By: Alex Ortiz

Happy New Year!

January is known for resolutions that don’t last. I personally reflect on what I did accomplish in the past year and what I need to keep working on moving forward. As the President of Local 659, I am proud of the work that has been accomplished on a day-to-day basis at the Union Hall, but there are many improvements that still need to be made going forward.

I know this article will be published following the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, but it is important to recognize the enormous contributions of Dr. King for the progress of the Civil Rights Movement in this country.

Dr. King’s legacy of challenging the racist laws throughout the country by strategic means was a master class of legal strategy. Dr. King knew that change toward equality for all citizens of this country wouldn’t happen overnight, and that is why we must continue to fight against discrimination of any kind.

The Labor Movement and the Civil Rights Movement go hand in hand. The UAW’s greatest past president, Walter Reuther, used the UAW’s power and influence to support Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement. It shouldn’t matter what your sex, race, religion or sexual orientation is. You should not have less rights than anyone else in society or in the work place. These rights should be self-evident and from a Labor perspective, unions fight for the rights of all workers! Rest in peace, Dr. King. Your legacy lives on.

Congratulations to Lear Seating Chairperson Jim Mosher, Region 1D Servicing Rep. Jeff Brown and the entire Lear bargaining team on finalizing a tentative Local Agreement. I have talked about the multiple contacts Local 659 has that have been negotiated over the past 14 months, and Lear’s is the last in this cycle.

There are informational rollout meetings taking place as I write this. It is my hope that by the time you read this the membership will have adopted this contract that will eliminate the second-tier wage group! The strong wage and benefit increases over the life of this agreement are tremendous for our Lear UAW membership.

The sign-up for the 2025 Special Attrition Program (SAP) for UAW- General Motors employees’ deadline has closed. Congratulations to those who have earned the right to retire under the UAW agreement and elected to retire.

The International UAW has said there will be another round offered before the expiration of the UAW-GM National Agreement, but not during 2025.

Local 659 is once again offering Pre- and Post-Retirement classes here at the Hall. It is for everyone’s benefit to attend these classes, not just for those retiring soon. If you are a new hire, these classes will help you plan for your financial future (depending on the class day). If you are in the middle of your career, these classes will let you know what to expect when you do want to retire. Please see the schedule and sign up by calling Donna here at the Hall.

The 2025 White Shirt Day Celebration will be held here at Local 659, “The home of the Sit Downers,” on February 11th. If you are new to the UAW, White Shirt Day is the commemoration of the end of the 44-day, Sit-Down Strike in Flint (1936-37) that won the first collective bargaining agreement with General Motors and recognized the UAW as the sole bargaining agent. The idea is to wear a white shirt like the bosses and keep it as clean as the bosses! So, wear a white shirt to work on February 11th as a show of Solidarity and celebration of the UAW.