Disgruntled Autoworker # 18

Disgruntled Autoworker # 18 September 05'

Appeal UAW Umpire's Decision

On September 14, 2004, Mgt severely disciplined me for writing and publishing in my Local 239 ‘Observations # 34’ Newsletter that the tickets and t-shirts for “UAW/GM Day at Camden Yards” the previous June were financed by Joint Funds.

During my disciplinary hearing Mgt stated that the tickets were purchased by an un-named source who got them at a discount. My Union Rep asked, “Who bought the t-shirts?” Mgt said, “It doesn’t matter who paid for what. We’re here because this man doesn’t have documentation to support his claim that the tickets and t-shirts were financed by Joint Funds, therefore, he will be disciplined for making a false statement.”

I was put on the street for 44.6 hours for not having documentation for the UAW/GM Event I wrote about, but yet, the flip side is that both UAW/GM Partners have the documentation that verifies or refutes what I wrote. Excuse me; am I not a Member of the UAW/GM Team and entitled to the same documentation?

In my opinion, Mgt severely disciplining me was a scare tactic to silence me. My Disgruntled Autoworker and Observations Newsletters were influential is shaking up Local Elections and disrupting UAW/GM Joint relations. I don’t think Mgt and Gob holdovers of the Alfred-Miller Traitor Administration appreciated me shaking things up. Therefore, it’s my opinion that Mgt, and International and Local Gobs concocted the discipline scheme to silence me so my Newsletters wouldn’t influence 05 Executive Board Elections.

When the Shop Chairman advised me that my grievance was settled, I wasn’t surprised, because now that a GM friendly Gob regime is back in the house and Jointness rules supreme again, why drag it out any longer than they already have? What did surprise me was the Chairman patted himself on the back for expediting a resolution that he thinks is adequate. It never ceases to amaze how gullible they think we are.

I thought about appealing the resolution based on my belief that Mgt and the Gobs conspired to silence me to control an election, but that would be impossible to prove because of UAW/GM Jointness, and the Joint Partners know that. After discussing the resolution with friends and coworkers, I decided to appeal the Umpire’s decision for the most obvious and logical reason, which is stated below. And I based my decision on principles, ethics and morality. Of which International and Local Gobs know nothing about.

THEREFORE: THE FOLLOWING IS MY APPEAL LETTER TO UAW PRESIDENT GETTELFINGER

UAW President R. Gettelfinger

8000 E. Jefferson Ave.

Detroit, MI 48214

Brother Gettelfinger, 09.19.05

At 10:45am on 09.15.05 my Shop Chairman, Kip Wirtz, gave me a Fax he received from International Umpire Rep Jerry Clifton. The Fax states that Grievance # 948876, filed on 09.14.04 has been settled. And the Fax states that the Grievant be paid 44 hours of straight time, and that the penalty be reduced from the Balance Of the Shift plus 5 days to a Written Reprimand, and that on 06.15.06 the Grievant’s record will be reviewed and providing no further cause for discipline, the Grievant’s record will be cleared.

I hereby Appeal the Umpire’s decision because;

For the last 20 years the UAW’s membership has been inundated with UAW/GM Jointness. Members of the UAW’s International and Local Executive Boards and GM Corporate and Company Management have collectively conditioned and programmed the membership to believe that whenever we see the ‘UAW-GM’ Logo, be it a ‘UAW/GM’ Education Program, or the annual ‘UAW/GM’ Quality 500 NEXTEL NASCAR Cup Races, or the ‘UAW-GM’ People Magazine, or the ‘UAW’s Wheel Logo’ and ‘GM’s Corporate Logo’ side by side on the Life Steps’ Feeling Good Magazines, or something as simple as a T-Shirt or Key Ring with any of the above Joint Logos on it, we automatically assume the program, event or item is paid for with UAW/GM Joint Funds.

Also, to corroborate the above, I submit the following information that was published in three consecutive weekly Joint UAW-GM Baltimore Newsletters, The Baltimore Assembly Times.

05.17.04; An advertisement for UAW/GM DAY JUNE 12TH at The YARD complete with a picture of Mgt’s Bob Cook & Union Appointee Joe Jones selling Ballgame Tickets with the Oriole Bird standing between them. Also on the same page is an ad for the UAW/GM LEARNING CENTER’S class schedule for Photoshop, Basic Networking, Word and Creating a Will and Other Legal Matters…

05.24.04; An advertisement for UAW/GM DAY JUNE 12TH at The YARD. Also on the same page is an ad for the UAW/GM LEARNING CENTER’S class schedule for Photoshop, Creating a Will and Other Legal Matters, Investing in Real Estate & Rental Housing, and Captain’s License…

06.01.04; On the front page is an advertisement for UAW/GM DAY, O’s vs Giants. Also, on the back page is an ad for the UAW/GM LEARNING CENTER’S class schedule for Photoshop, and Captain’s License…

AND LASTLY; 06.07.04; There was a Joint UAW/GM SMALL WORK GROUP Talking Points itinerary circulated that states, “June 12th UAW-GM Day at Camden Yards,” and it goes on to tell people to pick up their T-shirts (with the UAW/GM Logo on back) at the Van Mart from 06.09.04 through 06.11.04…

Based on information, or the lack thereof, provided in all of the above UAW-GM Corporate and Company Joint Publications, and the excessive use of the ‘UAW/GM Logo’ to promote UAW/GM Jointly sponsored and endorsed Programs, Events and Items, Jointness is evident and the use of Joint Funds is implied.

