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UAW International President
Stephen P. Yokich
State of the Union Address
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UAW International President
Stephen P. Yokich |
| On June 3, 2002,
UAW International President Stephen P. Yokich presented his final State
of the Union Address to the 33rd Constitutional Convention. President Yokich
stressed the obligation of every union member to carry on the fight for
social and economic justice. "Every generation has an obligation," Yokich said. "Your obligation is to build a better union. Take that to your union halls and take it to the streets. Bob King and Elizabeth Bunn need you out there helping them in their organizing efforts. We should be running out to help our organizers, without being asked. That's our job- that's the rank and file's job. You want a great union, you start with the rank and file and build up. You don't start with at the top and build down." During President Yokich's watch, great gains have been made in bargaining. He outlined a number of these including the addition of the Election Day holiday for workers in the big three, Delphi and Visteon. This addition made a difference in elections in 2000, and can play a role again this November. Yokich stated that in Michigan 75% of union households got out and voted on election day 2000. He reminded delegates that everyone should be at the polls this election day. "The day is not a day for doing nothing, but taking part in our political process," he added. |
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| Yokich also discussed the need
to have a global vision. "The union's vision has never been limited
to collective bargaining or the workplace. It's vision of dignity, freedom
and social and economic justice for all Americans." The UAW has been
a leader in the fight for fight for fair trade, and have protested the policies
of the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and International Monetary
Fund. They put corporate profits first, and pay no heed to the rights of
workers and environmental protection. The UAW has fought diligently against granting special privileges to countries such as China who repress their people and imprison trade unionist. The UAW has opposed trade deals that allow trade with countries that deny workers the right to organize. President Yokich reported that the UAW has gained 83,000 new members over the past four years. This was an increase of 20,000 members a year, compared to 12,000 a year in the previous four years. At the 1998 Constitutional Convention, the office of Vice-President of Organizing was established, and these efforts have repeated benefits. "It made a difference. You are the ones who voted in this new office and you are the ones who said we have got to spend more money on organizing. We would have even more members if it not were for the intimidation tactics used by some employers." Yokich cited the example of Alabama Parts Supplier ZF during an organizing drive. During the drive the company told workers that if the union were voted in, then Mercedes would cancel their contract. The union was voted down by a 2-1 margin. After a series of meetings with the company, ZF agreed to stay neutral in future drives. A new election was held and the union was voted in by a margin of 2-1. "Same plant, same workers. The only difference was no corporate terrorism," Yokich stated. "I know in my heart, if given a free choice, workers would almost always vote for unionizing. I know that in my heart, that someday the Nissans, the Mercedes, the Hondas and the Toyotas of this country will finally be organized." |
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