Auto Union Pushes for New Members

LAS VEGAS (AP) _ June 4-At the United Auto Workers' annual convention here, John Sweeney, president of the labor federation AFL-CIO, stressed the need to recruit more union members, which he said make up only 14 percent of the nation's work force.

"Last year we brought in 500,000 new members," Sweeney said, adding that 1 million are needed this year to increase labor's percentage of the overall work force.

But union leaders speaking at the opening of the UAW's 33rd Constitutional Convention noted that membership in the UAW _ the nation's biggest and most influential industrial labor union _ has dwindled from more than a million in the 1970s to about 700,000 today.

BONIOR HAILED AS A 'CHAMPION OF WORKING FAMILIES'

A man who is "always out front on issues that really matter to working families" received the UAW's highest honor on Tuesday.

U.S. Rep. David Bonior (D-Mich.) was presented the Full Story

DELEGATES OK KEY POLICY RESOLUTIONS

Delegates Tuesday passed resolutions on the crisis in manufacturing, government employee rights, employer accountability, international solidarity and so-called right-to-work laws.

"The loss of manufacturing jobs has greatly hurt the American work force," Full Story

DELEGATES ELECT A NEW TEAM

Gettelfinger, Bunn set to take charge of union

Delegates on Wednesday elected a new leadership team for the UAW, but the enduring values of economic and social justice remain strong as ever. Full Story

Gettelfinger Elected Head of UAW

LAS VEGAS (AP) -June 5- Ron Gettelfinger was elected Wednesday to succeed Stephen Yokich as president of the United Auto Workers at the union's constitutional convention.

Rosa Garcia, a worker at the General Motors Corp. truck and bus plant in Fort Wayne, Ind. said she supports Gettelfinger even though she doesn't know that much about him. "He's got a lot of energy," she said. Full Story

USWA'S GERARD KNOWS WHAT'S WRONG AND HOW TO FIX IT

Leo Gerard knows who the enemy is and he makes no bones about it.

It's not workers in countries such as Mexico and China, but the system that moves jobs out of our country. It's not the powerbrokers at Enron but "the system that's been looting workers' pension assets, robbing us of good family-supporting, middle-class jobs."

 Full Story

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS FUND WINS DELEGATE APPROVAL

In a move to strengthen UAW finances, convention delegates approved on Tuesday an amendment to the UAW Constitution that creates a $75 million Emergency Operations Fund.

 Full Story

DELEGATES CHOOSE BANTOM, RAPSON AS NEW VICE PRESIDENTS

Gooden, King and Shoemaker re-elected

Gerald Bantom

Former Vice President Ernie Lofton said Gerald Bantom's father taught his son about the benefits of unionism at an early age. In nominating Bantom for vice president, Lofton said, "The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree." Full Story

CELEBRATE OUR UNITY

The 33rd UAW Constitutional Convention is about more than simply electing new leaders and defining policies.

For the more than 2,000 delegates, it's a golden opportunity to meet or reconnect with brothers and sisters from around the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Full Story

FROM THE FLOOR

Delegates discuss their union involvement.

Robert Sisler, Region 1A, Local 6000

Robert Sisler, a state employee at Northville Hospital, says he is a second-class citizen. That's because, as a state employee, Sisler and his union brothers and sisters have the right to bargain collectively, but once negotiated Full Story

ENRON ECONOMICS: BYPRODUCT OF GLOBALIZATION

 If you want a sneak peek at how globalization will affect you, take a look at the failure of Enron, Bob Borosage, director of the Campaign for America's Future, told delegates today. Full Story

Downtown Las Vegas Casinos Are Braced for Possible Strike, Attorney Says

Jun. 5--Seven downtown casinos are getting ready for a strike by the properties' maids and food service workers, the properties' lawyer said Tuesday. Full Story