The Weight of Leadership

Holding a position of leadership in the UAW is not about being a boss; it is about being a servant. The past four years, I have had the honor of serving as Vice President, with the assignments of the GM and Gaming Departments.

With the day-to-day operations, I am consumed with handling issues concerning contract enforcement, securing business, settling issues, implementing language and any number of items that impact our members who fall under the GM and Gaming umbrellas. These members are directly impacted by these efforts and I never lose sight of that fact.

However, being a member of the International Executive Board means I represent each and every member, both active and retired, at board meetings. Here the IEB vote on items that impact all members, across all sectors. These meetings remind me of the responsibility that comes with this job. I am proud of my voting record over the past four years, casting votes that I felt most represented the will of the membership as opposed to the will of a few.

The weight of leadership can be heavy sometimes, but that goes with the job. If a board member didn’t go to bed with concerns on their mind, then they aren’t paying attention. Sometimes a vote can make you unpopular with people you consider friends, but that is a burden each IEB member must bear. I will continue to fight to see that every member is represented, that we are being good stewards of your dues dollars and that we serve with honesty and integrity. This weight of leadership I carry with pride, and thank you for entrusting the job to me.

In Solidarity,

Mike