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...