UAW Local 2036 members at Accuride in Henderson, Kentucky, are standing tough against an all out attempt by the company to bust their union. The goons-shiny black boots and all-are in.

The workers-who make huge wheels for Peterbilt, Ford, General Motors, Mack,(see truckers mailing lists, this site) Navistar and

others-are out. Worldwide Labor an agency that supplies labor-is managing the plant and furnishing the scab workforce.

Accuride forced over 400 UAW members out on strike last February 1998. When workers voted to reject the contract and make an unconditional offer to return to work at the end of March 1998, the company locked them out.

"Management wanted to take the union security clause out of the contract," explains Local 2036 President Billy Robinson. The company wanted supervisors to have the final say on whether workers could see a steward. Accuride also demanded the unrestricted right to subcontract any work. In addition, the company sought changes in the contract language on the medical package that were totally unacceptable to the workers.

"We've got a good strong membership," Robinson says.

The union has filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board and continues to picket the plant. The community is standing behind the workers, says Robinson, and the local is making sure it gets fair play and accurate reporting in the Henderson media.

"We are committed to stand as long as it takes," says Robinson.

"Accuride Workers Standing Tough" read the headline in the December, 1998 issue of the UAW International's publication, "Solidarity." The article cited how over 400 UAW members at the Henderson, Kentucky truck wheel manufacturer had been locked out of their jobs since March of that year and "Solidarity" further pointed out that Accuride was making "an all out attempt ... to bust their union." Unfortunately, as I write this in April, 2000, the company's goal may be near and, brace yourselves my brothers and sisters, as far as our UAW International is concerned, the members of UAW Local 2036 will have to STAND ALONE! The following information is so shocking and unbelievable that I was compelled to investigate and compile this report in the interest of the membership-at-large.

Some background: I first heard rumblings of a problem, over the Internet, in late 1999. UAW members across the country reported the abandonment by the UAW International of a small Local enduring a labor struggle in the community of Henderson, KY (located just south of Evansville, IN) and a metro area of much unionism through the likes of Auto Workers, Mine Workers, Machinists, Teamsters, amongst others. What I was reading, I could not believe ... I had to find out the truth!

What is ACCURIDE Corp? Accuride is the largest manufacturer of wheels and rims for heavy/medium trucks, trailers, and buses in North America. They also produce wheels for It. trucks, SUVs, passenger cars, and ag implements. They are a major supplier to the "Big 3" and have plants located in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Accuride is owned by the "legendary" LBO team of Kohlberg, Kravis, and Roberts (KKR) aka "Corporate Greed Inc."

As time has gone by, the UNION continued attempts to negotiate an acceptable contract and bring an end to the struggle. All the while, the corporation's demands only got worse: the company wanted the unconditional right to subcontract out any work; they wanted to establish a "performance based" pay schedule rather than have any guaranteed raises; they wanted to be able to "amend, modify, alter, cancel, delete, or suspend any or all coverages, co-pays, premiums, and out-of-pocket expenses" on health care at Management's will; and they wanted the right to cancel, modify, or delete the workers' pension at will during the life of any agreement. Accuride, in other words, sought more out of the UNION workers than what they would have a right to expect from an "at-will" employee. The company also notified the UNION that if the workers ratified their offer, half the workforce (over 200) would not be called back. The members of Local 2036 refused to sellout to this union busting and they stood firm by rejecting the company's progressively worse offers.

Where was the UAW Intl during this? Behind the workers, assisting them in their battle and providing strike pay and medical insurance to all the locked-out members, promising the members that the UAW would stand by them for as long as it took to get a fair contract that the workers could live with, with dignity. ..that was, until a bombshell was dropped in August of 1999.

. As late as July, 1999, the Regional UAW staff assured Local 2036's leaders that they would be with the workers "1-day longer" to win the battle in their then 1 1/2 year-old struggle. One month later, however, Region 3 "leadership" informed the leaders of Local 2036 that the UAW International's Executive Board had decided that the UAW would "no longer provide economic support" to the members of Local 2036. They said that all strike benefits would end as of 8/31/99. 2036's President, Billy Robinson, was in shock. He could not believe what he was hearing. The Intl would not (and to this day has not) provide a reason as to why they made that decision. The Intl Rep merely stated that the workers needed to ratify whatever was on the table and go back to work and get on with their lives! Robinson and others fired back at the Intl, alternately arguing and pleading and they succeeded in convincing the Intl that a less-than-two-weeks notice was not sufficient. The International reconsidered and ended strike pay at the end of September 1999 and shut off medical insurance at the end of November 1999. Since then, these brothers and sisters have been on their own.

