What will happen to 95?
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What' the future of UAW Local 95 when the GM plant closes?
JANESVILLE — Bob Alexander will never forget the 2003 tornado that demolished his union hall in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Now sitting in a hall rebuilt bigger and better, Alexander is dealing with another storm. It has enveloped United Auto Workers Local 1999 since 2006, when General Motors closed the neighboring assembly plant.
“If we had known then what we know now …” said Alexander, Local 1999’s president.
GM has left Oklahoma.
Alexander’s union local is a shell of its former self, getting by month-to-month with a depleted staff and decimated budget.
Since GM announced plans to close its assembly plant in Janesville, storm clouds have been building near UAW Local 95, which finds itself in a similar fight for survival.
Declining membership
As of Aug. 1, Local 95 represented 3,765 workers in 12 bargaining units, as well as 4,577 GM retirees. If GM and its supplier companies close their doors in Janesville, the local union will be left to represent 645 workers whose jobs are not tied to GM or its suppliers.
“If GM pulls the plug on Janesville, we’re concerned with how we’re going to keep our doors open,” said Andy Richardson, Local 95’s first vice president. “We will survive—maybe not in this building—but we’ll be here.”
With a full-time staff of four plus elected officers, Local 95 is an amalgamated union, meaning it represents workers in a variety of industries. Its high-water mark for membership was 1999, when it had 7,244 members. In the GM employment heyday of 1978, Local 95 had 6,466 members, but at the time the union only represented workers at GM, JATCO and Blackhawk Community Credit Union.
In Oklahoma City, Local 1999 represents about 1,000 GM workers in various stages of “pre-retirement,” Alexander said. It also has about 2,300 retirees. It represents no one but former GM workers.
“We’re continuing to function as a local union, doing everything the international is asking of us,” Alexander said
Local 1999 still distributes information, rents out its hall and runs classes to make a little money from vendors.
“We’re trying the best we can to stay open a couple more years, hopefully through the end of 2009.”
If GM closes the Janesville plant, Local 95 will continue to service its other units. It will also try to grow its membership by organizing other companies in the area, which union officials acknowledge is a difficult task.
‘Bean counters’
Similar to Local 1999, Local 95 will be forced to soldier on with a much smaller budget and quite possibly a much smaller facility than the one on Lafayette Street, which for decades has housed countless union meetings, wedding receptions and community celebrations.
This Labor Day weekend, the Local 95 hall is hosting the 18th annual LaborFest celebration.
Active GM and supplier employees pay monthly union dues that equate to two hours of pay. When they’re not working, the dues are cut in half, and most retirees contribute $2 a month on a voluntary basis.
Take away the GM connection, and Local 95 could see its annual budget from dues drop by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“We intend to be here and continue in this community and area and even build on what we have,” said Bob Vicars, who started with Fisher Body in Janesville in 1947 and has been involved with the union ever since.
Vicars has bargained local contracts, served as a regional UAW director and now represents GM retirees on Local 95’s executive board.
“I’m very proud of membership,” he said. “They donate and participate in all kinds of organizations. I think this year alone we’re well over $50,000.”
Vicars hopes a local coalition working to save a GM presence in Janesville is successful. That would keep Local 95 healthy for the foreseeable future, he said.
“They’re all bean counters in Detroit,” Vicars said. “If they see a way to make money in Janesville, they’ll do it.
“If they want us to make pencils, we’ll make pencils.”
Since GM announced its plans to close the plant, Richardson has spoken with Alexander in Oklahoma City
With a smaller budget, Richardson’s concerns center on training and education, serving Local 95’s displaced workers and retirees and keeping a staff to support those efforts.
Growing membership
Richardson said Local 95 has identified growth opportunities in the area. While he won’t name company names, he noted that the union represents workers in the credit union, health care and food equipment manufacturing sectors, as well as companies that make parts for the auto sector that aren’t tied to the Janesville GM plant.
The last non-GM unit Local 95 organized was in 2001 with a group of employees at Abitec, a Janesville company in the food ingredients business.
Richardson and Vicars are well aware of the data that show union membership is declining around the country. Between 1983 and 2007, the number of workers belonging to unions has fallen from 20 percent of the workforce to about 12 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Both men dismiss the argument that increasing union membership would be nothing more than an attempt to pad union bank accounts and keep union officials in jobs.
“Organizing in this day and age is much tougher,” Vicars said. “Employers have smartened up and have offered workers more.
“But if employees are dissatisfied, we can help.”
Richardson and Vicars said union representation gives workers a voice in the workplace.
“It gets them a contract,” Vicars said. “There’s nothing wrong with a contract. Most companies deal with contracts as they buy and sell things, so they’re familiar with contracts.
“About the only thing they don’t make a commitment to through a contract is their employees.”
Richardson and Vicars agree that Local 95’s future is filled with questions. Will GM survive in one form or another in Janesville? Will the union be able to weather a hit from the loss of GM and then grow its membership?
“We’re not dead, but we’re ill,” Vicars said. “The prognosis? I don’t know, but we’ve weathered some pretty bad storms before.”
