UAW's Bob King: Getting back benefits will be major topic at convention

DETROIT -- Bob King, the probable favorite to become the next UAW president, said this morning that concessions and the need to restore lost benefits to the union's members will be a theme here at this week's UAW National Constitutional Convention.

In an interview before the formal convention begins today, King said the union leadership would provide a forum for workers and delegates to air their views on concessions.

The constitutional convention typically is where broad policy decisions are formed and officers are elected. Next year's collective bargaining convention is where bargaining tactics will be solidified before 2011 master contract talks with the Detroit 3.

"Technically, where we talk about collective bargaining is next March. But any issue that is on the minds of our membership, we always talk about," said King, 63, who is expected to replace the retiring Ron Gettelfinger after Wednesday's election of officers.

UAW dissident Gary Walkowicz is opposing King for the presidency to call attention to the sacrifices that rank-and-file workers made during the auto recession.

Walkowicz, a bargaining committeeman at Ford Motor Co.'s truck plant in Dearborn, Mich., said he will push to end concessions and prepare workers this week to fight for the restoration of benefits lost over the past three years.

At a speech last month, King estimated that workers have given up $7,000 to $30,000 a year in compensation and benefits to aid the automakers.

Farewell speech

In his farewell address at the convention today, Gettelfinger said the sacrifices of UAW workers and retirees helped to save the Detroit 3 during last year's auto recession.

He said the creation of retiree health care trusts saved the automakers billions, while preserving most of the benefits that retirees had enjoyed before General Motors and Chrysler entered bankruptcy. The trusts, known as Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Associations, officially kicked off this January when they were funded by Detroit's automakers.

"It was partially because of our VEBAs that we made it through the bankruptcies with most of our retiree benefits intact," Gettelfinger said this morning.

Gettelfinger said it was, in part, because of worker sacrifices that Detroit automakers are turning around financially and operationally.

New hope

He pointed to hopeful signs such as Chrysler's announcement to hire workers for the first time in 10 years. Chrysler is beefing up staff at its North Jefferson Assembly plant to build Chrysler's all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee there.

Gettelfinger lauded GM for its decision to become the first automaker to build a B-segment mini-vehicle in the United States. And Ford, Gettelfinger said, is "hitting on all cylinders."

Gettelfinger said the UAW would continue to fight for federal laws that would make it easier for unions to form at workplaces. The union is supporting a "card check" bill, which would allow unions to be certified at workplaces when a majority of active workers sign cards for union representation. That legislation has been stalled in Congress.

Today, union certifications are subject to campaigns and anonymous votes.

At the end of his address, Gettelfinger received a rousing standing ovation after signing off with his usual fist-pumping flourish: "Solidarity, solidarity, solidarity forever."