm disappointed. I really thought that this was a good entrance point for me to step in and rebuild the membership's faith in the union. Right now I attribute Donna's win to a combination of things. I said from the begining that it was a Win / Win because it's true. She has benefit knowledge. Maybe I made some mistakes, and maybe I spread myself a bit too thin. I still hold firm that Donna needs to be receptive to the membership's expectations and less go with the flow, however, she does know her stuff. It's time for more women to take on more leadership roles, god knows that too many greedy men have fallen short and made it hard for us guys that have sincere intentions; and that's coming from an independant that will more than likely vote for Hillary Clinton. (there goes 300 votes out the window for next election ;)

I think the positive thing to be taken away is that both Donna and I can sort through all the shots and apply the real criticism that was driven home. Off the top of my head I will adjust my foresite and focus it more on now the present; people don't care if you're running for janitor if they're mad and in the dark, they expect every union rep, regardless of position, to tell them something to make them feel better. Her leaflet talked about things that were on people's minds but had nothing to do with the Vice President's job. I think that Donna realizes too, that you can't treat the membership like children. You have to communicate, and make them understand why they have to sell their job or stay and take their chances for example.

I'm disappointed because the word "union' on the floor of 717 draws a tongue in cheek reaction. I would have reversed that sentiment. The demographics of our mixed membership right now played a major role in this election, and I'm ok with that. I know that Donna will take good care of the future retirees if her job is still justified.

I learned much through the campaign process and after the votes were counted. My friend Mike said that the people in his toolroom felt that it was nothing that I did or didn't do, but that I just didn't have the alliances that Donna had. I'm not looking for a defensive explanation, but that makes sense to me, because I didn't ask anyone other than Rob Crump for support. I wrote my own leaflet and campaigned indepentantly. I didn't criticize anything that wasn't real and true. Some people believe that if you don't play politics, politics will play you. Other people justify sh*tty politics by saying "what comes with politics..comes with politics." Sort of like Tanya Harding saying to Nancy Kerrigan, what comes with competition..comes with competition.

To Preface a Message
If you were to see someone flailing their arms, swatting the air, and yelling as they walked around the corner you would probably think that person is crazy “out there.” However, if someone helped you to see behind the corner, and you noticed the hornets buzzing around that person’s head and landing a few stingers, you would understand why the person was reacting the way they were. A few weeks ago I posted some pics of a bowl that someone down the Hall had written on and a picture of me with the caption modified. I thought that it was important to allow you to see why I have the attitude I do. I knew it was important that people understood that my problem with the hall wasn’t unprovoked. In May, myself and others made a case about sending delegates to the Convention; we beat the machine and a few people just couldn’t let it go. I thought that it was done and we had moved on.

I don’t believe that that Workers Comp. Attorneys arbitrarily web surf through a 717 election blog, nor can I agree that the phrase “30 bucks says Robin Gelet did it” is defamation of character. However, with that being said I should have asked her first before sharing my hunch. She didn’t hang the picture nor write on the bowl, someone else took the time to write on a bowl and hang a picture of me in the benefits office; for that I am sorry. I have no problem with apologizing. If anything, I apologize to anyone that is actually reading this. Now, while we’re already beyond silly, let me also say that I don’t agree that a picture that implies I used union money to go to Las Vegas for personal reasons, is in the same ball park as portraying someone in a stroller.
I also don’t agree that:

“30 bucks says it was Robin Gelet” is defamation of character but “free trip to Las Vegas” is ha ha funny. You can’t have it both ways. I can say hmm…maybe I was wrong, but not everyone can say that.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Tomorrow, November 10th 2006, will be my last day as a benefit rep. I was told that I will be removed effective Tuesday, 11/14. It has been decided that it would be best if I was de-appointed and put back on the floor in light of my open criticism of the union, the implied criticism of our president, and in my opinion our philosophical differences with respect to communication and unionism. I am not aware of who will replace me. Please continue to visit the delphibuyout site. It has been an awesome 10 years being the PM Benefit Rep and I look forward to representing you again someday. Thank you for voting for me.

Please SIGN IN and post your thoughts, or go to COMMENTS Below.
I'd like to read your viewpoint. Jim

Clay Pigeon Arguments from the Planet Mars
A review of Donna Williams’s Leaflet (updated and Final)

Donna Williams, my opponent for Vice President of 717, distributed her leaflet on Thursday November 2nd. You can’t judge a book by its cover, but it is a very neat and attractive leaflet.

Yeoman’s effort
Just as I anticipated, right off the bat, Donna’s leaflet was written by someone other than herself. This is what concerns me because when you’re in a conference room at the Double Tree Hotel, sitting across from Harvard Educated Businessmen and Women in Troy Michigan, Donna’s not going to have Karen or Donny next to her feeding her intellect and vocabulary. My friends in the plants don’t talk like that, and working with Donna for 10 years I have to say that...Donna doesn’t talk like that. Is Eric Wells still writing for people? I don’t know what Yeoman’s effort is. Anyone?

