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It is the last Saturday night in June and I am “putting the paper to bed.” “Putting the paper to bed” is a printing phrase which means getting the finished product ready for the printer. However, this is no ordinary issue of Steering South – this is the final edition. With our local transitioning to a retiree local, there will be no money for many things – including the newsletter. We plan to continue the website because it is much cheaper to operate, but this issue will be the swan song for Steering South.
I have worked on this paper since 1991 – a long time to be a local union communicator and have seen many other editors come, but I have been fortunate to work for this local for going on 19 years. It is indeed an honor to have reported the news to this membership for almost a generation.
I began my position for this local as a co-editor on the joint publication Southern Accents with Larry Morris and Tony Graviet and was added to the Steering South staff a few months later joining Editor Greg Greene. I worked with Greg a few months before becoming the editor of Steering South after Greg decided to take a break. Greg had worked on the paper from the first issue until that point. Since that time, it has been my responsibility and honor to hold this position.
In the early days, we had the world by the tail. Three plants, four thousand members and all the business we could handle. Our local was one of the largest in the region and had a number of people on the International Staff. Back then we were young and energetic and felt invincible. Who would have thought the day would come when our site would be closing, the industry taking a nosedive and General Motors being in bankruptcy. These are strange days indeed.
The “experts” and pundits have tossed around many ideas on what happened to the Alabama Site. Some have suggested the “UAW” was responsible for the site closing. Nothing could be further from the truth – actually it is because of the UAW this site stayed open as long as it did. Without the union contract, Delphi would have moved all their business to Mexico after NAFTA was passed. After all, Delphi was the largest private employer in Mexico even with the United States protection of union contracts. The fat cats at the top lived high on the hog, manipulated the stock and made business
decisions that doomed the business to their profit. Some even served jail time for their actions, while others used their millions to avoid jail. Of course, the ultimate corporate raider Steve Miller was brought in promising to “revolutionize the industry.” It appears we can thank Steve Miller for the situation we are currently in.
With that said, we should remember that what matters most is what we accomplished together. We built the products, drove the local economy, donated millions to charity and spent countless hours helping others. It is sad that no one in the local press has mentioned our community efforts, but those who benefitted know and it has been my honor and privilege to chronicle these events for you.
For the past 19 years this membership has shared their joys, fears, sorrows, victories, and family moments with me as I have written about them and I appreciate the candor and honesty in which you entrusted your most personal moments. It is my wish that each of you feel your trust and dignity has been honored in what was printed.
I will continue to handle the website duties and I will be writing things for that, but this is the last printed article I will write for you. Let me say thank you again for indulging me all these years and for listening to what I had to say.
Peace my brothers and sisters,
John Davis
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