NEWSBREAK - Local 6000 · Maria Enriquez. Local 6000 Retiree ..... 4 L ocal 6000 is sad to announce passing of former President Lynda Denise Taylor-Lewis was born in Detroit, MI on

UAW Local 6000

THE VOICE OF MICHIGAN’S PUBLIC EMPLOYEESNEWSBREAKFEBRUARY 2019 Volume 34 - No. 1

Michigan’sBestBuy Union – Buy American www.uawlocal6000.org

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Union Basics 101: Disability ...............2President’s Report............................3Financial Secretary’s Report .............4

Biography ofMaria Enriquez.Local 6000Retiree ...............4

Local 6000 is sad to announce passing of former President Lynda Denise Taylor-Lewis was born in Detroit, MI on April 3, 1952, to Dorothy Mae

Taylor and Harry James Taylor. Lynda was the younger of two siblings.

Lynda attended the Detroit Public Schools and graduated from Cass Technical High School. Lynda attended Wayne State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After college, she taught in Detroit Public Schools before going to work for the State of Michigan. It was there that she began her long and dedicated work with the UAW.

In 1992, Lynda married Larry Keith Lewis, Sr. “Vegas style” and they remained married until his death in 2017.

Lynda was first elected chief steward at Forrest Ellery DHS. In her first full-time position, she served on the Wayne County Task Force appointed by Tom Mutchler in 1989. Later, she was appointed steward-at-large then, within months, recording secretary of Local 6000. In May of 1992, Lynda was elected President of Local 6000. She was re-elected 3 times as President, until she was appointed by Steve Yokich to serve as an International Representative.

As an active member of the UAW, Lynda moved into the presidency and some would say was the greatest President Local 6000 ever had. Under her leadership, the local united members from all parts of the state from across departments and classifications. A tenant of her leadership was that no matter how much the members of the team disagreed, they left the room united to serve the best interest of the membership.

She was an unabashedly fierce defender of UAW Local 6000. She believed in her staff, as she was able to obtain the ability of Local 6000 Representatives to arbitrate their own cases. It was a monumental accomplishment that ensured a high quality of staff representation.

She had the foresight to support the right to True Collective Bargaining by assigning staff to get that initiative on the ballot and it almost passed in 2002. It would have codified state employee rights and prevented the current bargaining relationship with the state.

Lynda fought vigorously, no matter if the Governor was a Democrat or a Republican. She had one true purpose, to protect and improve the working conditions for the UAW Local 6000 membership.

As a result of her outstanding leadership and commitment to the membership of UAW Local 6000, in 2002, she received the appointment by then-President

~ In MEMoRIaM ~

Stephen P. Yokich to work for the International UAW. Lynda was assigned to work in the Technical, Office, and Professional Department (T.O.P.) under Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Bunn. She was entrusted to work on a multitude of assignments, because leadership recognized she would give a vigorous representation of any members she worked with.

She negotiated contracts and handled grievances for membership at MGM, Greektown, Motor City Casino, State of Michigan, nursing homes and many others. Lynda saved hundreds of job through the years by browbeating management into a settlement and assisting other representatives. If we had the total numbers for sure, it would be impressive.

Lynda was proud to serve as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention from Michigan in 1996. Lynda retired from the UAW in 2016 ending her distinguished career to spend more time with her beloved Larry Lewis.

Lynda leaves to cherish her memory: her children through marriage, Antoninette Lynn (Mario), Kelly Ann (Eric), Larry Keith II (Chantelle); eleven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, counsins, friends. We cannot forget her puppy Double L. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dorothy Mae Taylor; her husband, Larry Lewis; her sister, Diane; her nephew, Kevin; and her great-grandson, Chase.

The Puzzles of Relaxation .................. 6

Lynda’s Story

Labor History ................................... 8Black History Scavenger Hunt ............ 9District Meetings ............................. 12

NEWSBREAK2 FEBRuaRy 2019

TRAINING from Front Page

TOPIC...

Long-Term Disability Insurance (LTD)

This column provides information about your workplace rights and other items of interest in regard to UAW Local 6000.

By Steve Schmitt, 1-D North Local Rep.

UnionBasics101

DUSTIN REINHARDT ..................DHHSVICTORIA RICH ...........................DHHSNICOLE RODRIGUEZ ...................DOCJASON RUSSELL .......................DHHSJASON SALAMANGO .................DHHSSAMANTHA SLONE ....................DHHSJOSHUA SMITH ..........................DHHSTARA SMITH..................................DOCADRIANN SPANN .......................DHHSPAULA STADLER ........................DHHSCAROL STOKES .........................DHHSKAYLA SZADO ............................DHHSBEVERLY THURSTON ..................DOCRACHEL TILMANN .....................DHHSCALLEEN TROYER .......................DOCALYSON VANDER VEEN .............DHHSAPRIL VAUGHTER ......................DHHSMERLE VOLLICK ..........................DOCRALPH WALLS ............................DHHSSAMANTHA WALTERS ...............DHHSLAWONNA WASHINGTON .........DHHSIAN WHALEN ...............................LARAELIJAH WHEELER ......................DHHSKYLE WHITBECK .........................TRSYLAUREN WILLIAMS ....................DHHSREBECCA WRIGHT ....................DHHSGINGER YOHNICKI ....................DHHSJENNIFER L. YUHAS ....................DOC

MEMBER DEPT.

ADEOLA ADEGBOYE .................DHHSLINDA AGUILAR..........................DHHSJASON ALEXANDER ..................DHHSALI ALKHOLANY .........................DHHSALISSA ALLEN ..............................DOCCINQUETTA AVERY ....................DHHSEDWARD BAH ..............................DOCMELANIE BAHAM .......................DHHSSAMANTHA BALL .......................DHHSTANYA BANKSTON .....................DHHSSTEPHANIE BECMER ................DHHSJOHN BOLDEN ..........................DHHSERIN BOX ....................................DHHSGABRIELLE BRADLEY ................DHHSFELICIA BRANDOW ....................DHHSTAMMY BROUGH .......................DHHSKATRICE BROWN .......................DHHSMONICA BULLOCK ....................DHHSSCOTT BURNETT .......................DHHSARTEMIS CARTER ......................DHHSSTACIE CARY ..............................DHHSTIARA CHAPMAN .......................DHHSKELSEY CHAUDOIN ...................DHHSSAMANTHA CHRISTIE ................DHHSTRACEY CILUFFO ......................DHHSJANICE CLARKE .........................DHHSMERANDA CLIFFORD ................DHHSJUSTIN COCHRANE ...................DHHSASIA COCKHERN .......................DHHSASHLYNN COUTURIER ..............DHHSCAITLYN CUSHMAN ...................DHHSKIMBERLY DAVIS ..........................DOELARISSA DIXON ............................DOCJOHN DORCY .............................DHHSJOSHUA ELARTON ......................DOCKRISTINA ELLIS ..........................DHHSCASSIDY FENSLAU ....................DHHSKERRY FISCHER ........................DHHS