She won’t “bore” us with a list of her schools she’s attended.
I ‘ve heard a few people make fun of Mike Winkler because he said the same thing in his leaflet. I believe it’s really crappy to make fun of someone or cut them down because they don’t have a post high school education, so I'm not going to do that. Just like I wrote to Steve Miller in an email: some of us chose to start families in lieu of going to college. On the other hand, it’s not fair for her to discount education and information. We need a bargainer that will “lead us through the most critical phase of our history., someone with knowledge and foresight to deal with complex issues.” If I’m being charged for a crime that I didn’t commit, I wan’t the best educated lawyer I can get; a smooth talking well versed braniac. So, please… bore me. I don’t mind.


Donna, Kathy, Karen ..or whoever wrote… “Instead of dreaming up Open Houses my opponent should be concentrating on how to possibly maintain the union hall.”
Ya know.. it’s one thing to have a politician jab you for something you truly forget to mention or for not offering a plan for an issue, but it’s another thing to take a jab for something that you actually did address. If I was one ounce less poised, I would probably have to quit writing now and find a way to deal with the throbbing amazement I’m experiencing right now. This is from my leaflet:
Push for the Union hall to be utilized to the fullest. Hall rental fee will be re-evaluated and advertised. Explore the need for committee to manage advertisement of union hall and office rentals to help offset dues reduction and pay utilities. Hall rental fees & utility costs will be re-evaluated and advertised. Explore the need for committee to manage advertisement of the Union Hall and office rentals to help offset dues reduction and help pay utilities.
I’m not going to be nice and eloquent with my response to this bullet. Donna read my leaflet because she commented on it, and she knows where I stand on requests for donations. I’m the thriftiest person on that executive board. Although I know Donna didn’t write more than 12% of the leaflet, she signed her name to it and I want to be understood perfectly here: That was shitty. I sleep pretty good knowing that when the dozens of people told me that they’re voting for me because I’m out on the floor, I responded consistently each time telling them that "Donna works at the hall so you won’t see her in the plants." I sleep well because I also gave her the credit she deserved in my letter.
I’ve maid other recommendations to cut costs and save money, but like many other ideas of mine those recommendations were stomped by the firm. With that being written, I’m less than interested in flimsy one sided criticism

Survival, fish fries, and thinking ahead today for a better tomorrow.
It’s understood that we’re all concerned about surviving this bankruptcy, but the vice president has nothing to do with negotiating. If elected I will manage the union and the communications to the membership. I’m looking forward to working with the President to do just that, and have every resource available instead of being limited to only having a website for communicating with our members. Let me just say that the “Pie in the Sky” response is the cynic’s challenge to my philosophy on unionism and solidarity. Moreover, I don’t believe that the person who wrote this leaflet completely believes in what they’re saying. If I thought that, I’d have to believe that the yard signs, the rally, and the red shirts on Thursdays was just a sham. THEY were ABSOLUTELY not; they are pie in the sky concepts; that are encouraged to create a connection between our members and with our community. Some people need to be able to see and touch what they believe in whereas I don’t mind having faith in the things in life that you cannot touch.. or see. How was it that Jimmy Hoffa and the Teamsters shut down Washington for a day? Don’t you believe that there was some connection between all the UAW members that pulled off the first Sit Down Strike in the 1930’s? The answer is YES. You don’t pull of demonstrative manuevers like that without some commonality and a relationship; a connection that some might call an invisible pie in the sky concept.
“Rambling, and The Boring Thesis”
Yeah.. the nerve of Jim Martin Jr… talking about the future, being concerned, and irritating us with too many ideas to make things better.

“Out of touch”
Donna, believing that our members “appreciated” the attrition window and that the amount of communication provided by her friends was just.. fine, is what I call being out of touch. Donna was visibly animated in expressing her disagreement with my persistence to force Delphi to commit to last day attrition number reports. Why? That was a HUGE need of our members. In light of Donna’s perspective and philosophy on the “needs of our members,” the needs of our members were not addressed when we had 3800 members paying dues and with full time representatives, how on earth are those needs going to be addressed with 659 of us and a pocket full of $10/hr temps? Maybe Donna believes that she knows what’s best for us and we should just trust in our leader’s awareness of what they believe our needs are. As I’ve said before: “Daddy’s driving.., we members are the kids in the back seat and we shouldn’t ask where we’re going or how we’re getting there.” Just trust and don’t question them. Maybe there’s some partial truth in that belief, but even if there is, you CANNOT TREAT A LARGE GROUP OF ADULTS PAYING YOU MONEY, LIKE LITTLE KIDS IN THE BACK SEAT. Tell us that Kennedy and the legal staff advised you to limit your advice, or explain to us why exactly you can’t help us understand our options to the best of your knowledge. The over used and exploited excuse “We can’t help you make your decision” isn’t acceptable and in my opinion is off the point of the question of: where is the communication?

