Broken Solidarity
Published by William Cory Stanley at Smashwords
Broken Solidarity. Copyright © William Cory Stanley. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles and reviews. For information, contact William Cory Stanley at cstan1008@aol.com.
FIRST EDITION
Book edited by Thomas Cirtin
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Disclaimer:
This book is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. While best efforts have been used in preparing this book, the author makes no representations of any kind and assumes no liabilities of any kind with respect to the completeness of the contents. This author tried to recreate events, locales and conversations from his memories of them. In order to maintain their anonymity in some instances he has omitted names of individuals and places, he may have changed some identifying characteristics and details in order to maintain obscurity. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be held liable or responsible to any person or entity with respect to any loss or incidental or consequential damages caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained herein. Any views or opinions presented in this book are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of any organization, person, or corporation mentioned herein. This book is not associated with or endorsed by the International Union, Local Union, or UAW. This disclaimer has been included in the free portion of this book. If you do not wish to be bound by the above, you should not purchase this book.
Dedication:
My mind races while preparing for the release of this book. I hear the admonitions of those filled with fear and trepidation as it relates to the words that are written herein. I feel the heaviness of all who have dared to question authority. The whispers of vindictive repercussions have weighed heavy in my spirit. All of that considered: I will not be silent.
I have prayed, listened, and sought the advice of some highly respected people while writing this book. I have carefully considered and questioned my own motives until the very end. It was never my desire to offend or condemn any one person or organization. I still believe that this story (your story) has the ability to challenge and inspire this generation to achieve higher heights and deeper depths. We mustn’t allow fear or those who demand a silent following to stifle our opportunity to change the world. While many have tried to suppress the voice of forward thinking, I’m reminded of all the great men and women who went before me.
Each and every word written herein is dedicated to the silent majority. It is written for my brothers and sisters who are too afraid to stand up. I wrote this book to honor the working class people, whose blood, sweat, and tears built the foundation of our great country.
We mustn’t forget the struggles of the early labor movement. Where would we be without the sit-down strikes of our early years? Where would this country be without the hard fought battles of men and women who left here with crippled hands and withered backs? Where would we be if all those with a voice had remained silent?
While I give honor to those that have gone before me, I write this for all who are determined to follow after.
“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” –George Washington
Contents
Introduction
1. Why Me
2. Political Agenda
3. My Political Secrecy
4. Troubled Politics
5. Nepotism
6. Good ol’ Boys
7. Union Finances
8. Union Meetings
9. Corporate Management
10. Historical Change
11. Secrecy
12. Not So Secret
13. Personal Change
14. Two Roads Diverged
A position of leadership can land you on an island where you are surrounded by “friends,” and yet stranded in loneliness because you can’t trust a single one.
Introduction
The United Auto Workers is one of the most controversial organizations of our time. Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying their impact upon the American industrial landscape. There are an estimated 710,000 people that are actively represented by the UAW. The effect these union jobs have on our economy is indisputable. Further, an estimated 1.7 million jobs are directly tied to the auto industry, and 2.1 million are indirectly connected. The wealth and power of the UAW should never be underestimated.
My journey with the UAW began on August 18, 1999. I began working for General Motors when I was just twenty-five years old. Honestly, I felt like I had won the lottery. I was making more money than I had ever made and more than most people I knew with a college degree. I was set for life—or so I thought.
I felt the indoctrination of the union almost instantly. All new hires are told, and fully understand, that their job is a direct result of having a union. This sentiment can never be overlooked. The pride that comes with carrying a union card is something that all members are taught. The old-timers, as we liked to call them, were sure to hammer home the philosophy that you weren’t just a union member, but a brother or sister. It was considered a badge of honor. This camaraderie is sometimes hard for outsiders to understand, but it is no different than any other group of people who fight for what they believe in.