BRIAN FITZGERALD ...................DHHSLILIANA FLORES.........................DHHSDIA GILBERT ...............................DHHSKARAMVIR GILL ............................DOCTRAVIS GLEASON ......................DHHSSHAWNTE GORDON ..................DHHSJASMINE GRANVILLE ................DHHSLESLEY GRAYSON .......................DOCSIMONA GREEN .........................DHHSEMMA GROVE ..............................DOCJEAN HAFF .................................DHHSHEATHER HALTER .....................DHHSGEORGE HAMEL........................DHHSDAAIMAH HARMON ...................DHHSMARIAH HARPER .......................DHHSTIFFANY HEATH .........................DHHSASHLEY HENDRICK ...................DHHSJAMES HENRY ............................TRSYMIRESSA HETRICK ......................DOCKATELYN HILL .............................DHHSGINA HOFER ..............................DHHSCHERYL HOLMEN ......................DHHSANNE HOLTON ............................TRSYANGEL HOMAK ..........................DHHSJORDAN HUYSER ......................DHHSDEVIN JACKSON ........................DHHSBEALINDA JAMES ......................DHHSSARAH JARRAD .........................DHHSCODY JOHNSON .......................DHHSLINN JOHNSON .........................DHHSDANIELLE JONES ......................DHHSJASON JONES..............................DOCKELLI JONES ..............................DHHSCARAH KANIEWSKI ....................DHHSASHLEY KEY ...............................DHHSSTEVEN KINASZ ...........................DOCDANIEL KINDE ..............................DOEKYLE KOSTER ...............................DOCJENNIFER KRATZER ....................DOC

PRouD To Payunion DuEs

Rebuilding America$1.00 at a time

Welcome to the Union Team – Local 6000SHWANDA LEE ...........................DHHSRAYNE LEITER ............................DHHSLEAH LEVERETT .........................DHHSSTEPHANIE LEVEY .....................DHHSANTOINAE LEWIS .......................DHHSMELISSA LEWIS............................DOCSAMUEL LOBBESTAEL ..............DHHSLORI LYNCH ................................DHHSHEIDI MACNICOL .......................DHHSSCOTT MARTIN ............................DOELINDSAY MARTINAC ....................DOCJASMINE MAXIE .........................DHHSSTEPHANIE MAY ........................DHHSJEAN’NA McCARTHA .................DHHSJOHN McDONALD .......................DOCNICOLE McGINNIS .....................DHHSANJELEISE McKINLEY ...............DHHSMICHAEL MENA ..........................TRSYTYWONIA MILLENDER ...............DHHSTAMI MILLER ...............................DHHSTESHA MILLER ...........................DHHSKINDRA MITCHELL .....................DHHSKAYLEY MONROE ......................DHHSSUZANNE MURE ..........................DOCLETESA NEWSOME ...................DHHSMAMADOU NIANG .....................DHHSTAMARA NORRIS .......................DHHSISIAH OTTEN ................................DOCDAVID OWEN-CRUISE .................DOCMORIAH OWENS ........................DHHSANDREW PETERSON .................DHHSKAREN PETERSON ....................DHHSLISA POLK-WOOLFOLK .............DHHSMELISSA POWELL ......................DHHSTERRI POWELL ...........................DHHSSHONTAE PRESCOTT ...............DHHSHEATHER PRICE ........................DHHSNIYA PRICE .................................DHHSCONNOR PRYDE .......................DHHS

Herein lies the issue and the reason to lead you there. One of the most overlooked and most needed benefit by all employees, but in particular by new employees with limited sick or annual leave, is Long Term Disability Insurance. Reasons for not signing up... ”it costs too much”, “I am young, have good health, and don’t need it”, “I will wait until I accumulate additional sick leave and when the premium goes down, I will pick it up then.”

There have been a number of times when the Local has spoken to members who used the

excuses above and did not choose Long-Term Disability Insurance. Whether it was the Tri-Athlete who threw out their back lifting a file or the worker who just found out they had cancer, the issue is always the same. When temporarily unable to work, upon exhaustion of your sick and annual leave, you are no longer on the State payroll and thus without health insurance. If you are not enrolled in Long-Term Disability Insurance, you are then without both income and health insurance, two items of critical need. Without LTD, your only choice in getting health insurance is using COBRA.

COBRA is a continuation of your State Group benefits that you were enrolled in, prior to benefits ending. For example: Prior to ending State employment you were enrolled in the State Health Plan PPO. When you choose to

enroll in COBRA and elect health, it is a direct continuation of your same State Health Plan PPO; the same is true for dental and vision plans. Health, dental, and vision are all available for continuation, and you may also be eligible for life insurance continuation if you are on a leave of absence or layoff from State service. COBRA benefits are extremely expensive ($600 - $2000+ per month), an unaffordable option.

If enrolled, employees must wait 14 calendar days from the date of disability or the date their sick leave is exhausted, whichever comes later, before LTD payments can begin. For full-time employees, gross monthly payment benefit before deductions, is 66 2/3 of the monthly rate of basic earnings. Part-time employees are compensated based on the

State employees are privileged to have some awesome benefits, made available at the bargaining table during contract negotiations. A complete list of benefits is located at the State of Michigan Civil Service Website (www.michigan.gov/mdcs): Employee Benefits tab. When you tab to Insurance Plans, pay particular attention to the York tab; York manages the Long-Term Disability Insurance benefit (LTD). If you click on that tab and open the “Plan Summary”, it outlines everything you need to know about LTD. See LTD INSURANCE on page 5

NEWSBREAK 3FEBRUARY 2019

PRESIDENT’S UPDaTE

Edward Mitchell

Agreement Approved by CSCNow that the new Collective Bargaining

Agreement has been approved by the Civil Service Commission, the Local Union has begun bargaining Secondary Agreements with the Departments. The current Secondary Agreements have been extended until December 31, 2019 or until an agreement is reached and approved by the Civil Service Commission.

After an Agreement is reached between the Local Union and the Department, you will receive a ratification ballot, unless the Agreement goes to impasse. After an Agreement is ratified by the membership, it will then go to the Civil Service Commission for approval.

The Local will then begin the process of proofing the Primary Agreement and preparing the Agreement for printing. Once the Agreement is printed, all members will receive a copy in the mail.

There are many changes underway concerning how the Local operates. Most of the changes will not affect the majority of the membership. However, you will see changes concerning how investigatory and disciplinary conferences are conducted and how grievances are handled. There will be no effect on your pay and benefits. As a reminder, all changes in benefits do not take effect until October 1, 2019. The Union will be back in negotiations this summer for pay and benefits for fiscal years 2020 and 2021.

There is a new Governor, Secretary of State and Attorney General. The new governor is still working through appointing department directors. The new State Employer is Liza Estlund Olson. Liza is the former director of SEIU Local 517M. The Union will be meeting with the new Department Directors through the Labor/Management process. If you have issues that you would like the Union to address with the new Department Directors and/or the Governor, please contact your Steward or Local Representative.