That is when I got involved! Word of this filtered through the back alleys and networks of activists within the UAW and throughout the labor movement (you were expecting "Solidarity" magazine to give you this kind of update?). Over Thanksgiving, 1999, I caught up with the struggle through word-of-mouth and via the magic of the Internet. C'mon, I thought, this cannot be. Surely there must be more to it. It was then that I decided to find out, first hand, what was going on. During X-mas break (Dec. '99) 1 drove down to Henderson, KY and paid a visit to the Local 2036 hall and spoke with the locked-out workers gathered there. At a gas station, I bumped into a member wearing a Local 203 6 jacket Over the phone (and, later, over the Internet) I spoke with Local President Robinson.

The workers had all the despondency of what you would expect in people having been out of a job for nearly 2 years. They spoke of divorces, family break-ups, bankruptcies, the union-busting tactics of the company, the difficulties of finding other jobs

When potential employers discover they are locked-out Accuride workers (said one brother, an oil-field owner liked him but refused to hire him for a $7.50 an hour job because the owner did not want to risk spending $ to train him and be unsure about losing him whenever Accuride settled). All sad and all understandable. The brothers also talked with pride of the support they have received from other UAW Locals and from other unions in the area, like Teamsters and Machinists. Canned goods, Christmas parties and toys for the workers' families ... what SOLIDARITY is all about!

Their attitudes changed, however, when they discussed their experiences with the UAW International in their struggle. "Disheartened" was their first thought at what they described as a wholesale abandonment of their Local by the Intl. Here were Joe Average Workers believing that their UNION dropped them because they were just a 400-member Local and they were costing the Intl more in strike benefits than the Intl could ever hope to recoup through future dues ... and this theme was pervasive amongst all workers I talked to.

I had to set the brothers straight: the International leadership is NOT the "UNION," we ALL are and an injury to one IS truly an injury to ALL. The Intl could not possibly conceive or concede this Local of 400 being insignificant and unworthy of support. I didn't care if a Local organized 6 people or 6000, members have rights and members must be defended! How can the UAW Intl expect to organize another shop, anywhere, if the members of Local 2036 are abandoned?

None of our business? Some UAW leaders (including some in our very Local, 2488) would have you believe that it is none of our business what is happening at another Local. I say it dam well IS our business! Other autoworkers are our allies, not our enemies, and we need to approach them as brothers and sisters in arms. We workers are the UNION and not the isolated leaders in Detroit. Is it wrong for workers to fight to keep what they've got? To stand up for decent principles and the dignity of workers?

To stand tough against going backwards? The people who are really defaming the UNION are the "leaders" who are allowing the wholesale sell-out of 400 of our brothers and sisters. The UAW needs to start acting like a UNION again and not the corporate support agency it is evolving into. Unfortunately, that takes members getting involved. How many of you are ready to step up to the plate?

Response time! The members of Local 2036 have received no response from their Intl Reps. Even I have written the Intl VP of Organizing, Bob King, and I have received no response. A team of Local 2036 members, including President Robinson, have been visiting Locals and spreading the word of their troubles. I personally witnessed one such visit, at a membership meeting at UAW Local 974 (East Peoria). Robinson received a standing ovation and this was no surprise, given what our CAT brothers and sisters have experienced ... they know what time it is. The Intl, however, doesn't want to talk to the membership, so we will go talk to them. Supporters of the working men and women of Local 2036 will be rallying at Solidarity House in Detroit on May 8th. I will be there to help demand that the Intl reinstate strike benefits to the locked out members of 2036; that the Intl finally add Accuride's products to the UAW's "Don't Buy"' list (where has it been all this time?) and that the Intl conduct a corporate campaign with pressure on the Big 3 in order to pressure Accuride's corporate b*st*rds to bargain in good faith with the members of Local 2036. The attached handbill tells you more. I ask all workers to check this out! I will keep you apprised.

In solidarity,

S/Justin Zachary West

NOTE: A RALLY WAS HELD AT 'SOLIDARITY HOUSE' IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL 2036, ON MAY 8th 2000,  WHICH THE AUTHOR OF THIS PAGE ATTENDED. UPS CROSSED THE PICKET LINE WHILE CINTAS AND AIRBORNE EXPRESS ABSTAINED. THE DIRECTOR OF SECURITY WAS POLITE, EVEN THOUGH MEMBERS WERE ASKED TO REMOVE THEIR UAW SHIRTS TO USE FACILITIES, UAW SHIRTS! ALL ATTEMPTS TO GET UAW TO HELP WITH FOOD AND MONEY HAVE FAILED! Also attempos to get UAW retirees to help went no where!   [ACCURIDE CUSTOMERS]                           [HOME]