LOCAL 95 MEMBERSHIP HISTORY
1935: The United Auto Workers gain recognition, and Local 95 and Local 121 form to represent workers in Janesville. Local 95 represented Fisher Body and Local 121 represented Chevrolet hourly workers.
1968: General Motors announces the Fisher Body and Chevrolet plant will be merged into GM Assembly Division. At the same time, UAW Locals 95 and 121 merge into what is now known as Local 95.
1978: Representing hourly workers at GM and JATCO exclusively, Local 95 has 6,466 members.
1999: Local 95, now an amalgamated union, hits a membership high of 7,244.
2008: Local 95, which represents 12 units of workers, reports 3,765 active members.
Sep 2, 2008 at 4:11 p.m.
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mytake4u: What does serving OUR country have to do with it? But you're 1/2 right-my mother has always been kind of old fashioned and doesn't like seeing women serving in ARMED combat. But-and with her blessings because we both believe in both sexes serving their country in some tangible way-I do serve my country.
No-you don't get under my skin really, because I expect your comments themselves give the best testament to your character. I suppose the same could be said about me because of the fact that I respond. (I am a protective female, even when it’s not needed.) Sorry-it’s in my blood. And I'm sure you exaggerate for effect.
But enough about you and me.
Sep 2, 2008 at 10:52 a.m.
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Hay how about the UAW-95 give some money to the disaster that happen down south,They take pride in giving to so many,lets see if they can.
Sep 2, 2008 at 10:02 a.m.
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RUserious....you SAY comic relief....but i get under your skin. while most of us served are country your mommy probably got you out of it..........LOL!
Sep 1, 2008 at 11:11 p.m.
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From all the negative posting regarding any aspect pertaining to GM workers and the union, if I were to locate a company here, I would think twice with all this talk about the drunken workforce which I know is false. Which company do you know of would like to employ the likes of these negative people? As for Generous Motors (the company); when production of its parts plants were outsourced or spun off and as Mexican Suburbans, Tahoes, and Chinese parts, etc. were being manufactured for a fraction of the US cost (according to GM), when did GM pass on that savings to the consumer? Get a grip! Did you ever see a reduction in prices? No, GM invested in real estate and some other really bad investments; that's where it lost its money. The Union didn't bust GM. GM did it all by itself and paid themselves unimaginable amounts in bonuses for making the fat cats at the top of GM fatter. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if they filed for bankruptcy and reorganized in a foreign country under another name so that they can cut all their obligations, just as other businesses have done, screwing the American people, ALL AMERICANS who worked for them and those who made them rich purchasing their product.
Sep 1, 2008 at 9:15 p.m.
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Iceman, my thoughts exactly. I am still yawning over that article. I would like to challenge the Gazette to write a tough and indepth story as to how GM came to closing here in our fair city. What really happened behind the scenes? Did UAW really help or hurt things? Did the workers demand too much? Was GM greedy or poorly run? Why did it take so long for someone to realize that SUV's were on their way out and no one was buying them? Does the Janesville Gazette have the guts to do this story? Inquiring minds want to know.
Sep 1, 2008 at 8:55 p.m.
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mytake4u: Horses whinny (whin·ny·ing, whin·nies) -people whine.(whin·ing, whines) and you sure have it down pat.
BTW,as I (and gmretired, ihavealife...) said, that $50 per is just what is on that record-the tip of the benevolence iceberg as far as GM worker contributions, both in time and $. And not bad either, that they save anything at all out from their drinking money (and time).
mytake4u-you and your "facts" are my weekly comic relief.
Sep 1, 2008 at 8:45 p.m.
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What will happen to 95? what?? You mean uaw 95? Who cares.
Sep 1, 2008 at 8:15 p.m.
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oooops. my bad. they gave $350,000. ok. that means with 8,000 members the gave what, $50 per member. LOL! 2 hours work for 1 year. wow, how generous. gm workers and lear seating workers drink more alcohol than that on the job every week and that IS a fact. we give more than that per year per person where i work and make half as much. you can keep defending that greedy bunch all you want. if i were you i'd hang on to that paddle you been saving since you've been kicked off your "gravey train" it looks like you're the one that's up the creek. and that is a good thing. now live like the rest of society and quit whinning.
Sep 1, 2008 at 2:55 p.m.
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UAW 95? Good riddance. Cannot think of one good thing they have done. Now that they cannot continue to get fat on all of the GM workers, they will make some excuse to go elsewhere or have little presence in our fine city. Go to Madison and work with the other phonies up there.
Sep 1, 2008 at 2:52 p.m.
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Here we go again, just bashing and not discussing the matter. It is a fact that UAW workers are the biggest givers in the United Way Campaign. Yes there will be many orginizations without much to use this next year so if your kids are in the boys and girls club or Kandu or anyother of many many orginizations that United Way funds, be prepared for cut backs.As for the building, it is in great condition and there will be someone who can use it I am sure..
Sep 1, 2008 at 1:14 p.m.
