UAW Union Leader Shawn Fain and Bernie Sanders Speak at a Rally in Support of Strike Transcript

One, two. LaShawn English on the stage, y’all.

(04:42)
We about to wipe it down. Let’s go.

(04:43)
We going to go left first. We going to go left. Everybody, get your shoulders and go left and right first. Everybody, get that shoulder to make it go left, right.

(04:43)
One, two, one, two.

You ready?

Yeah, I’m ready. I’m ready.

Hello. Hello. Hello. My name is Laura Dickerson and I am the director of Region 1A. Whoo.

Oh, thank you. I am LaShawn English of Region 1. Where Region 1 at? Region 1. Yeah. Yeah.

They can’t get two microphones to work for us, but we are the emcees of the program. I just want to say to all of you, you know last night, the first historic national strike was called on the big three. In my region, Local 900 went on strike at midnight. That’s the only Ford plant in the state, the only Ford plant in the country currently on strike. Now, they may not end up being the only one on strike, but right now, we’re asking for your support for Local 900. They’re helping us all live the American dream. They are making sacrifices, sacrifices right now for what we’re going to get in the future, right? A better contract, a better way of life. [inaudible 00:19:05]. Record preference do equal record contracts. Now, I’m going to turn it over to my good sister and my sister, Director LaShawn English.

Hey. I want to concur with my sister, Laura Dickerson. She’s saying… I think my mic… Yeah. You got it? Oh, wow. You got it? Okay. Thank you. Thank you so much. But again, she says she is the only one who got on strike, but I right now have Blue Cross of Michigan on strike right now. Right now. I’m telling you, everybody want what we want, but it takes them 22 years, I need everybody to hear me say this, 22 years to get to the top pay. Let that sink in. Let that sink in. Let that sink in. We’re talking about 6, 8 years, but 22 years to reach the top pay. That’s ridiculous. Ridiculous. We’re all fighting for the same things.

(20:19)
Now we got to remember that we are brothers and sisters. If you get a chance, doesn’t matter if you go down to 900 or right down the street, please support the two picket line, or three. Actually, I have three that’s going on right now. Please. If you’re not on strike, please also donate supplies because they really do need it. I really do need that of you. Yes. Okay.

Now, we have some special guests here with us. As you all know, here in Michigan, we got a trifecta. We also repeal right to work. With that being said, this is one of our top legislators, our Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson.

Are you guys ready to change the world?

Yeah.

Are you guys ready to show the world what happens when people show up?

Yeah.

When we fight for people?

Yeah.

When we fight for fairness?

Yeah.

When we fight for justice?

Yeah.

When we fight for good-paying jobs for every American?

Yeah.

You all here and all around the country, you’re going to show the world what happens when people stand up and demand more, demand fairness, demand justice, demand to be a part of things and not just cast it aside. I’m so proud to live in a democracy where every voice is heard. We need to ensure we are in workplaces where every voice is heard. I tell you, you’ve got the support of everyone here in Michigan. We’ll ensure that as the days go forward, we’ve got your backs. We’ve got to be clear, this isn’t going to be easy. Change never is. But we know our cause is just, right?

Yeah.

We know we’ve got great leaders here, right, that are standing up for all of us?

Yeah.

Everyone you’re going to hear from today got your backs. We’re standing with you, and we know together, we are going to change this world. Let’s get it done. Let’s keep fighting. Now, I’m going to bring up some other great leaders in our state. I’ll turn it back to LaShawn. I don’t know. But we’re going to fight. We’re going to bring up some more folks. We’re going to stand with you. We’re going to win, right?

Yeah.

We’re going to win. No matter how long it takes, no matter how long we need to stand together, we will lock arms and say, “Solidarity wins.” Thank you, guys. All right. Thanks, guys.

Thank you. Are we fired up?

Yeah.

What’s the name of this strike? We are what? We are what?

Standing up.