There was very little “available representation” when we needed it the most. I believe that our leaders did the best they could specifically with regard to making the best out of the bankruptcy card being played. I don’t believe, however, that there was enough forethought or “dreamers” thinking about the management of this mass exodus. I also don’t like the that the words “available representation” are being used by the ex-pension rep that chose to abandon the pension staff for the purpose of maximizing campaign exposure in the benefit office. Go ask our future retirees out at Cortland, Vienna, or Rootstown who are going to General Foremen for help with ordering pension papers. Ask them about what Grade they gave the union about the question of “available representation” and information. They’re mad because they’re in the dark. Frank and Mike can’t process 1500 people by themselves. If I would have been asked, I would have gladly filled in for Donna to allow her to do pension processing.

I don’t care who’s idea it is if it’s a good idea.
I’m all about Donna’s idea to request financial backing from the International to support our benefit services if need be, even if it’s only Donna answering phone calls. My father, Jim Martin Sr., will soon be a retiree and I want him and all of our retirees to have someone there for them when they have problems with Medicare coordination or prescription denials, for example. That’s a good idea.

Jim Martin Sr. – A tough act to follow.
Speaking of Jim Martin Sr, I want to take a break from the political opinions and talk about my father. He jokes that the worst thing he ever did was make me a Jr when I was born. In our cut throat political arena, I’ve occasionally had to address the Daddy’s boy label, and prove I worked hard to get my benefit rep job. Although I did race to the hall to put in my resume before he even knew I was interested, it’s a huge advantage when you have Jim Martin Sr as your number one reference. My first few years on the job I heard over and over again: “your father got everything paid back when he was the insurance rep.” “your dad took care of us.” Before I became a rep he would visit me on my press, and I would laugh because he started showing up on a scooter and a taking a secluded route to my department. He knew so many people that it would take him 3 hours to get from the front of 11 to the Saturn Press, because of the many friends he had made over the years wanted to stop and talk to him. He enjoys people and wears a smile 24/7. I have enjoyed and still reap many benefits from his likeable personality and reputation of being “a good man.”

I guess I take after him when I recognize his knack for standing out and getting to the front of each line that life presents him; from being the pick-up sergeant driving army generals to briefings in the Korean War, to getting certified as an electrician and becoming the Skilled Trades Apprenticeship Coordinator. Anytime there’s a problem with computers or electric at theUnion Hall he’s the go to guy. I’ve already asked him to pass me that torch, and hope to be as resourceful as he is. I believe that the qualities that we share make me all the more qualified to be a productive union leader, He has inspired me to do what many union reps have been unable to do: maintain a union representative job and maintain the membership’s respect. I admire him because that’s a thin line to walk on. Being Jim Martin Jr hasn’t been a burden, it’s an honor. Although I have worked hard to be where I am, I’m proud to have so much work ahead of me to achieve what Jim Martin Sr. has achieved for our union.


For the most part.
I want to say that I’m glad that Donna and her team didn’t kick around the petty politics and personal conflicts, like I thought they would. What we have to do is stop shackling people’s contributions and stomping out ideas that are worth exploring to make things better. Even if it might present a political challenge to your political partner or friend. Here’s why I’m such a pain in the ass and have such a big problem with some of 717’s past practice. Some people’s priority tier structure is upside down.
· Shackle other member’s positive contributions to ensure our re-election #1.
· Improve the health of labor and our union’s cause and provide the service we’re paid to provide #2.

I’m long winded because I want our union to get their priorities right.

I’ve made other recommendations to cut costs and save money, but like many other ideas of mine those recommendations were stomped on by the firm. I know a great idea that has been shelved because of the negative impact that it may have on someone’s campaign. Let’s call it the district and general election consolidation plan. With that being written, I’m less than interested in flimsy one sided criticism. Bang! (as the ceramic splatters in pieces and falls to the ground)

Concern about Bankruptcy and future negotiations.
Let me just get to the point. I have provided more information and demonstrated more concern for our members than everyone down that hall combined. The hall that Donna so blindly defends. She must ignore lack of communication with hope that it will go away. The vice president doesn’t do any bargaining, and even if the vice president has to bargain in place of the president, he/she will only be negotiating benefit language. My job as vice president will be to manage the affairs of the union hall and our officers. It’s the shop chairman’s job to address bankruptcy negotiations. I’m not going to address now what I won’t address when I’m doing the job. Just because I exercise foresight and plan for the day after, doesn’t mean that I’m not concerned about today. I am an optimist. When I post my research and thoughts about GM flowback, negotiations, temporary hires out voting us, and wage packages I get criticized for talking out of my league when I DO talk about it. She can’t have it both ways, it doesn’t make sense.