I am sad to announce the passing of former UAW Local 6000 President Lynda Taylor-Lewis. Lynda was a great president. I served as Vice President under Lynda for many years. Lynda will be missed.

Edward Mitchell, PublisherMiya Williamson, Editor

[email protected]

LocaL 6000 EDiToRiaL PoLicyThe mission of this paper is to strengthen the democratic efficacy of the Local Union members

by providing timely, pertinent and accurate information about the decisions and activities of Local Union 6000, the relevant affairs of the State and Federal governments, and the national and International Union movement. The paper is also the voice of the members. We welcome articles from members. While we welcome your contributions, we ask that they be constructive. All articles should contribute positively to the welfare of this Union and its members. We will accept a thoughtful discussion of all related issues in the letter column, and reserve the right to reply to those that seem to reflect a misunderstanding of the Union and its policies.

We ask that you keep your articles brief. We reserve the right to edit all articles. We look forward to hearing from you. The news and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Local 6000 or the International UAW.

3350 North Grand River • Lansing, MI 48901Toll Free: 1-800-243-1985 • Hot Line: 1-800-321-0829

Website: www.uawlocal6000.org

LucaLocal Union

Communication Assoc.

“The current Secondary

agreements have been extended until December

31, 2019...”


FINANCIAL SECY’S UPDaTE

Miya Williamson

In light of all the recent attacks on unions, I interviewed two retired union members; one from the automotive industry and one from the book binding industry. Rufus Reynolds, age 80, retired from Ford Motor Company, UAW Local 600

Rufus originally hired into Ford Motor Company in 1949. He worked as a Core Maker in Core Room

5 at the Ford Rouge plant. He was paid $1.50 an hour and at the end of the two week period he was handed his pay in a brown envelope – cash

A Tale of Two Union Workers

You are at the goal line and each decision is critical!What investments you choose now should reflect the amount of

time you are away from retirement as well as your age at retirement. If you are going to be under 59½ at retirement or semi-

retirement, there are ways through the IRS tax code that you can take monthly income without the 10% tax penalty. Many people would like to buy an RV, cottage or a place in the sun after retiring. Properly rolling over your PSP can

go hand in hand with these goals without incurring major taxes and penalties. There are many options to review and decisions to make before you retire and along the way to retirement.

Regardless of your age at retirement, you need to take into account what the amount of your pension may be. You will need to decide if you are going to begin receiving social security payments or to defer them. It also helps to anticipate what your monthly expenses will be (ballpark) including property taxes, excess insurance payments, utilities, food and entertainment.

This is also the time to assess how much risk you are taking in your PSP/IRA investment allocations. You should be able to reduce your risk and potentially increase your returns simply by reviewing your asset allocation. In many instances, people think they are diversified properly, but often own many overlapping investments. Having a PSP, an IRA, a ROTH IRA and a mutual fund does not mean you are diversified. Owning Fidelity, T. Rowe Price and American Funds, does not mean you are diversified. Having 10 different funds inside your PSP account does not mean you are diversified. How can that be? Because many of these funds own the same stocks and bonds. In other words, you may be putting all of your eggs in two or three baskets while thinking you have 10 or 12 baskets. This can increase your risk and reduce your overall return over time.

Navigating your descending approach to retirement does not have to be difficult if your know all of your options. Making informed decisions about how to invest in your PSP, how to name your beneficiaries , how to protect your principal in retirement, how to avoid taxes and penalties are all important factors in being financially comfortable in your retirement years.

Every move or play is important. Every decision made is going towards, or away, from your retirement goals.

Let us be your coach.Thank you,Michelle c. Gravelle, cFPCertified Financial Planner

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If yes, think of it as being in the red zone for your financial goals

Doug Gravelle, CFPInvestment Professional

Michelle Gravelle, CFPInvestment Professional

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to the penny. It wasn’t until later in his career that he began to be paid weekly.

The work was hard and hot because he worked next to the furnaces that heated the steel for the cores. Rufus said before the UAW negotiated the 30-minute lunch period, they were required to stand at their machines and eat lunch in 15 minutes. He remembers having to wait until a foreman walked by to give permission for workers to leave their machine to go to the bathroom or to go for a drink of water.

He also remembers the pride of wearing his Ford badge and UAW pin on his collar everywhere. The UAW and the Ford symbol meant you had an opportunity to have a decent life, a home, food on the table for your family and a chance to better your life. Most of all, Rufus remembers it meant a chance to give to your community because you could buy the product you produced and contribute to local businesses. Communities flourished because of the union wage that was circulating through the economy.

Rufus retired in 1980 after 32 years at Ford Motor Company. His father also worked at Ford Rouge and retired after 54 years of service. Upon Rufus’ retirement, he received a $758.00 per month pension, which he stills receives today, no increases for cost of living. He also receives Social Security. When he retired, it was a decent pension, but today with the rising prices of gas, taxes and health care, he barely keeps up. He continues to pay his UAW retiree dues of $3.00 per month, and says it’s the tribute he pays to an organization that continues to bring him pride and it gave him a part of the American dream.

Margaret Reynolds, age 66, is Rufus’ wife. She is a retired Journeywoman, book binder by trade. She remembers her first union job was in 1977 as a book binder apprentice at Dunn Bindery. She was employed there for 18 years.

She hired in making $8.00 an hour and after training for two years as an apprentice she became a Journeywoman. She earned $10.00 an hour, and when her company went out of business she was making $12.15 an hour. She remembers being proud to be able to have her benefits, which were 2 weeks paid vacation after her first year, but she did not have paid sick leave like many other union workers.

In 1998, Margaret went to work for Allied Bindery in Madison Heights. Allied was a non-union shop. She hired in making $9.00 an hour, and when she retired in 2006 she was earning $10.15 an hour. She stated it was hard to get days off if she had problems at home and calling in sick was extremely hard, because they wanted you in the shop to complete the product. She stated she received no pension when she retired and the company didn’t start offering a 401(k) plan until 2003, which was only three years prior to her retirement.

Today, she receives only her Social Security benefits and the small sum she managed to save over the three years she had her 401(k).

“The UaW and the Ford symbol meant you had an opportunity

to have a decent life, a home, food on the table for

your family and a chance to better

your life...”


DOC UPDaTE DEPARTMENTof CORRECTION

by Kelly Barnett, DOC Liaison and Statewide LM Chairperson

We realized that some employees don’t have a basic understanding of Director’s Office Memoranda (DOM), so let’s start there. A DOM is set to expire after one year; however, it can be reissued the following year. You will usually see a DOM when a policy and/or procedure has not been created yet.

Did you know that the DOM for Annual Leave Scheduling is not a mandate? The department issued a revised DOM 2018-27R Annual Leave Scheduling on December 27, 2018. The DOC Statewide Labor Management Team met with management again on Thursday, January 24, 2019. Members of the team heard that several different locations were scheduling annual leave in variations of the DOM and that some weren’t using it at all. This was very interesting to us, because it had been presented as though everyone would be required to follow it.