Okay. I’m bringing to the stage, she got a name, they call her Big Gretch. Whoo. Our governor, Gretchen Whitmer, to the stage. Put your hands together, everybody. Whoo.

Thank you. All right. You either have your brothers and sisters. I’m glad to be with you. Let’s affirm things that we all believe in. Number one, Michigan was built by the working people, right?

Yeah.

Number two, unions built the middle class.

Yeah.

And we all do better when we all do better, amen?

Amen.

That’s what today is about, building a brighter future where every person can succeed, learning from our legacy that this is the state that put the world on wheels and assembled the arsenal of democracy while still building the middle class and making sure every person had a path to prosperity. Right?

Yeah.

We are living those values. Together, we repealed right to work. We reinstated prevailing wage and we rolled back the retirement tax. Come on, retirees. I want to hear you.

Yeah.

We’ve secured 36, 000 auto jobs and made record investments in education, infrastructure, housing, workforce development, and them damn roads, right?

Yeah.

Because we all want the same thing, a share… our chance at a good life, a fair shot. We all want to be able to make it… our families and we are all on Team Michigan. We will continue to fight to ensure that every worker is treated with dignity and respect, and that Michigan continues to lead the world. I am here with you, my brothers and sisters from the UAW. I love you, I respect you, and I stand with you.

Let’s give it up for our governor. Now, our great governor couldn’t do the work that she does without someone by her side. That person we see often in my region, Region 1A. But I will tell you, it is my great honor, great honor to introduce not only the lieutenant governor, but my friend, Garlin Gilchrist.

When I say union, you say strong. Union.

Strong.

Union.

Strong.

Union.

Strong.

Unions not only built Michigan, not only built the middle class, but delivered everything that’s valuable to families in America. What you’re fighting for, all of us are fighting for. This moment right here is about solidarity and standing tall together because our futures are

… Connected. We know that what is great for the middle class is great for Michigan. We know that what is fair in the workplace is fantastic for Michigan. We know that what is good for the UAW is good for America. That is why y’all are fighting so hard. We know that this industry can work for every one of us, those who work at the company and those who run the companies. That is why we are standing together. I want you to know that this administration, y’all heard from my partner, Gretchen Whitmer, we are going to do everything in our power to make sure that every person can make it in Michigan and be their best. That means you have to be supported at home and at work. That means you have to know that the people and the manager will stand with you as well as your leaders who are elected government will stand with you. So when I say union again, you say, “Strong!”

Strong!

Union!

Strong!

Union!

Strong!

Union.

Strong!

Stand tall for Michigan, everybody. Thank you. God bless the UAW.

Woo!

[Inaudible 00:28:27] Ah, yes.

Is this my mic? What’s going on? You guys are ready to rumble now, aren’t you?

Yeah!

We’re in it, baby.

Yeah!

This is what happens when corporations don’t take care of the people. I’m up here right now to introduce somebody that’s one of the best warriors in the battle against the corporate class and the billionaire class. It’s time that politicians in this country pick a side. We’ve been accused of causing a class war. Class war has been going on for 40 years in this country. The billionaire class has been taking everything, and the working class has been left scraping paycheck to paycheck, just trying to survive. It’s time to put an end to that class war.

Woo!

It’s time to pick a side. Either you’re with the billionaire class or you’re with the working class.

Yeah! Woo!

So it’s my pleasure to introduce one of the strongest allies we have and neighbor, one of our biggest allies for economic and social justice for everybody. He’s a lifelong warrior in the fight against the corporate class, kicking ass against the billionaire class.

Woo!

Chair of the Senate Labor Committee, UAW family and friends, I’m proud to introduce Senator Bernie Sanders.

Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!

Whoa! Thank you, Shawn. Thank you, UAW.

Woo!

Thank you for inviting me, and it is an honor for me to be here with you today. Let me thank the UAW for standing up not only for your own members but for the working class of this country.

Woo!

