DETROIT - Newly elected United Auto Workers President Dennis
Williams warned major U.S. automakers who negotiate with the union next year
that he supports the financial health of the companies, but that "enough
is enough" when it comes to concessions.
Veteran UAW auto workers at the three major U.S. automakers
have not received a raise in nearly a decade and in recent contract talks the
union allowed the creation and expansion of a two-tiered wage structure.
"It's our time," read most of the T-shirts worn by
UAW delegates at the union's convention in downtown Detroit, which Williams
echoed in his inauguration speech.
"No more concessions. We are tired of it. Enough is
enough," Williams yelled into a microphone in front of nearly 1,000
delegates.
As the major U.S. automakers General Motors Co, Ford Motor
Co and Chrysler, now a unit of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, endured a downturn of
the auto industry, the UAW said it needed to take concessions to make the
companies whole.
As Bob King, whose term as president ended this week, said
often, UAW members have the most invested in the health of the companies, and
acted to make them whole. Now, all three automakers as well as agricultural
equipment makers like Caterpillar are profitable.
"I want to work closely with the companies as long as
it doesn’t hurt our members," said Williams. "I do not like
confrontation, but I’m not afraid of confrontation."
While he said the UAW will not allow more concessions,
Williams did not mention the two-tiered wage scale during his speech. Such a
system pays veteran UAW workers at the major automakers about $28 per hour
while newly hired workers at the same plants make less than $16 per hour.
Earlier at the convention Thursday morning, President Barack
Obama addressed the delegates by recorded video. He cheered the work of King
and welcomed Williams. He said he is close to Williams and that the new UAW
president was one of his first supporters at the Iowa Caucus in 2008.
Williams also called on UAW members to get out the vote to
maintain a Democratic White House in 2016 and said it was time to "bridge
the gap" between the rich and poor in the United States.
Williams, 61, elected by landslide vote on Wednesday by the
delegates, has said he will only serve one four-year term as president.
Source: Philly.com
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