UAW Local 2322 4 Open Square Way Holyoke, MA 01040 413-534-7600 www.uaw2322.org October, 2013 Vol. 2, Issue 10 Over the past few months, I have gotten to meet many of you and hear about the work you do and the kind of union you’d like to see. It has been a great opportunity for me to hear your ideas and experiences. Over the coming months, you will see more and more oppor- tunities to get involved with UAW 2322. We will be holding regular meetings of all of our Standing Committees (also keep an eye out for Finance & Bylaws soon!) In August, I was lucky enough to attend the UAW Women’s Conference in Black Lake Michigan where I met many wonderful women activ- ists who are fighting every day for workers rights, and especial- ly for women in the workplace. Please keep an eye out for a kickoff meeting of the UAW 2322 Women’s Committee. Sharing Our Victories We will continue to have more events such as our Solidarity & Education Movie night as well as a general Membership Meet- ing/ Holiday Party in December. This month we will be holding two Member-Activist-Steward trainings both here at the office in Holyoke (Tuesday, Oct 8th from 6 to 8 pm) and at UMass Amherst, Campus Cen- ter room 162-75 (Thursday, Oct 10th from 11 am to 1 pm). This training is an excellent oppor- tunity to meet workers across UAW 2322, as well as gain valu- able skills as a union activist in the workplace. We will also be holding a meeting of members from across the local to engage in teaching about our experienc- es as workers and planning for a stronger union in November. By Jocelyn Silverlight, President by 2015, and then adjust it for inflation. A full-time worker at minimum wage earns $16,000 a year. Most must take a sec- ond job or depend on govern- ment subsidies to get by. “Should someone who works 40 hours a week be in that situ- ation?’’ said Representative and bill sponsor Antonio F.D. Cabral. “They should be able to feed their families without rely- ing on public assistance.” A single adult in Massachusetts needs to make almost $13 an hour just to keep up with basic expenses such as housing, healthcare, food, transporta- tion, and essential personal and While no UAW 2322 Union con- tracts allow for the minimum wage, many hourly rates are less than $12 per hour. Raising the minimum wage would stim- ulate the economy, and proba- bly result in higher wages for many UAW members, many of them parents with children to care for. It would also reduce the need for food stamps, hous- ing assistance, or other govern- ment programs just to survive. Full-time work should pay a living wage! Many Massachusetts legislators are proposing a bill which would gradually raise the minimum wage from $8 to $11 an hour Raise the Minimum Wage! The minimum wage in Massa- chusetts is currently $8.00 per hour for most employees, and even less for tipped employees and student workers. For the 800,000 or so workers in Mas- sachusetts who make at or close to minimum wage, it’s been a full five years since they’ve seen their wages go up. Many higher paid employees haven’t done much better. A 2012 report from the Economic Policy Institute showed that by increasing the minimum wage to $10 per hour, more than a half a million Massachusetts workers would benefit from the raise, and create thousands of new jobs. By Brooks Ballenger, Servicing Rep. household items without relying on any public or private assis- tance While some small businesses support a higher minimum wage, major opposition will come from the retail and res- taurant industries, which say the increases are too costly. What can you do to advocate for a higher minimum wage? Call your state Senator and Representative directly or click on http://www.progressivemass.co m/raise_up_massachusetts_fig ht_for_minimum_wage to sup- port raising the minimum wage. There are many exciting ways to get involved with UAW 2322, after all this is your union. We know that through education and action, we get a lot accom- plished. The union is as strong as the members, and I know how strong you all are! Keep fighting for justice in your work- place and remember to share your victories with each other. Please feel free to contact me at any time, I would love to hear about your ideas and how we can incorporate them to make our union as strong and effec- tive as possible. In solidarity, Jocelyn Silverlight [email protected]UAW 2322 President Upcoming Events! Member, Activist, Stewards Trainings Tuesday, October 8 6:00—8:00 PM UAW 2322 Holyoke Office 4 Open Square Way #406, Holyoke, MA and Thursday, October 10 11:00 AM—1:00 PM UMass Amherst Campus Center room 162-75 UAW 2322 Joint Council Meeting Thursday, October 24 6:00—8:00 PM UMass Amherst Campus Center, room 904-08 UAW 2322 Unity Brunch Saturday, November 2 10:00 AM—12:30 PM Media Education Foundation 60 Masonic St., Northampton, MA For details, see page 2
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