Pie in the Sky Ideas
I talk about ideas that could improve solidarity. I feel that if our leaders believed that we all shared enough confidence to draw a line and stand together, that maybe we would have went on strike when we had the chance before the buyout. There is correlation between my ideas and building a stronger union. Again, Donna doesn't talk like that. I noticed she addressed me in the leaflet as Jim. She has called me Jimmy since 1996.

Free trip?
I didn’t pay for my business meeting to Vegas nor did Donna pay for her business meeting to Orlando and Chicago. She’s playing on your lack of information. Yes, ..you on Mold 9, Press 14, or in Toolroom X. She’s a delegate too. We don’t choose where they hold the annual meetings. We’re going to have more discussion on this issue very soon. I know that a few other people have a concern about this topic, and as I’ve appealed to one of them; they really should be concerned.

NOTE ABOUT THE FILM FROM THE JIM: With all the writing, expressing, and describing using our ambiguous English language, it’s likely that a message or two may come off non-specific, and confuse exactly what message you’re trying to get across. I used the term “leaders” in general, to make my argument that Delegates are the Congress of the International. It’s a healthy check and balance. The film was NOT intended to incriminate any union official nor suggest that Donny was FOR the merger or was complicit in any corrupt event. Like myself, Don was a naïve character in the story, and I knew that he was AGAINST the CWA Merger anyway. I left the film open to interpretation, but I wanted to make the general argument that the delegates need to attend every convention to ensure that the check and balance component is functional, irregardless of who the person was or is in the future. Until recently I thought it was a good move and agreed with Ed Fire, incidental of the alledged hidden agenda to secure a 2nd fat international pension. CWA was a booming union that primarily represented a booming technologies industry. Money and political presence is a good thing for labor, whereas I viewed merging with the UAW as jumping out of a leaky boat onto just a bigger leaky boat. I’m not as certain about my thinking now as I was, but in light of the American Auto Industry’s struggles, the merger is worthy of debate.



Wrapping it all up.

I don’t like her leaflet because I don’t like the 3rd person questions and I the cliché political spins. However, I hope that Donna and I can get over this and move on to further 717. I think we could work together to fill in each other’s deficits and utilize our surplus of experience and knowledge. With all this being said from top to bottom including my paper leaflet, I still believe that Jim Martin Jr is the best choice for Vice President.

Possible Flowback option


Once again, I don't know IF UAW and/or GM will submit to Delphi and IUE's offer to allow flowback to GM locations. It's better to start condidering our options now, rather than wait for an official announcement and have another 45 day timer to decide our fate.. again.

Here' some things I've collected:

GM language (which may not even apply to our situation)
old bankruptcy negotiation notes( Tom Kennedy iue/cwa attorney & others)
uaw rumor roundup
possible locations listed in previous blog.

more to come...

Improvement Chart Break Down
Jim Martin Jr
Because I know there will be selective reading and recollection, let me say again that my improvements and initiatives are dependant upon the president and chairman’s cooperation.

• Push for encouragement of All Reps to provide leaflets, material and information consistently. Whether it be plant bulletins about SUB and Holiday pay, or yard signs; union reps sometimes generate animosity by providing materials to one group of people in one plant one shift, while other areas do not receive the same materials. Sometimes it’s an issue of one area or shift getting information or materials later than other areas. We’re competing with each other. There should be some consistency so that everyone is getting the same material information, within reason.
• *717 Website will be updated and maintained as needed during critical times. Weekly info leaflets or pre-recorded information phone message made available for those without computers. Although we do get the newsletter free of charge, it is limited with respect to the timeliness of current events. During contract times and times of crisis, it simply isn’t frequent enough. The union member – union leader relationship is no different t than other relationships in that there needs to be somewhat of a connection. Our jobs, along with God, blood, and money fall into the very important things category for most of us. If you can’t give us hard information it is your responsibility as a leader to make us understand why exactly we have to wait for the information we believe we deserve. Owning a website subscription cost $7.00/month and recording a prerecorded informational phone message is free.
• Encourage participation in committees and activities. Open to all members. Give members sense of belonging. Sometimes our members are sheltered from the activities and mechanisms of the union. To eliminate the Us and Them phenomena and make everyone feel apart of “The Union” we need to reach out and bring people in. The last thing we want to do is push away eager members because of the behavior of a few insincere people. Yes, there are those that abuse union activities to just get out of work, but we shouldn’t over generalize. We should be running front page adds for committee participation and make announcements at meetings. We can’t have this click shield around the Union Hall because it repels people that might otherwise be interested in getting active. Without the effort, the message WE ARE THE UNION is just letters on a T shirt.