Although I understand that our high paying jobs help set the standard for the rest of the working class, most people don’t care. Many in our society have grown weary of union antics, regardless of the trickledown effects these jobs have on our economy. Most UAW members perceive the public’s disdain for the union and its wage structure as jealousy. I see it as uneducated and misguided aggression perpetuated by media propaganda and misinformation. Some people choose to believe what they see and hear on television. While some of this negativity is valid, much of it can be attributed to political agendas. Union members are often portrayed as gluttonous, overpaid, and lazy. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The media seems to ignore the fact that our UAW members have been willing to make many sacrifices in order to keep their jobs. These sacrifices have come in the forms of wage cuts and benefit reductions. It has become way too common for the media to tell only one side of the story.
There’s no denying the historical significance of American unions. Our country, more specifically our working class, would not be where we are today without the blood, sweat, and tears of early union members. But we must shift our focus away from the historical values of the labor movement to the modern day reality that our understanding of unions, and specifically the UAW, has drastically changed. Not only have attitudes been dramatically transformed within our country as it relates to union activism, but also within the unions themselves.
The UAW perspective changed when General Motors came out of bankruptcy. Our members walked away from GM’s financial crisis with a seventeen percent stake in ownership. I’m convinced that this was a major turning point in the history of the UAW. When the union started taking stock for collateral, it was the beginning of the end. Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying; there were a lot of factors contributing to the unions shift in stature, but the biggest landmark was the shift in perspective that took place when it accepted a role as part owner. The lines that govern our system of checks and balances became blurred.
It is common knowledge that the general public has hated the UAW for some time. This disdain is clearly spilling over into the lower ranks of the union itself. It has become harder and harder to distinguish between company management and the higher officials of the UAW. Our union leaders once stood strong against concessions and givebacks, and now seem to be the very ones forcing them upon our members. The rank and file recognizes that we have crossed the ethical lines that once separated union from management. As a result, they no longer trust their union leadership.
I have to be honest, and this is going to sound strange coming from a UAW president: I never bought in. I became disgruntled with what appeared to be an imbalanced system as soon as I hired in. I can still remember my very first call for union representation. I was requesting help in a system that was stacked against me. My union representative said something that still haunts me: “I could do more for you if you had more seniority.” It lit a fire in me that still burns to this day. I knew that someone needed to make some changes, but I didn’t expect that person to be me.
You are about to see through the eyes of a regular production worker turned president. Up until the day I took office, I had never held a union position. I had attended less than a handful of membership meetings. I was not promoted because of who I knew or any previous involvement with union activities. I won my election because our members recognized that we needed change. We needed a fresh perspective from someone that had not been corrupted by past practice.
Prepare to see the UAW, the world’s most powerful union, as never before—from a position of leadership. One of the youngest presidents ever elected in the UAW is taking you behind the scenes. Imagine the perspective of an outsider promoted from the working class. Every chapter will be a key that unlocks an inner door of one of the most controversial organizations of our day.
Please rise for the Installation Ceremony.
You are about to be “sworn in” with a UAW president.
Chapter 1
Why Me
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:16-18)
Why would anyone want to be the president of a union? It appears that it would be more trouble than it’s worth. I would have to say, in hindsight, that it is most definitely not worth the headache. It’s one of those positions that everyone loves to hate, but no one actually wants to step up and do. I’m actually surprised that more of the critics aren’t jumping at the chance, especially with all the misinformation that seems to get passed around. There are always the conspiracy theorists who believe there are hidden piles of cash under every negotiating table. I’ve always heard that the presidents are getting paid in order to short change the membership. Let’s get one thing straight right now: I never got “paid,” and there were never any hidden piles of cash.
While it would be easy to get on my moral high-horse and say that money had nothing to do with it, I would be lying. Honestly, it had everything to do with it. It was all about the money. Now that I’ve got you picturing some nicely dressed president who sat at his desk like the Godfather, I’ll try and clarify. There was never the thought that I was going to find some mysterious pot of gold if I took the position. I was driven by the deep seeded bitterness that a person gets when their employer takes half of their wage. Only three years had passed since I was forced to take a fifty percent reduction in pay. It was never about the money to be gained, but the money that was lost.