By: Alex Ortiz

Happy New Year everyone!

January is when I take stock of the past year and make plans for what I’d like
to see moving forward. When I was first honored with being elected President of this Local, I wanted
more people to get involved with our Union locally. I felt sending more people to educational classes
would be the foundation of an active membership. We did send members to Summer school at Black
Lake and assisted those with attending other educational opportunities. I still feel that education is the
way to get people involved. I haven’t seen a huge jump in participation but I still believe we can make
consistent gains. So, moving forward, I think some things need to be shaken up to get our members
attention and show that we are willing to work for our membership and energize them about being a
part of the UAW.

Some of the upcoming classes will include a Retirement Classes, Financial Literacy, and Paid Educational
Leave. Don’t forget that your dues help pay for the classes at Black Lake and other local training. I
encourage you to attend your Unit meetings and the Joint Council where we discuss and approve
sending members to these events.

Don’t forget about White Shirt Day on February 11th . White Shirt Day started 10 years after the Sit-Down
Strikers in Flint, Michigan won recognition of their Union. The annual Celebration to honor the Sit-down
Strikers and the Women’s Brigade will be held at UAW Local 651. We have also arranged with a Union print
shop for White Shirt Day shirts and have flyers put up in the plants order them online.

We are publishing this paper after the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. It’s important to point out that
we are living in a time where people’s Civil Rights are being trampled on. US citizens should not be asked
to see their papers. They should not be imprisoned for exercising their 1st Amendment rights to protest
non-violently. Dr. King led the legal fight for Civil Rights through non-violent protests. We honor MLK by
remembering what he fought for but many, unfortunately, have not learned the lesson.

We were made aware of the resignation of the Region 9 Director in November as announce by UAW
International President Shawn Fain. UAW.org recently posted that “Delegates at a special regional
convention elected Jimmy Lakeman to serve as the next Regional Director of UAW Region 9, which
covers thousands of active and retired UAW members across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.”

The statement quoted Lakeman: “I am honored to serve the members of UAW Region 9 and to continue
fighting for our union. Together, we will focus on representation, enforcing our contracts, and
strengthening our community action program.” Director Lakeman will serve on the International
Executive Board until the next direct member elections for the UAW Leadership, that will take place
later this year. All candidates for that election will be nominated at the UAW Constitutional Convention
this Summer.

Your UAW Local 659 Facebook page and website always have the most updated information about
postings and Searchlight articles. Also, check your in-plant Union boards for additional postings!