According to Labor Relations, the very first paragraph speaks to how it is used. “Management will identify the groups of employees (a) to whom this Annual Leave Scheduling process applies and (b) among whom the Annual Leave Schedule will be passed.

Of course, our question was, who in management identifies which “groups of employees” will participate? For FOA, the Assistant Deputy Directors will make the ultimate call. That would be Beverly Smith for Metro Territory and James Blakely for Outstate Territory. For our CFA staff (i.e. Teachers and Corrections Program

Annual Leave Scheduling (Part 2)Coordinators), the Warden would determine if you must follow the DOM. For Healthcare, it would be the Bureau of Healthcare Services Acting Administrator, Marti Kay Sherry. The rationale is that there may be a smaller “group” that doesn’t need it at all.

Corrections is the only depart-ment that made an immediate sweeping change to annual leave scheduling. According to Labor Relations, proposals for changes may be taken up the chain of command. That means this is not a mandate! It means that manage-ment can tweak the process.

Although Civil Service made scheduling a prohibited subject of bargaining, FOA didn’t have to change the scheduling period for a full calendar year. Administration could have allowed scheduling from November-April and May-October, as the Secondary Agreement had allowed in the past. This would have decreased the amount of chaos significantly. It was done like this in some locations.

Let me be very clear. The Union recognizes that scheduling is now a prohibited subject of bargaining; however, it takes labor and management to make an effective organization. The Union has a wealth of knowledge to contribute, even if management is not required to bargain with us over an issue.

Please contact your Steward and/or Local Representative with any questions or concerns you may have.

We look forward to serving you!

DHHS UPDaTE DEPARTMENT ofHEALTH andHUMAN SERVICES

by Jim Walkowicz, UAW Local 6000 DHS Labor/Management Team Chairperson

At the January DHHS statewide Labor Management meeting, we had an extensive discussion about the problems with Universal CaseLoads (UCL) project. This meeting came right after DHHS announced they were delaying the rollout to any new counties. The department stated that they needed to get a handle on the problems of UCL in the counties that already have started. We will be having more discussions on this in the future.

Caro Center Hospital – Plans for the new state hospital in Caro are still going forward. However, currently, there is an issue with a lack of psychiatrists at Caro, so psychiatrists from the other state hospitals are being rotated there on a temporary basis. The Union has had meetings with management to work out the pay issues for those being mandated to go to Caro.

In Children and Family Services (CFS), the continuing problem of

turnover of staff was discussed at the January meeting. DHHS is being allocated an additional 175 more CFS employees statewide under legislation signed at the end of December. However, DHHS has a hard time filling all their positions in CFS right now, so the Union asked how they will be able to hire an additional 175 if they cannot fill all the positions now.

Part of the reason for the need for the 175 more staff in CFS was the results of the Children’s Protective Services time study. The results of this time study were released publicly in January. The time study showed what a lot of people already knew. The caseloads in Protective Services are too high, and there are a lot of barriers facing employees.

At the March Labor/Management meeting, new DHHS Director Robert Gordon will be attending to listen to some of the concerns of the Union.

Questions or comments? I can be reached at 313-999-9418 or [email protected]

Stay Connected to Local 6000Each day, State workers are faced with new challenges. Assaults

on our contract and benefits along with rising workloads continue at a rapid pace. To stay united and to protect our rights, workers must stay informed. Local 6000 has several methods to keep you, the member, informed and updated.

• Facebook – Local 6000 now has a Facebook page which is updated daily. The page now features short videos on current events, updates on important issues and pictures of union functions. Find us at facebook.com/UAWLocal6000. You do not have to join Facebook to view the postings.

• The Local 6000 “Can We Talk” initiative now has a YouTube site. This site contains the latest videos, including interviews about current issues. It’s a great way to learn about your union and to stay up to date on union events. Recent videos include: the DHS picket, interviews on the reduction in force, elimination of now-FIS positions, and what are your benefits as a union member.

www.youtube.com/user/CanWeTalkLocal6000

• For Twitter followers, current information on issues can be found at https://twitter.com/cwtLocal6000, or @cwtlocal6000

• [email protected]@

number of basic hours paid in the prior fiscal year. If an LTD claim is approved, the State will pay both the employee and employer share of the premium for both PPO or HMO health insurance for 6 months, thru an LTD Rider. Dental and vision are not paid via the LTD rider.

If you are not enrolled in LTD or any other State employee option, you should carefully consider your options. The Open Enrollment period runs from August 1 thru 24 each year. Do not set yourself up for financial ruin. Protect yourself.

If you have questions about any benefits please contact the Local at 800-243-1985. Members from Region 1A should contact Nicole Jones and Members from Region 1D should contact Mike McWhirter.

LTD insuRancE from page 2


cWT Madison Heights DHHS

by Kim Williams, Local 6000 Rep.Anyone visiting the North Central

DHHS office in Wayne County can’t help but notice “pictures” hanging on walls throughout the building. The “pictures” are actually puzzles put together by employees who chose to work on them during their lunch as a means of relaxation. The puzzle pieces were

simply left in the lunchroom area and any employee who wanted to could work on a puzzle. After a puzzle was completed, it was glued to a board and hung on a wall.

As I was being escorted throughout the building looking at the puzzles, an unidentified female employee stated that the puzzles were a welcome break to help wind-down from the sometimes awful stress of investigating and seeing what happens to children. She stated that workers see children injured, abused physically and sexually, and sometimes even child deaths. Working on the puzzles allows time to re-focus and clear the mind for at least a few minutes.

Hello from Maria Enriquez,

I am a Lansing Ml resident; a retired State of Michigan employee and an active UAW Local 6000 retired member.

I served as a UAW Local 6000 Chief Steward throughout my State of Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) employment experience. As a Chief Steward, I was a past Chairperson to UAW Local 6000 MDCH Labor/Management Team and served as the UAW Local 6000 Health and Safety Representative for MDCH.

I presently have a seat on the Lansing Area CAP Council as the Local 6000 Representative.

Past trainings include: •ExpertWitness•ConflictMediation•Self-ImageandProductivity•BasicCollectiveBargaining•HowtoTeachAdults•PoliticalProgressionforLeaders•EffectiveProblemSolvingandDecision-making•IncreasedHumanEffectiveness•LegalRights

My work experience and some of my community involvement history include the following:

•Flint Spanish Speaking Information Center Education Program Director •FlintYWCAAdult/YouthProgramDirector•FlintHumanRelationsConflictMediationProjectCoordinator•StateofMichiganJobServiceInterviewer•StateofMichiganCourtOriginatedLiabilitySectionDept.Technician•MemberofPastOrganizations:APRI,ACLU,CLUW,FLOCLansing

Memorial Board, Lansing Race Relations Committee; most recent successful political effort: VIVA Whitmer

My goal in life is to continue working in a UAW capacity where true collective bargaining policies are practiced. That fairness with upward mobility is extended to all. Where experience is as valued and rewarded as is new skills and new energy.

biographyMaria EnriquezLEgisLativE Liaison

The Puzzles of Relaxation


Los Angeles Teachers Stay Strong; Win Improvements

Less than a month into 2019, the teachers of Los Angeles have proven that last year’s wave of collective action isn’t quieting down. After taking to the streets in a strike that has captured the country’s imagination, members of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) are returning to classrooms today after overwhelmingly approving a paradigm-shifting contract that delivers on key demands.

