By: Shaun Windels

Ah, so we made it to June! Is it me or is this year flying by? First of all, I would like to apologize for not submitting an article last month. I know, I know, I said the last time I missed that I would work hard to not miss another Searchlight article. I mean it this time though. I will do better.

First and foremost, we recently held our Local elections and we have some new folks who were elected to positions. I would like to congratulate them on their win. I am sure they will all do well. I would also like to thank all the membership who took time out of their day to participate in the election process by casting their votes.

Last, but not least, thank you to the Election Committee for all the hard work and long hours putting everything together.

So, the month of June brings so much – the kiddos getting our of school and starting their summer vacations, planned family vacations, Father’s Day, Juneteenth, and the official start of the summer season.

Speaking of family vacations, I know most of you had already put in for your time off, which is good. I recently had a meeting with management on vacations/PTO. They have agreed that if you have Friday off, then you’re excused for Saturday without having to use PTO or calling in. So, if your manager or HR hasn’t gotten with you yet on cancellation of your Saturday PTO, then make sure you have that conversation with them and get all that squared away.

Now, I will remind you that this doesn’t change the contract and it’s just an agreement between the Union and management. That means that if it doesn’t work out, then they reserve the right to go back to how they were previously doing it.

That being said, I encourage all the membership to take your vacation time, do the things with your family, spouse, or partner that you’ve been wanting to do. Create those memories, take those pictures, and enjoy your time with loved ones. Life is too damn short to not do the things that matter!

As I type this article, the company is still in the process of hiring more folks, so that we can make work/life balance more of a priority during these times, and hopefully giving the membership opportunities to snod or take vacation time. We currently have 262 folks on the roster and they would like to bring on 16 more, so we look forward to seeing new faces in the plant.

As we approach summer and the warm weather, remember to dress accordingly, drink a lot of water, and stay hydrated as best you can. Your wellbeing and safety are important. We don’t want to see you get sick or even worse. Oh, and for those of us that sweat a lot, don’t forget deodorant. Yup, I said it, don’t forget it.

Now onto the elephant in the room – the strike on American Axle. As I type this, they are on their fourth day. Some of you might wonder what that means for us. The truth is, at this point, we just don’t know. However, what I do know is that we stand with the brothers and sisters at 2093, and if we are impacted by their strike, it’s a small price to pay, for them achieving a fair contract that enables them to have a better standard of living.

Don’t get me wrong, a layoff of any kind, regardless of the reason, is the very thing that keeps me up at night. So many of you have shared your struggles with me. I take that very seriously, and I understand the frustration and the difficulties that you are going through.

The Shop Committee will work hard to relay as much information as we can, and keep you updated as we find out what is going on.

I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize our brothers and sisters at Nexteer Local 699, as they are fighting for a fair agreement that they can stand behind. We wish them luck in coming to a good and fair agreement.

Lastly, before I sign off, I want to wish all the fathers a happy Father’s Day, especially to my father, who is always there for me when I need to talk or vent. He is my biggest supporter and my biggest critic, and he always makes the time to read what I have to say. So Dad, Happy Father’s Day.

Also, I would like to say happy birthday to all the members who have a June birthday. I hope your day brings you joy and happiness.

That’s it for me for this edition. I hope everyone has a good month of June. Be safe everyone and take care!