• New pavilion committee will be formed. * UNITE 717: Member Get-togethers at union hall. Union gatherings: Meet your sister unions. Annual local Vs local softball games, fish frys, field trips, and concerts. Pavilion committee non-existent. No discussions about pavilion or events. Very little comradary or synergy. I believe that get-togethers will help us get together. Strength in numbers. Our members and our leaders need to share a level of confidence that will allow us to draw a line in the sand and stand behind it when the time comes. Once again, if we’re going to do this Union thing.. let’s do it right.

• Survey membership opinion about alternating union meeting times.ie.7pm one month, 12noon or 1pm every other. Push for better programs to encourage meeting attendance. What I’ve experienced in the past, and what has pushed me to this point of chronic criticism is the tendency of a few people to find flaw in one little bird seed and discount a good idea by throwing out the whole sack. I don’t care if I present the idea to power the Union Hall by installing underground solar panels; every member’s idea should be heard and appreciated. With regard to membership meeting participation we’re doing something wrong. I really believe that there is a correlation between communication, membership morale, and member participation and activism.
The Convention Controversy
• Push for the recommendation to send at least 1 non-automatic floor delegate to IUE-CWA Conventions. Over the last 2 YEARS, out of 8 elected delegates, not 8,7,6,5,4,3,2, OR EVEN 1 Floor DELEGATE has been recommended to attend. It's not only important to send a mix of delegates to Conventions, but it's important to send the right delegates. Watch this and tell me if you disagree. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUB6NckSOoo
Even when I wasn’t a top delegate this was a troubling issue. We have a membership that for the most part doesn’t understand how the union functions, or how the leadership is structured up to the international. Members sometimes don’t trust their leaders because they don’t KNOW their leaders. The delegates serve as couriers and vouchers so to speak. They interact with all of our leaders at the Conventions and absorb information about our jobs like worker bees. Delegates are functional because they bring this information back home; back to the hive. We weren’t in bankruptcy in 2004 or July of 2005, and I spoke out at the Executive Board Meetings about the importance outlined above. I thought that my message would stick and carry over to inspire some different consideration for 2006. It may have, but many members feel pressured to echo their appointers. The recommendation to only send Don and Gary was passed. This is what I call dysfunction. “Oh come on, everyone knows that those conventions are just a free vacation.” I spoke to a leader name Troy from Mississippi who had been coming to conventions since 1978, and I asked him what he thought about people that have the opinion that conventions are just a free trip. He said to me: “it sounds to me like that’s coming from someone who really isn’t interested in resolving anything.”

• I’ve recognized the same cynical sentiment with regard to union leadership school. Some people will discount and tear down everything about unionism just to win an election. My response is.. why do we bother then? These people are nothing more than TV evangelists. Insincerely singing the union song and playing the role to get a bigger paycheck. If this is where we’re headed let’s just call it like it is. I don’t believe we’re all headed this direction, but I will say to those that are: just call the union a service agency. We’ll pay a fee for a specific service. I mean if the heart and spirits not there, why masquerade? Union reps are just agents for hire. My answer is: we’re not heading this way. These people are just ultra-cynical, and their position is what the conventional garden variety person would regard as … wrong.

• Offer periodic education classes on interpreting agreements, the constitution, and union leadership structure. The primary rationale that I hear between the lines, when someone is justifying their unwillingness to share information, is that the members just don’t understand. We can’t be trusted to differentiate between tentative unofficial information Vs final official facts. For example: we better not spend money to send anyone to the convention, because we just got done moving elections down to the hall. Our members won’t understand. They don’t’ know what’s best. Maybe we need to push a bit harder to educate our members. I’m sure there are plenty of leaders that would speak for an hour or participate in a union education workshop. Most of our governing documents could be broken down by our own local leadership or explained in the union newsletter.
Annual Open House day at Union Hall.

• Tour the Union Hall and see how it operates. Again, this falls under education and understanding. I think you would be surprised about how a one hour tour coupled with an explanation of what exactly our union hall representatives do could change the opinion of members on the floor. Even if it’s only a handful, those handful of folks go back to the floor and share or circulate their experience.