For six days, more than 30,000 UTLA teachers went on strike to shine a light on the daily realities of a neglected and underfunded public school system. They demanded better, and by standing together, they won it. Here are just a few critical improvements in UTLA’s new contract:

A much-deserved 6% pay raise with no contingencies;

A nurse in every school five days a week;

New Congress Begins with Influx of Worker-Friendly Members

The 116th Congress has been sworn-in and it features a diverse group of members who are more friendly to working people than their predecessors in recent Congresses. Not only does the new class of incoming Senators and Representatives have the largest group of women ever and the first Native American women, the first Muslim American women and the first openly bisexual Senator, it features a dozen union members and even more worker-friendly members.Union members in the 116th Congress include:

• Sen. Jacky Rosen (UNITE HERE) of Nevada• Rep. Ed Perlmutter (LIUNA) of Colorado• Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CWA) of Connecticut• Rep. Jahana Hayes (AFSA) of Connecticut• Rep. Dave Loebsack (AFT) of Iowa• Rep. Stephen Lynch (Ironworkers) of Massachusetts• Rep. Donald Norcross (IBEW) of New Jersey• Rep. Pramila Jayapal (NWU) of Washington• Rep. Kim Schrier (Public School Employees) of Washington• Rep. Denny Heck (Public School Employees) of Washington• Rep. Ilhan Omar (AFSCME) of Minnesota• Rep. Colin Allred (NFLPA) of Texas

And while the new Congress starts their term, more than 800,000 people working for the government went without paychecks because of the shutdown. – Kenneth Quinnell-AFL-CIO

What is the difference betweena CrIMe versus a hate CrIMe?by Celia Ontiveros, District 1-D Rep.

A hate crime is a crime motivated by prejudice, when the assailant targets their victims based on their membership in a certain social group or race. Groups based on ethnicity, disability, physical appearance, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation. Hate crime incidents involve physical assault and/or damage to property. They include physical violence, harassment, verbal abuse, insults, offensive graffiti and hate mail.

Lynching of African Americans in the South, burning of crosses on lawns, assaults of White people traveling in predominantly minority neighborhoods, assaults on lesbian, gay, transgender people, painting of swastikas on Jewish synagogues are examples of hate crimes.

According to the FBI hate report released in November 2018, hate crimes have increased by 17%. The most common bias categories in single-bias incidents were race/ethnicity/ancestry (59.6%) religion (20.6%) and sexual orientation (15.8%). Law enforcement reported 7,175 hate crimes to in 2017, up from 6,121 in 2016. Many hate crimes go unreported.

There have been numerous videos in the news and on social media showing hate-filled verbal and physical abuse. Witnesses have pulled out their cell phones and recorded how despicably hateful people have conducted themselves in public. Many have faced prosecution or have been terminated from their jobs. So what can we do about it?

The Southern Poverty Law Center has an excellent booklet titled “10 ways to fight hate, a Community response guide.” In it, they recommend:

1. Take action 2. Join forces 3. Support the victims 4. Speak up 5. Educate yourself

If you are interested in the guide, it can be downloaded from the SPLC website, or I can send you a link by emailing me at: [email protected].

“To make a difference in someone’s life, you don’t have to be brilliant, rich, beautiful, or perfect. You just have to care enough and be there.”

– Anonymous

A teacher librarian in every secondary school five days a week;

Hard caps on class size that will go into effect immediately in 2019–2020, with additional improvements every year after;

A commitment to reduce testing by 50%;

Hard caps on special education caseloads; and

A clear pathway to cap charter schools.

“For too long teachers have lived with a hard truth to tell—that for years our students were being starved of the resources they need,” said UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl following the vote. “Our expectations were fundamentally raised by this strike. Together, we said we deserve better, our students deserve better. We must keep our expectations high and not let go of this moment, because the next struggle is right around the corner.”

2019UAW Campground

Sites available for $35.00 per dayUAW Members: Sites available for $28.00 per day

Pets allowed for a fee of $5.00 per day

Open May 3 through late fallCheck In time on the day of arrival shall be 2:00 p.m.

Check out time on the day of departure shall be 11:00 a.m.

Call for your reservation today! Walter & May Reuther Family Education Center

2000 Maxon Rd. Onaway, MI 49765

(989) 733-8521Fax (989) 733-7293

[email protected]

opeiu494/afl-cio

2019UAW Campground

Sites available for $35.00 per dayUAW Members: Sites available for $28.00 per day

Pets allowed for a fee of $5.00 per day

Open May 3 through late fallCheck In time on the day of arrival shall be 2:00 p.m.

Check out time on the day of departure shall be 11:00 a.m.

Call for your reservation today! Walter & May Reuther Family Education Center

2000 Maxon Rd. Onaway, MI 49765

(989) 733-8521Fax (989) 733-7293

[email protected]

opeiu494/afl-cio

6. Create an alternative 7. Pressure leaders 8. Stay engaged 9. Teach acceptance 10. Dig deeper


RETIREES

Please keep Local 6000 updated on any address changes.

Through the voluntary dues program, if you wish to donate $3.00 per month, please fill out the application below. Retirees $3.00 Dues – by 36th UAW Constitutional Convention Action in June, 2014, the voluntary dues were established at $3.00 per month. Fill out the application below. Dues must be submitted with application. Make check payable to: UAW LOCAL 6000. They cannot be deducted from your pension check.

CHECk ONE: ____Surviving Spouse ____ Retiree

Name: ________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________

City: _____________________________ State:______Zip:_____________

Phone (Cell): ____________________ (Home)_______________________

Local Union #____________

Email ____________________________________________________

Mail to: LocAL 6000 RETIRED WoRKERS cHAPTER P.O. Box 40720, Lansing, MI 48901-7920

PLEASE SUPPort

YOUR UNION

Labor History

1937Just days after the autoworkers’

victory at General Motors, more than 100 women workers at one of the forty Woolworth stores in Detroit, Michigan, begin a sit-down strike over wages, hours, working conditions, and union recognition. Solidarity action in support of the workers was incredible. The strike spread, and on March 5 the workers won their demands, including the union shop. The union won a uniformed contract for all forty stores in Detroit, which covered 2,500 workers.FebRUARY 2, 1977

Chicago legal secretary Iris Rivera is fired for refusing to make coffee, sparking protests by secretaries across the metropolitan area.

