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.

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I'd like to read your viewpoint. Jim