The fight you are waging here is not just about decent wages and working conditions and pensions in the automobile industry, it is a fight to take on corporate greed and tell the people on top this country belongs to all of us, not just a few. There is a reason why a recent Gallup Poll had 75% of Americans supporting the UAW.

Yeah!

They are sick and tired of an economy in which the rich get richer while working families struggle and the most desperate sleep out on the streets. So what this struggle is about here in the Midwest is a demand that we finally have an economy that works for all of us, not just a few.

Yeah! Yeah! Woo! Yeah! Woo!

I want to say a few words about something you don’t see much about on TV or in the halls of Congress, and that is what is going on in the American economy today and what has gone on for decades. Believe it or not, that at a time of unprecedented income and wealth inequality today, weekly wages for the average American worker are lower today than they were 50 years ago.

Boo!

In other words, despite a massive increase in worker productivity in the automobile industry and in every sector of our economy, despite the fact that CEOs now make 400 times on what their average worker makes-

Boo!

… despite record-breaking corporate profits, despite corporate America spending hundreds of billions on dividends and stock paybacks, the average American worker today is worse off than he or she was 50 years ago.

Boo! Preach! Preach!

Brothers and sisters, that is exactly what this strike is all about.

Yeah! Yeah!

That is why every worker in America, white collar, blue collar, in between has got to stand with UAW in your struggle for justice.

Yeah! Woo!

In America today, while we have more income and wealth equality than we have ever had in the history of this country, you got three people on top owning more wealth than the bottom half of American society. Despite all of that wealth, brothers and sisters, and you know this well, 60% of our people are living paycheck to paycheck-

Boo! Boo!

Paycheck to paycheck, and that means that every day they are living under the incredible stress. They’re worried about paying the rent. They’re worried about putting food on the table. They’re worried about being able to afford to go to a doctor when their kid gets sick. They’re worried about the high cost of childcare. They are worried about whether they’ll ever be able to send their kids to college. I grew up in a family that lived paycheck to paycheck, and I know a little bit about that. This is the richest country in the history of the world and families in America. Families in the automobile industry should not have to live with that kind of stress.

Yeah! Woo! Woo! Yeah!

Let me tell you, and Shawn has made this point over and over again, in the last 50 years, there has been a massive redistribution of wealth. Problem is, it’s gone in the wrong direction.

Yeah!

Instead of going from the top down to the bottom, it’s gone from the bottom up to the top.

Yeah! Boo!

What this strike is about and what workers are standing up all over this country for, is we’re going to reverse that trend.

Yeah! Yeah!

If the ruling class of this country wants a redistribution of wealth, we’re going to give it to them.

Yeah! Yeah! Yes!

One of the reasons I am so proud to be in Detroit today with UAW is all of you know your own history. You know that back in 1937, 86 years ago, your grandparents stood up and helped transform this country-

Yeah! Woo!

… with incredible courage. They took on the corporate greed of their day, the power of large corporations, and they helped pave the way creating a middle class in America.

Yes! Yeah!

That’s what the UAW did in 1937. Here we are today in 2023, 86 years later, and once again, the UAW is helping to lead the effort to rebuild and grow the middle class of America. Thank you very much.

Woo! Woo! Woo, woo, woo! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!

Thank you.

Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!

So I would like to say, just among friends, I would like to say a word to the CEOs of General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. Understand, folks, understand, CEOs, the enormous financial sacrifices your workers have made over the years.

Yeah! Woo!

It is time for you to end your greed.

Yes!

It is time for you to treat your employees with the respect and dignity they deserve.

Yes! Woo!

It is time to sit down and negotiate a fair contract.

Yes! Woo! Woo!

Now, I say to Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors-

Boo! Yeah!

Last year, you made over $29 million.

Boo!

Since you became CEO eight years ago, you have made over $200 million in total compensation.

Boo! Boo!

I say to Ms. Barra, do you have any clue what it’s like for one of your workers to try to survive on $17 an hour-

No! Boo!