FebRUARY 5, 1993President Bill Clinton signs the

Family and Medical Leave Act, which requires most employers of 50 or more workers to grant up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for a family or medical emergency.FebRUARY 5, 2003

Circuit City fires 3,900 experienced sales people and eliminates commission sales. Sales plummet and in six years, the company declares bankruptcy.FebRUARY 4, 2009

President Barack Obama imposes $500,000 caps on senior executive pay for the most distressed financial institutions receiving federal bailout money, saying Americans are upset with “executives being rewarded for failure.”FebRUARY 16, 2011

Public schools in Madison close after teachers call in sick to protest Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s bill that would strip the state’s 175,000 public employees of their collective bargaining rights.

FebRUARY 23, 1864Kate Mullany, a 19-year-old Irish

immigrant, leads members of the all-female Collar Laundry Union in a successful strike in Troy, New York, for increased wages and improved working conditions.FebRUARY 24, 1912

Women and children beaten by police during Bread and Roses textile workers strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

1968Some 1,300 sanitation workers

begin what is to become a 64-day strike in Memphis, ultimately winning union recognition and wage increases. The April 4 assassination in Memphis of Martin Luther King, Jr., who had been taking an active role in mass meetings and street actions, brought pressure on the city to settle the strike.

“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”

– MARTIN LUTHER kING, JR.

100 Woolworth workers strike in Detroit, MI - 1937

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., marching with strikingMemphis sanitation workers - 1968


1. In 1964 this black musician’s record bounced the Beatles from the number one spot on the Top 40 list, a great feat in the age of rock.

What is the name of this musician and what was the name of his hit record? _________________________________________________________________

2. If you are a person who has had cataract surgery, then you should be very thankful to this black woman scientist. She was born in 1942 in Harlem, New York. She developed a laser that changed the treatment of cataracts, which are the leading cause of blindness in the world. She conceived the Laserphaco Probe, a medical device that improves the use of lasers to remove cataracts. She completed the device in 1986 doing research on lasers in Berlin. She patented the device in 1988, making her the first African-American woman to receive a patent for a medical purpose. Three of her four patents relate to the Laserphaco Probe. In 2000, she was granted a patent for a method she devised for using ultrasound technology to treat cataracts. Who is this black pioneering woman scientist who has helped restore vision to people who have been unable to see for decades and has helped prevent millions of others form going blind? ___________________________________________

3. This black man invented the car record player “autophonic.” What was his name? _______________________________________________

4. This Creole businessman, philanthropist and human rights activist was born poor on December 28, 1810 in New Orleans, Louisiana, as a free person of color. He started out selling cakes to workers, opened a small store, was a school teacher for a time and became successful at money lending and real estate investment. He was reputed to be the first black man to be a millionaire in the United States. He never married and died on December 22, 1893. Who was this rags to riches black man?

_________________________________________________________________

5. This black woman scientist was born July 24, 1892. Her study of chemistry led her to develop a treatment for leprosy. At the young age of 23 she developed this new technique. Unfortunately, due to her untimely death at the age of 24 she was unable to publish her revolutionary findings. Arthur L. Dean, a chemist and the president at the university she attended published her findings without giving credit to her work and named the technique after himself. Later a colleague spoke out about this and she was given credit for her revolutionary work after her death. What is the name of this black woman scientist? _________________________________________

6. Moses married a black African Ethiopian woman. We learned in the Bible in Numbers that “Miriam and Aaron (Moses sister and brother) spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman who he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman” (Numbers 12:1). A Cushite is from Cush, a region south of Ethiopia, where the people are known for their black skin. What is Moses’s wife name? _________________________________________

7. The X-Men comics creator Stan Lee said in an interview with CNN that when he developed two (2) of his beloved comic book X-Men characters, Dr. Charles Xavier and Magneto, they were inspired by two (2) Civil Rights Movement activists. Lee said “they were meant to emphasize the conflict people who felt that we’ve got to all work together and find a way to get along, and people who feel we’re not treated well, therefore we’re going to strike back with force.” What black Civil Rights activist did he base his X-Men characters after? __________________________________________________

8. She claimed that she never sung a song the same way twice. She said she played with rhythm and phrasing like a jazz instrumentalist. What is the name of this black female singer? ____________________________________

9. This black woman was born into slavery in 1832 in Tennessee. After the end of the Civil War she was freed. She headed north on the Mississippi River working on riverboats and acting as a servant and laundress for families

along the way. She ended up in Toledo, Ohio, living a life that was well outside the norm (in a convent). She worked as a groundskeeper at this religious community, which still exists today. Her gruff style and penchant for cursing raised eyebrows in the quiet convent. Historical records show that the nuns complained about her volatile temper and her “difficult” nature. She did make a friend: Mother Amadeus Dunne, the convent’s Mother Superior. Dunne was called to missionary work by her bishop and headed to Montana where she founded an Ursuline convent there in 1884. The ex-slave got word that her beloved nun was gravely ill, and headed to Montana to help her back to good health. Because of her subversive behavior of drinking, smoking, shooting guns and wearing men’s clothing, the bishop kicked her out of the convent in Montana. Her tough reputation ended up paying off for her. In 1895, she got a job from the postal service to become a star route carrier. Her job was to protect the mail on her route from thieves and bandits and to deliver mail. She carried a rifle and revolver. She drove her stagecoach and intimidated would-be thieves with her height and her tough demeanor. She was 6’ 2” tall and weighed over 200 pounds. She also was a crack shot with a rifle. For eight (8) years she protected and delivered the mail. When she died on December 5, 1914, at the age of 82, her funeral was one of the largest the town had ever seen. Her real-life persona was extraordinary enough to draw plenty of attention to her. She did not need to be a myth to stand out from the crowd, but she didn’t seem to mind her outsized reputation. A Montana native actor Gary Cooper wrote an article for Ebony in which he wrote, “Born a slave somewhere in Tennessee, ________________ lives to become one of the freest souls ever to draw a breath.” Who was this black Wild West legend? ________________________

10. This patent #419,065 was issued on January 7, 1890 to this black inventor. What is the inventor’s name and what was the invention? _________________________________________________________________

11. This village was formerly a community of African-American homeowners established in 1825, just a few years before slavery was abolished. Nine (9) homes were built in the area in 1829, which then grew to have approximately 250 residents containing 70 homes in 1855. In 1853, New York State authorized eminent domain, where the government was allowed to take private land for public use so that they could build what is now known today as Central Park. The community village never established itself in another location. What is the name of the black village that sat where Central Park sits now? _________________________________

12. The Manasseh Society in Chicago, founded in 1890 and the Penguin Club in New York, founded in 1936 were organized to serve what people?