• Push for a mandatory 24 hour return call policy for Union Hall Representatives. A select Rep would be designated to at least return calls to assist Benefit and Pension Reps. This improvement is closely related to the suggestion above. All I wanted to express with this suggestion is that people are unaware of how overwhelming the calls for representation can be. The criticism was misdirected, in that I believe the problem wasn’t about 1 pension rep’s inability to service 2000 potential retirees but the failure to plan ahead with anticipation that we had over 1500 folks that were retirement eligible. We should have exercised foresight especially considering that the UAW had already been through the buyout program. Because there weren’t enough reps trained to handle the call load, the calls stacked up for weeks. This was evident after hearing people at the top of the book complaining about having a call in for two weeks. UPS uses a rule of thumb for their service training model based on years of surveys and studies. They tell their new workers that they cannot even allow one package to be misrouted, because that one person that was disappointed will tell 10 people, and those people will 5 people. My criticism was laid out on the table so that we won’t ever have a situation again where members get so disgruntled that they promise to never join a union again. Unionism doesn’t need any help fading away. I hope Frank Murray will accept my apology for not being specific about my criticism.

• Mentorship program: Explore the need for more constitutional requirements for representatives to ensure orientation of new representatives. I’ve heard the stories about 55 year old grievances found crumpled up in the pockets of ex-zone reps and ex-shop chairman deserting the chairman’s office without handing over information. Need I say more? To chairman Arbogast’s credit, he did successfully pass some constitutional amendments that should address some of these concerns.

• Push for the Union hall to be utilized to the fullest. Hall rental fees and more importantly utility costs will be re-evaluated and advertised. Explore the need for committee to manage advertisement of union hall and office rentals to help offset dues reduction and pay utilities. It has been suggested that the cost of toilet paper and running the furnace for one day is almost more than the rental fee itself. I think this alone warrants some double checking. We may need to look at a separate fees to address the issue of higher utility costs in the winter. We can also looking at sharing the responsibility of turning on the furnace an hour before event start times. There’s no need to run the furnace all night Friday and Saturday. We also have a few offices that have been vacant for far too long. Time is money.

• All Benefit reps will receive adequate pension or 401k retirement training. In time of high demand, one pension rep isn’t capable of thoroughly answering 100’s of pension calls. Benefit reps should be trained all year round so that when we’re presented with a crisis, there isn’t a hurry up crash course issue. It’s just a matter of foresight. The entire division was told by management that benefit reps will be available to answer questions, but the benefit reps weren’t all trained. I was thrown out on the floor with very little training and then criticized for giving out inaccurate information. (???) Well, first of all, I did not retire anybody. Any person that I provided pension info to knew that I was in training and that they would need to see a pension rep down the hall eventually. It looks great on someone’s leaflet to say that I was some loose cannon giving wrong answers out to people on their last day of work and walking them to the door out to retirement, but that’s just not the case. Other than Frank Murray eventually giving me some back-alley pension training on his own time, I wasn’t trained at all. It’s my well confirmed belief that someone didn’t want me having pension knowledge because it would add a notch to my "electability" belt.
• Survey membership opinion about alternating union meeting times.ie.7pm one month, 12, or 1pm every other. Many people are already home and comfortable at 7pm on Sundays. It would be a nice alternative to explore, to allow people to come to union meetings after church or lunch, when they’re already out and about.
• Explore avenues to reform the Executive Board make-up with regard to board members also being appointed reps. I’m not saying that there is any direct pressure put on appointed reps to echo the positions of their bosses, I just see it happening sometimes. I’m an appointed rep and have not been threatened to be de-appointed. My boss, in particular, has been respectful in that regard. I’m just experiencing the delayed ramifications of occasionally differing. It has a little something to do with the noses of select cronies reflecting light in an earthy tone.
• Explore avenues to reform the guidelines for the election of delegates; specifically the guidelines that force E. Board members to vote for the recommendation to send themselves. If you read the constitution you will understand that, just like any other officer, executive board members are expected to do their job: direct the affairs of the union and make recommendations to the membership via voting. Well, if I hypothetically was the number one delegate and made the determination that it’s only sensible and financially responsible to send one delegate; Jim Martin Jr would have to raise his hand and make a motion to send Jim Martin Jr to Las Vegas, for example. Damned if you do damned if you don’t. If I make a motion to send all 8 or even 4 delegates at “$2200.00 per delegate,” I’m a reckless treasurer blowing the union’s money. If I make a motion to send 1 delegate, who happens to be me, I’m selfish. These provisions are flawed and demonstrate a recipe for conflict.
Is he running for Vice President or Delegate? I can’t believe we’re talking about trips to Vegas when our jobs are on the line. What does the delegates guidelines have to do with being vice president? I can hear it and see it now. There are people licking their lips to throw their bullets at me about the convention controversy. Once again, the coy innocent hat isn’t fitting.
I might ask the question, why is Donna Williams filling in as acting president? With respect to the administrative ranks, the treasurer is the next highest officer behind the financial secretary.

