Mark Rickling wrote:
> The conclusion of the presentation was that it is wrong to think that the
> loss of unionized auto manufacturing jobs is solely due to relocation south
> of the border (or overseas) and that there is more than enough organizing
> work to do in the UAW's own back yard. Unfortunately, the new master
> contract ratified this past winter won't be helping matters any. According
> to Labor Notes, the contract takes no strong industry-wide stand against
> modularization (i.e. contracting out), leaving it to the locals to fight on
> an individual basis the loss of work in their unionized plants to union-free
> factories down the road.
This is anecdotal and merely a memory from 30 years ago. So for what it is worth. A friend of mine (on the lam for destroyiing public property in Carbondale during the Kent State followup disorders) worked for a parts plant in Detroit with low pay and long hours. There was some effort to unionize it -- but not only did they not get any support from the UAW but had to hold their meeings in the open in a public park because the UAW would not even loan them a hall to meet in.
Carrol