_________________________________________________________________

13. One of Rome’s greatest generals, and named by Emperor Trajan as his successor to the imperial purple, died in 117 AD. He came from the Sudan and brought with him Negro soldiers who helped Trajan conquer the Dacians. When the Jews revolted, Trajan sent him to suppress them, which he did with great severity. Milman says, “The insurrection was soon suppressed by ________ ________, a man of Moorish race and considered the ablest soldier in the Roman army.” Who was this black Roman general and governor of Judea in AD 117? _______________________________________

14. “I am black but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, As the tents of Kedar, As the curtains of Solomon, Look not upon me because I am black Because the sun hath scorched me” What historical black woman was supposed to have spoken these words? _________________________________________

BLACk HISTORY SCAVENGER HUNTLocal 6000’s retired E.A.P. Representative Travis Erby, who was a teacher for 26 years at the Maxey Boys Training

School, developed this year’s Black History Scavenger Hunt.• The person who gets the most correct answers to this 20-question contest will win a jacket with their name

embroidered on the front, along with the Local 6000 logo.• All answers must be sent to Travis Erby c/o UAW Local 6000, P.o. Box 40720, Lansing, MI 48901-7920 and

MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2019.• In case of a tie, those names will be placed in a hat and there will be a public drawing to select the jacket

winner. All the rest of the names in the drawing will receive a consolation prize.• The correct answers will be printed in the April issue of the Newsbreak.

See SCAVENGER HUNT on page 10

Travis Erby, Retired EAP Rep.


by Diana BrukFirst, let’s briefly recount the advent of

Black History Month. Also called African-American History Month, this event originally began as Negro History Week in 1926. It took place during the second week of February, because it coincided with the birthdates of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard-trained historian, is credited with the creation of Negro History Week.

In 1976, the bicentennial of the United States, President Gerald R. Ford expanded the week into a full month. He said the country needed to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially declared February the month that we celebrate the achievements of African Americans. But why February? It turns out, the decision to make February “Black History Month” was the result of a series of significant events that all happened to transpire in the second month of the year. Here’s how it came to pass. It started with “Negro History Week.”

Back in 1926, historian Carter G. Woodson and the organization he founded, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, chose the second week of February to celebrate the contributions of African Americans throughout our country’s history. They named it “Negro History Week.”

Woodson himself explained the significance of carving out a time period to commemorate

African American achievements as such, “If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition. It becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.” These two significant birthdays take place in February.

Woodson chose the second week of February specifically because it coincided with the birthdays of two figures who were pivotal to abolitionism – Abraham Lincoln, who was born on February 12, and Frederick Douglass, who was born on February 14. February held other events of historical value, too, such as the birth of civil rights leader W.E.B. DuBois (February 23rd) and the passing of the 15th Amendment, which gave African Americans the right to vote (February 3, 1870). African American communities had already celebrated these dates since the end of the Civil War, so the precedent was already set.Black History Week expands to Black History Month.

Throughout the early 20th century, the literature of the Civil Rights movement began to spread in churches and schools in states that had sizable African American populations. Communities started to organize local celebrations, host performances and lectures, and establish history clubs. Soon, mayors in various cities began to endorse Black History Week as an official holiday.

The Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s helped this snowballing movement evolve from a week to a month. In February 1969, the leaders of the Black United Students at Kent

State University first proposed expanding Black History Week into Black History Month. The following year, the university celebrated Black History Month for the very first time. President Gerald Ford makes Black History Month official in 1976.

On February 10, 1976, President Gerald Ford brought Black History Month into existence with the following statement, “In the Bicentennial year of our Independence, we can review with admiration the impressive contributions of black Americans to our national life and culture. One hundred years ago, to help highlight these achievements, Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History. We are grateful to him today for his initiative, and we are richer for the work of his organization. Freedom and the recognition of individual rights are what our Revolution was all about.”There’s always a theme.

Since 1976, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History has designated a specific theme to the year’s Black History Month. In 2017, the theme was “The Crisis in Black Education,” which focused on the crucial role of education in the history of African Americans. In 2018, the theme was “African Americans in Times of War,” which will honor the enormous contributions of African Americans in the country’s wars, to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. This year, it’s “Black Migrations,” which will emphasize the movement of people of African descent to new destinations and new social realities.

The History of Black History Month

disease and ultimately the way people eat. What is the name of this important woman chemist? _________________________________________

18. What other countries around the world devote a month to celebrate Black History? __________________________________________________________

19. This American black physicist was born August 5, 1946 in Washington, D.C. She started at MIT in 1964 as one of fewer than twenty African-American students and the only one studying theoretical physics. At MIT being a black student she was pretty isolated. Students avoided sitting next to her in lecture halls and freshman study groups rejected her. She dealt with this type of racial discrimination through her nine (9) years at MIT, as both an undergraduate and a graduate student in physics. She became the first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. from MIT, in any field. She is also the second African-American woman in the United States to earn a doctorate in physics, and the first to be awarded the National Medal of Science. Her work in theoretical physics and telecommunications paved the way for the development of all kinds of technology we use today, like caller ID, call waiting and fiber optic cables. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1998. Who is this honored and distinguished black physicist? ________________________________________________________

20. This African-American woman scientist was born in 1943. She graduated from Morgan State University, where she was one of two women majoring in physics. She went to work for NASA after graduation. She developed real-time computer data systems to support satellite operations control centers and she oversaw the creation of the Landsat program, becoming an international expert in Landsat data products. On October 21, 1980, she obtained the patent for the Illusion Transmitter, a device that NASA continues to use today.

Who is this African-American scientist and inventor? _________________________________________________________________

15. This black instrumentalist and vocalist was born in 1900 and was an orphan raised at the Crescent City’s Coloured Waifs Home.

Who was this orphan? __________________________________________________

16. A scientist grows human cells in a lab to understand its function. One famous cell in particular they’ve studied is called HeLa, an immortal cell line that is considered one of the most important cells in history and is responsible for countless cures and vaccinations for various well-known viruses and diseases. They used this cell to study diseases such as measles, mumps, HIV and Ebola. They were used for Polio and HPV where a cure and vaccine were created. Dr. George Gey distributed these cells to facilities around the world, where 6 trillion of these cells were being created a week to fight diseases. An African-American woman who was born in Baltimore, Maryland, lived on a farm with her husband and five (5) children. She died from an aggressive form of cervical cancer in 1951. A few months after she died her tumor cells were unknowingly harvested and brought to Dr. Gey’s lab, where they were examined and dubbed HeLa, all without the family’s knowledge or consent. In March 2013, researchers published the DNA sequence of the genome of a strain of HeLa cells. The family was made aware of this from the author of a book called “The Immortal Life of ________ ________.” In 2017 HBO premiered a television film, starring Oprah Winfrey based on that book.

What is the name of the black woman whose cells are named HeLa? _________________________________________

17. This black woman biochemist was born April 16, 1921 in Corona Queens, New York City. She was the first to establish that hypertension was a precursor to atherosclerosis and the first to identify a relationship between cholesterol and clogged arteries, an important discovery in understanding how heart attacks occur. Her work changed the way doctors treat heart

scaVEnGER HunT from page 9


— UPCOMING UAW MEETINGS —Local 6000, Region 1-A Retired Workers Sub-Chapter

FIRST MONDAY of each month • 10:30 a.m.UAW Region 1-A, 9650 S. Telegraph Road, Taylor, MI

Local 6000, Statewide Retired Workers ChapterTHIRD THURSDAY of each month • 10:30 a.m.