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mytake4u: Do you mean this statement? "“I’m very proud of membership,” he said. “They donate and participate in all kinds of organizations. I think this year alone we’re well over $50,000.”
That's hardly a penny by penny accounting of what the individuals or other "drives" do-it is his "off the top of his head" remark about what is done "officially", probably through voluntary deductions to go to one place they endorse for such deductions. Quite an average, considering it is just one of the countless ways donations of time and cash are distributed by many of these people, organized or individually, through the area in which they live. Do you really think he was counting donations he isn't even aware of? Individuals don't have to "sign in" when they make one. BTW-How about your company per employee?
Sep 1, 2008 at 12:53 p.m.
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GM loves Janesville.
Sep 1, 2008 at 11:50 a.m.
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labor VERSUS management is good and necessary to protect workers, etc. However, when it became labor VERSUS the company good, or for that matter labor versus everything (including company survival) that stood between it and better terms for the next contract, that marked the beginning of the end. In good times, it works, but when the economic cycle trends down, it doesn't work. No President, political party or ideology has a silver bullet nor can they 'control' the economy. It's globalism, scope and externalities all make it uncontrollable and only moderately affected by stimulus packages and the like. Unions which thrive and survive the good times and bad, are those which truly partner with owners to ensure as much stability as possible while attempting to grow the company or industry. Lessons learned? We'll see and we'll know when the next big union decides how to conduct themselves during negotiations.
Sep 1, 2008 at 11:42 a.m.
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ihavealife.....i got the numbers from the article above. did you read it? 8,000 members and donations of $50,000. that is less than $7 per member. really BIG hearted huh? did i miss something or did you? keep defending the UAW. i'm sure they will help you if you need help.....NOT!
Sep 1, 2008 at 8:46 a.m.
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I have lived in Janesville my whole life and I never realized how cold hearted and uncaring people in this town are. At least the people that worked for GM and the UAW are not as cold hearted as everyone else. I would much rather be associated with one of them then the likes of all you who think you know about GM and the UAW.
Sep 1, 2008 at 7:45 a.m.
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At least they will still have zachows (sp).
Sep 1, 2008 at 12:13 a.m.
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Amen
Aug 31, 2008 at 8:57 p.m.
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Just what I thought, the plant shuts down everyone gets layed off, but the Union guys still have a job, you can bet it won't be just the President either. That is the most corrupt bunch of good old boys around, they give away jobs that are called non-core, or now the trades, but there made up appointed jobs that most people don't know even exist keep going. Plus giving each other international jobs, congrats,
even with no workers in the plant the Union can keep there jobs, they negotiated it themselves for themselves.
Aug 31, 2008 at 6:49 p.m.
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How about A casino on one side and A new gentlemans club(since screemin meamies closed up shop now) on the other? I just don't think there would be enough parking but it sure would solve there revenue problems that will be facing them ahead!
Aug 31, 2008 at 6:17 p.m.
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nice one localboy....uaw members donated $50,000 to various organizations. they have over 8,000 members. let's see, that adds up to a WHOOPING $8 a year per member. OMG! that's pathetic! most ordinary less paid workers do much better than that. it just shows you how greedy the UAW members are. i hope UAW falls off a cliff!!!! YOU DESERVE IT!
Aug 31, 2008 at 4:39 p.m.
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Lost your job too, huh Gambler? How many years did you have in?
Aug 31, 2008 at 3:03 p.m.
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Mabee instead of going to Las Vegas for all of the so called conventions, they will have to cut back like the rest of us. It was a sad day when I told my maid that she had to go. So long and hasta la vista, baby.
Aug 31, 2008 at 11:58 a.m.
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GM would love to put a product in Janesville, This area is favored as it is away from the I-75 corridor in Michigan and Ohio. The problem is all the muckety mucks in the UAW are from that area That is why Lordstown,Hamtrammack etc. are getting work That old facility did not survive this long because GM hated it. GM loves the demographics in Janesville and may yet give you a consolation prize, not a vehicle but perhaps a SPO warehouse or such.
Aug 31, 2008 at 9:30 a.m.
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open it up as a pub and grub to the public on one side and keep renting it out on the other side, Or sell it.
Aug 31, 2008 at 8:03 a.m.
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Just a note: Non-union companies do have contracts with their employees. It is: 40 pay for 40 hours of work. Safe working conditions (OSHA), pay when there is no work (Unem.Comp), etc. When unions were created, the work place was lawless. Now we have many laws that protect workers and the only thing the union has left is frivolous benefits and protection, which scares companies because of the costs and environment of entitlement and mediocracy.
Aug 31, 2008 at 7:47 a.m.
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Do you mean the UAW 95 would reduce staff (layoff or dismiss) due to reduction in budget? Isn't that the same complaint they have of GM? GM isn't making as much money due to the economy and gas prices, so they are cutting production and people. I wonder if any of the staff at the UAW 95 will get 2 years pay after they are released, and a $40,000 lump sum when they leave? If not, hypocrosy at its finest.
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