Departments

From the Director
We need to give 110% in this election

As the great union that we are, the UAW must mobilize every asset that we have in order to be effective in the 2004 national elections. No longer can we sit back and just accept the outcome of an election in which we have not truly given our 110 percent.

We must mobilize every member, every standing committee in every local union, not only in Region 8, but throughout this great country. Our efforts must include voter registration, membership information on workers’ issues, and organizing absentee balloting for those members who will be away from their polling places on Election Day.

Our local unions should arrange transportation for union members, family members and other supporters who need assistance to get to their polling places on Nov. 2. This is an excellent time to mobilize our local standing committee activists to assist these retired and active members.

For those locals covered under Big 3 agreements, the UAW has negotiated a paid day off on Election Day. This should not be considered as “just another holiday.” It should be a day of work to change the direction of this country so that it is more focused on the dire needs of America’s working class.

America needs a change in our national leadership. Workers have been ignored and adversely affected during the last 3 ½ years. The rights we have bargained hard for and won are now at stake through legislative changes, executive orders and recess appointments to our federal courts.

Our union has endorsed John Kerry for president of the United States. I sincerely believe Sen. Kerry’s past Senate voting record and his decorated military service to our country makes him the best candidate to lead our great nation.

I urge you to educate your families, friends and co-workers around the issues and make sure that they vote for president and all the UAW-endorsed candidates in the Nov. 2 election.

Gary Casteel