UAW Local 6000, 3350 N. Grand River Ave, Lansing, MI 48906

Local 6000, Region 1-D Saginaw Retired Workers Sub-ChapterFOURTH THURSDAy of each month • 11:00 a.m.

Sullivan’s, 5235 Gratiot Rd., Saginaw, MI

Region 1-D Retired Workers CouncilYou are invited to attend any of these below scheduled meetings.

If you are traveling out of state, there are UAW Retired Workers Council meetings across the country that you can also attend.

LIVINGSTON – Last WEDNESDAy of each month • 10:30 a.m.Elks Club, 2830 E. Grand River Ave, Howell, MI 48843 (517-548-7313)

GAYLORd – Second TUESDAy of each month • 12:00 noonBJ’s Restaurant 990 N. Center (Old 27 North), Gaylord, MI 49734

TRAVeRSe CITY – Second THURSDAy of each month • 12:00 noon757 East Silver Lake Rd., Traverse City, MI 49684 (231-943-9611)

bALdwIN – Second MONDAy of each month • 1:00 p.m.Hollister Senior Center, 1505 N. Michigan Ave., (M-37) Baldwin MI 49304

ROSCOMMON – First FRIDAy of each month • 12:00 noonVFW Post 4159, 219 Terrace Dr., Roscommon, MI 48653 (989-275-4136)

GLAdwIN – Second FRIDAy of each month • 1:00 p.m.Fraternal Order of Eagles 3292, 101 N. State St., Gladwin MI 48624

ALpeNA – First WEDNESDAy of each month • 11:00 a.m.VFW Hall, 2900 Connon Rd., Alpena, MI 49707 (989-956-4959)

AU GReS – Second MONDAy of each month • 12:00 noonK of C Hall, 263 Main St., Au Gres, MI 48703

eSCANAbA – Meets TUESDAy following third Monday • 1:00 p.m.

Upper Peninsula UAW Retired Workers Council #31581Plumbers & Pipe Fitters Local 506

2601 N. 30th St. Escanaba, MI 49829 (906-786-4828)

* * * * *

6000

RETIREES CORNERCaroline Ross,

Chairwoman,Statewide RetiredWorkers Chapter

HELLo RETIREES,Happy New Year! Together, we

accomplished so much in 2018. Notably, a new Governor, whose strong leadership promises positive changes for Michigan. Thank you for your activism, vigorous campaigning, and for your continuing volunteerism in our communities. You did make a difference!

Many of us think of the Blizzard in January 1978 as the storm of the ages. However, I think that the Artic Vortex of January 2019, with the lowest life-threatening temperatures (-25 to -40) in over two decades, is something we will never forget. Thank you, Governor Whitmer, for closing State offices and keeping employees and customers safe!

The Federal Medicare program is under challenge again, with some politicians wanting to make drastic changes. We must ensure all Americans can access the health care they need, regardless of their income. The single-payer, Medicare for All system would separate the link for insurance to employment and ensure that all people not currently covered can receive affordable medical care. It would bring America’s health care system in line with other industrialized nations that offer universal health care to their citizens.

To inform you of the Medicare for All program, everyone (active

or retired) is invited to attend our February 21st meeting at UAW Local 6000, 3350 N. Grand River, Lansing, MI, 10:30 a.m. UAW Local 6000 Region 1-A Retirees Robert Sisler and James Bish will present the following program:

Fix It – Healthcare at theTipping Point

This documentary takes an in-depth look into how our dysfunctional health care system is damaging our economy, suffocating our businesses, discouraging physicians and negatively impacting on the nation’s health, while remaining unaffordable for a third of our citizens. Americans are sicker than they should be, poorer than they ought to be, and less safe than they deserve to be.

During the Lame Duck session in 2018, outgoing Governor Snyder gutted Public Act 338, denying many middle-class workers sick time.

Many elected officials currently agree that our health care system is fractured and needs to be addressed.

Per Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a new single-payer health system concept will have a set of congressional hearings in the new Democratic House, and a new draft of a so-called Medicare for All proposal could be released soon. Jayapal said, “It’s largely the work of her staff and the staff of Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), who sits on the Energy and Commerce Committee.” (Modern Healthcare; Susannah Luthi :January 3, 2019)

Please Take Notice: Elections for officers of the UAW Local 6000 Statewide Retiree Chapter will be held during the March 21, 2019 meeting held at UAW Local 6000, 3350 N. Grand River, Lansing, MI, 10:30 a.m. All retirees who are members in good standing may

run for office. The office term is for 3 years. You must be present to vote. These positions include:

1. Chairperson, 2. Vice Chairperson 3. Recording Secretary 4. Financial Secretary 5. Sergeant-at-Arms 6. Guide 7. Member-at-Large Local 6000

Executive BoardJoining a UAW Local 6000

Retired Workers Chapter or Sub-Chapter is a great way to keep in touch with work friends and be involved in UAW Local 6000

happenings. Retiree dues are $3.00 per month or $36.00 per year. Please join us, and help make our Retiree voices stronger!


ExEcUTIvE BOARdPresident

Edward Mitchell

Vice PresidentsR. Scott Brown (HS)

Sue Midura (AS)

Recording Secretary Charlene Yarbrough

Financial Secretary/TreasurerMiya Williamson

TrusteesWanda Keith

Bobbie JohnsonOwen Monday

Sergeant-at-ArmsDonnie Whitley

GuideKelly Hetrick

Members-at-LargeVeronica Bonner (1A-AS)

Kim Demott (1D-Central AS)Norma Abbott (1A-HS)

Todd Robertson (1D-North-HS)Carolyn Kowalik (1D-North AS)Terri Giannola (1D-Central HS)

Retired MemberWanda Withers

LOcAL REpS1-A

Jim WalkowiczKelly BarnettKim WilliamsMike Sullivan

1-D-CentralSharon McMullen

Ray HolmanFreida Michilizzi

1-D-North Steve Schmitt

Bill VanDriessche

1-D-SouthGordon RyskampCelia Ontiveros

Stewards-at-LargeJeff Cathcart, Abbie Maddox,

Rachael Dickerson, Darren Ford,Jackie Muzyl

Benefits RepresentativeNicole Jones

Mike McWhirter

Health & Safety RepresentativeNicole Jones

EAP RepresentativeMike McWhirter

800 LineTed Gregg

dISTRIcT MEETINGSPLEASE NOTE: Newsbreak is mailed third class on or before the 10th of each month. Meetings are listed three months in advance, so plan ahead to attend a meeting in your district. Latest meeting updates can be found at www.uawlocal6000.org and on the Local’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/UAWLocal6000/Photos of the Local’s meetings are also on our Facebook page.

MaRcH 2019

aPRiL 2019

FEBRuaRy 2019

(800) 243-1985

NEWSBREAK - Local 6000 · Maria Enriquez. Local 6000 Retiree ..... 4 L ocal 6000 is sad to announce passing of former President Lynda Denise Taylor-Lewis was born in Detroit, MI on

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