We are all following a path that was laid before us. Those who came before widened the path, softened the route and made the way. We in the UAW can never forget the things our predecessors have accomplished.
As a union, we must continue to bargain for investments that keep job security for our members across all sectors. We must secure the jobs of our members today and tomorrow.
Those in leadership owe a debt to those we serve- the membership. You place your trust in leaders through your vote and in return we have to earn and retain that trust.
Integrity As Our Gilding Light
According to Mr. Webster, “Integrity is the firm, consistent adherence to a code of moral or ethical values.” Having held a leadership position in the UAW for the past four years, I can tell you without question a leader's first quality must include integrity.
Bargaining is a process of agreeing on terms and then adhering to those terms.
There are a lot of misconceptions around bargaining. No one person does it, bargaining requires a team. Each department elects a top committee to conduct negotiations. Every contract year, local unions submit demands for bargaining. Those demands are assembled and the top committee draft a strategy that is used at the table.
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.