Therefore, without Joint Funds documentation, there is no discernable way for the membership to infer otherwise. In fact, without documentation, there is no way for the membership to know if Joint Funds are faithfully administered in their behalf, or used to undermine democracy and solidarity to subvert dissention, insurrection and the natural evolution of the union movement.

In conclusion, members of the UAW’s International and Local Executive Boards and GM Corporate and Company Management are responsible for creating this Catch 22 situation I’m in by refusing to provide the membership with documentation that discloses where, how much and on what Joint Funds are spent.

Therefore, based on all the above information, GM Management disciplining me for writing and publishing that which they spent 20 years conditioning and programming me to believe, is not justified.

Therefore, I appeal the Umpire’s decision and demand that I be paid 44.6 hours pay, in a separate check, including overtime, and that the penalty be removed from my record. Anything less is not acceptable.

Disgruntled Member, Doug Hanscom

cc: UAW Chain of Command & Membership

DisgruntedMember@aol.com

AMENDMENT TO APPEAL LETTER DATED 09.19.05

UAW International Executive Board

C/0 President Gettelfinger

8000 E. Jefferson Ave.

Detroit, MI 48214

Certified Mail Return Receipt Requested; 7005 1160 0004 7616 5498

RE: Amendment to Appeal Letter Dated 09.19.05 (Appeal Umpire’s Disposition of Grievance # 948876 and Appeal Case # Z-352.)

10.08.05; UAW International Executive Board Members,

This letter is to advise you that a letter dated 05.19.05 from Donny Douglas informing me that Jerry Clifton of the Umpire’s Staff is assigned to handle my case, confused me. I misinterpreted Douglas’ letter as stating that Mr. Clifton was an Umpire Rep.

Therefore, to correct this misunderstanding, please be advised that this letter’s intent is to amend the Appeal of the Umpire’s decision to mean that I Appeal International Rep Clifton’s disposition of Grievance # 948876 and Appeal Case # Z-352.

Therefore, to reiterate the message in the letter dated 09.19.05:

At 10:45am on 09.15.05 my Shop Chairman, Kip Wirtz, gave me a Fax he received from International Rep Jerry Clifton. The Fax states that Grievance # 948876, filed on 09.14.04 has been settled. And the Fax states that the Grievant be paid 44 hours of straight time, and that the penalty be reduced from the Balance Of the Shift plus 5 days to a Written Reprimand, and that on 06.15.06 the Grievant’s record will be reviewed and providing no further cause for discipline, the Grievant’s record will be cleared.

I hereby Appeal International Rep Clifton’s disposition of Grievance # 948876 because;

For the last 20 years the UAW’s membership has been inundated with UAW/GM Jointness. Members of the UAW’s International and Local Executive Boards and GM Corporate and Company Management have collectively conditioned and programmed the membership to believe that whenever we see the ‘UAW-GM’ Logo, be it a ‘UAW/GM’ Education Program, or an the annual ‘UAW/GM’ Quality 500 NASCAR Cup Races, or the ‘UAW-GM’ People Magazine, or the ‘UAW’s Wheel Logo’ and ‘GM’s Corporate Logo’ side by side on the Life Steps’ Feeling Good Magazines, or something as simple as a T-Shirt, Key Ring or Pen with any of the above Joint Logos on it, we automatically assume the Program, Event or Item is paid for with UAW/GM Joint Funds.

Also, to corroborate the above, I submit the following information that was published in three consecutive weekly Joint UAW-GM Baltimore Newsletters, The Baltimore Assembly Times.

And lastly; 06.07.04; There was a Joint UAW/GM SMALL WORK GROUP Talking Points itinerary circulated that states, “June 12th UAW-GM Day at Camden Yards,” and it goes on to tell people to pick up their T-shirts (with the UAW/GM Logo on back) at the Van Mart from 06.09.04 through 06.11.04…

Therefore, based on all the above information, GM Management disciplining me for writing and publishing that which they spent 20 years conditioning and programming me to believe, is not justified.

Therefore, I hereby appeal the International Rep’s disposition of Grievance # 948876 and demand that I be paid 44.6 hours pay, in a separate check, including overtime, and that the penalty be removed from my record. Anything less is not acceptable.

Disgruntled Member, Doug Hanscom

cc: UAW Chain of Command

DisgruntedMember@aol.com

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this Website are my own and not that of the UAW International and Local officials or their GM Jointness Partners in Corporate and Company Management.