As a courtesy to my opposition, I will gladly fill in the blanks, and provide any missing information that is purposely accidentally left out of any campaign publications. If someone wants to just talk about the icing of an issue, I’ll be more than happy to talk about the cake; especially those creamy layers hidden in the middle. I know what you’re thinking: First the guy concedes to his opponent’s strengths, and now he’s helping her out with expected crap propaganda. This guy’s as dumb as a box of rocks.
Let me just say that .. I’m a giving person. I’m just glad to help anyone.. even my opponent.

The English language can be very vague. Let me be absolutely clear. I’m just trying to nicely say that it won’t be fair to write about pieces of a story without telling the whole story. Actually, to be forthright here on the spot, I’m so exhausted from all this fighting that I’ll probably just let it go. It would benefit me but not the union. There’s an abundance of criticism of my reactions but nobody seems to apply the same criticism to their action, which influenced my reaction.

Using the word “rhetoric” inappropriately is actually rhetoric in and of itself. However it’s a great way to discount someone’s opinion.

Strategies I’m expecting

• The age or kid angle. Jimmy’s a nice kid, but... (but..I’m 38)
• Cherry pick my comments and put them together to make me sound ridiculous. Yeah, if the 717 had fish frys and field trips we wouldn’t be in bankruptcy.
• Appeal to the Cynics and Pessimists. Oh come on… what’s he smoking? He’s not going to do all those things. Nobody really wants to get together.
• Issue X – I don’t know what “the kitchen sink” will be, but it’s coming. I’m truly running against Donna, two guys on deck to retire who don’t like me and have nothing to lose, and a few others that didn’t get their way one Sunday night in May.

I’d like to make sure that everyone on PM is aware that we no longer have two benefit reps sharing the division. As a result of the core job placement and buyouts, we have regrettably lost Tim Larricia. I’m doing the best I can to get to everyone in a timely mannor. This is a challenge sometimes because I do not start work until 3:30pm. This only gives me about an hour to call the benefit center and make my faxes. I do not have the luxury of taking my time to write neat notes on your bills and polish each fax cover page. It’s beat the clock and I can only focus on taking care of my work load and getting it done as fast as I can.

I want to site an example of playing ball with the team. Why is it that Don Torno has to wait one year for his charges to be processed because nobody will prosecute the charges, but Mike O’donald files charges and within weeks the request for a prosecutor was extended to the membership? This is also an abuse of control.
So Jim, you post all these opinions and criticism on a website, but why don't you confront these people? I have. I have a personal policy that says essentially, once I give a person the fair opportunity to listen to my complaint, address it, and then they ignore me; I don't allow that person's disrespect to take me out of my comfort zone and get me worked up. I just do what's convenient. I've been getting blown off for too long and I'm done wasting my time arguing with people that choose to be right and don't have the courtesy to talk to me.

GM Locations - I do not have any information about which plants will be absorbing Delphi 717 employees that want to relocate. I do not know anything about IF we will be able to flow to 1 or any of the locations listed below. I'm just thinking ahead and I thought I'd share my research with you. There are Delphi/GM news links at www.Delphibuyout.com, updated daily.

I understand that a Delphi representative has said that even if the union agrees to the $12.50, that it will more than likely phase out Warren Operations in a matter of years. The other likelyhood is that the new temp hires will outnumber and outvote us. $11.00 looks great to someone making $10.00/hr. It doesn't look good.

...and yet another mind bending decision. Jim

Local 1005 Parma Ohio http://uawlocal1005.org/
Local 2164 Bowling Green KY http://www.local2164.org/
Local 22 Cadillac workers" organized in September 1936 when Local 174 -- the home local of Walter Reuther -- was formed. The local was chartered as Local 22 in 1945. The 2,900 active members of the local still make the Cadillac at GM's Hamtramck (Mich.) assembly plant. Members of Local 22 also include 460 workers at the GM powertrain facility in Livonia, Mich.,
Local 594
The 6,000 UAW members who work at General Motors Pontiac (Mich.) Assembly Center make the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado medium-duty pickup trucks. Local 594 also boasts a 6,000-member active retiree chapter.
Local 14
More than 3,000 Local 14 members build transmissions for most GM light trucks and some cars at the GM powertrain plant in Toledo, Ohio. Local 14 also represents 600 members at GM's AP Parts division who manufacture mufflers and tailpipes for Ford and GM.
Local 2209
This Roanoke, Ind., local union represents workers at General Motors' Fort Wayne Assembly plant, part of GM's Truck & Bus group.
Local 31
Based in Kansas City, Kan., the 3,000 active members of Local 31 make the Chevy Malibu at GM's Fairfax Assembly Plant. The local also represents 2,700 retirees.
Local 276
Local 276 represents 2,800 workers at GM’s Vehicle Manufacturing Assembly Plant in Arlington, Texas, where they build the Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade sport utility vehicles. Based in Grand Prairie, Texas, the local was chartered in 1954 and includes 2,700 retired workers.
Local 1999
This is the local that represents General Motors assembly workers in Oklahoma City, Okla. Includes a wealth of up to date information and features.
Local 2166
This Shreveport, La., local represents workers making the Chevy S-10, GMC Sonoma and the Isuzu Hombre light duty pick-up trucks. About half the members were hired locally and the other half transferred in from other General Motors plants.
Local 2177
Local 2177's 280 active members work at the General Motors Service Parts Operations plant in Langhorne, Pa., bringing quality GM parts to area dealers. The local also has 280 retired members.
Local 2164 The Corvette is made by the 968 UAW members of Local 2164 at the Corvette plant in Bowling Green.

Jim's Leaflet


God, I hate even using that word "leaflet." So many politicians have exploited and violated paper that the word leaflet has acquired a negative connotation. That's why I thought that I would just put out a resume with a few notes. Maybe I'll inspire a few people to just make it a qualification contest. It's rough being an idealist; I get stuck between optimism and naivety. On that note I'll segway to my big speal on the importance of members attending conventions. The first thing I have to do is understand the school of thought I'm going up against. I think Donna, Gary, and Donny are good people at heart. I just believe that their union spirit tank is empty. Maybe mine will be as well someday, but today I believe in the whole UNION thing. You can't see the value to be had by co-mingling with other union members at Conventions if you no longer see the ideaology behind Unionism. I feel like I'm running against "he FIRM." Donna and her camp, in my opinion, don't believe in the Santa Clause of unionism. The spirit and synergy that drives the idea. There seems to be a sense of "oh come on, nobody really believes." "give me a break, union shmunion." Just bring me a bill or a grievance, I'll use skills and experience to solve your problem bla bla bla."

So what is a result and what is the cause. This is the old chicken or the egg question. Are 717 members apathetic because they've been disappointed, or were they always apathetic and therefore our leaders became apathetic. I'm not sure of the answer but I know that unionism doesn't work like it was designed without believing. I may go down as a sappy idealist, but at least I can say I tried. Without the spirit and synergy we're just agents and politicians. Union Shmunion.

So, the whole convention thing? It's all about the whole being greater than the sum of it's parts. Have you ever felt the spirit and energy in a sports stadium. Well the union component is the 12th man. It's just not the same sitting in your living room in front of the TV. Right now 717 is an just an agency sitting in the living room. We need that 12th man, and sending our members to Conventions is sending us to the stadium. I'm just trying to start the healing and appeal to our members to give Unionism another chance.

Maybe, I would be more inclined to pass on my delegate seat if I felt that certain other delegates really believed. It doesn't work if you don't believe. Yes, my leaflet was long. I have a lot on my mind and a lot to say.

Comparing qualifications for Vice President or acting president, I am not aware that Donna has anything to bring to the table except benefit knowledge. I've never known her to be on any committee or conduct any kind of a meeting. She's never demonstrated an active interest in government. She works her butt off at the Hall, but nobody really knows her. So, she's going to have to decide if she wants to stay in her lane and try to run faster and jump higher, or if she wan'ts to wait until th e last minute and throw a little oilslick in my lane. I expect the latter. Her camp will do the dirty work and I'll look for the kitchen sink to come flying a few days before we vote. There's a score to settle, and unfortunately for 717 they're going to use the democratic process to settle it. Don't worry though, they might tear me apart but they would never do that to you.... Unless you run against them. You're their "brothers and sisters." (every 30 day period before elections)

And they wonder why nobody comes to the meetings and to the rallys.

PS It doesn't work if you don't belive.

Changing Eboard Meetings to Sunday Afternoon




At the September Executive Board Meeting, a motion was made to move the Executive Board Meetings to Sunday for the purpose of saving money. I voted in favor of this motion because it's a fine example of pinching the right pennys. In contrast to, just as an example: pinching the wrong pennys by sending -0- floor delegates to the last three conventions. Also in contrast to the politicians at Eboard like to score their last minute hero points by cutting cost and saying NO to spending. (with the exception of UAW golf outing sponsorship We won't go there). We are looking at a challenging financial situation considering the loss of dues money, but a fire department doesn't file it's water bill to cut costs and save money. This is where I have a problem, when the politicians want to grandstand by saying Hey, look at me!! I'm a leader because I can vote NO to all spending. Cutting cost and cutting us off from information and much needed inspiration. This is what I call "pinching the wrong pennys."

I stand behind my decision to vote for the meeting time change. I have second guessed the effective date of the change begining this month and not when the next term begins, but I think that was just a trap that Don Arbo set to see if I would object. Then he or someone else could have said AH HA!!and put it in their leaflet. The days of old, are ending. The hog is now a strip of bacon and 717 will just have to simplify. Let's just make sure we cut the expendable costs first, before we sell our firehose.