… which is the average starting wage of an automobile worker? $ 17 an hour. Do you know, Ms. Barra, what it’s like to try to raise a family, put food on the table and pay rent when you’re making 20 bucks an hour?

No! Boo!

I say to Carlos Tavares, the CEO of Stellantis-

Boo! Boo!

… Mr. Tavares, last year you received a 22% pay raise, and now you make over $25 million in total compensation.

Boo!

Do you know, Mr. Tavares, what it is like to be classified as a temp?

No! No! No! That’s right, Bernie!

Despite working year after year, you remain a temp-

No! That’s right!

… receiving wages and benefits significantly lower than your brothers and sisters doing the same exact work.

That’s right?

Mr. Tavares, do you have any clue what that is about?

No!

I say to Jim Farley, the CEO of Ford-

Yeah! Boo! Boo!. That’s right, Bernie!

… Mr. Farley, last year you made nearly $21 million in total compensation. My guess is that when you retire from your job, you are going to have a great pension, golden handshake and all kinds of benefits.

Yeah!

Do you have any clue as to what It’s like to be a worker getting older, having worked your entire life and not having any money in the bank as you prepare for retirement?

Yeah! That’s right, Bernie!

Let us all be very clear. I know sometimes the media has, to say the least, not been as clear as it might be on this. Let’s be clear that what the UAW is fighting for is not radical. In the first half of 2023, the big three automakers made $21 billion in profits in six months, up 80% from the same time period last year. In other words, they’re doing pretty good.

Yeah! I know that’s right!

Over the past decade, the big three made $250 billion in profits in North America alone. Last year, these companies spent 9 billion not to improve the lives of their workers, but to pay for stock buybacks and dividends to make their wealthy stockholders even richer.

Boo! That’s right!

Meanwhile, while the CEOs and stockholders in the automobile industry made out like bandits, the workers who build the vehicles, you are earning totally inadequate wages and over the last several decades have fallen further and further behind.

Yeah!

All of you know that there was once a time when a union job in the automobile industry was the gold standard for the work class in America.

Yeah!

Well, we are determined to bring those days back again.

Yeah! Yes! That’s right!

We will not accept that over the last 20 years the average wage for American auto workers has decreased by 30% after adjusting for inflation.

Boo! Boo!

Do you want to know why you’re out on strike right now? That’s the reason.

Yeah!

Now I read a lot in the media about how a strike is going to be bad for the economy. Well, let me tell you something about the economy. When you have water workers who cannot afford to buy the cause they make-

Yeah. That’s right!

… that is bad for the economy.

Yeah! That’s true!

When you have auto workers who can’t afford to take out a mortgage to buy a modest home, that is bad for the economy.

Yes, it is!

When you have auto workers who can’t afford childcare or to save up to send their kids to college, that is bad for the economy.

Yeah! That’s true!

When you have auto workers who can’t afford prescription drugs, can’t afford health care, that is bad for the economy.

Yeah! Yes, sir! That’s right!

It is totally reasonable for auto workers to finally receive a fair share of the record-breaking profits that their labor has produced.

Yeah! Yeah!

It means that if the big three can afford to spend 9 billion on dividends and stock buybacks last year, they can afford to provide a decent COA to auto workers so their wages keep pace with inflation.

Yes! Yes, sir!

It means that the time is long overdue to end the disastrous two-tier system.

Yes! Preach it! Preach it!

It means finally ending the use of temporary workers.

Yes, sir! Come on!

Very importantly, it means that every auto worker receives a decent pension plan so they can retire with dignity.

Yeah! Yes! Yes, sir!

It means that workers should have the right to strike when an auto company announces that they will be shutting down another profitable plant in the United States.

Yeah!

By the way, over the years, they’ve shut down 65 of those plants.

Boo! Boo!

But that’s not all. It means that as we come back, climate change, the existential threat of climate change and try to make sure that this planet is healthy and habitable for our kids, that when the auto industry builds new electric vehicle and battery plants, it means that the workers in those plants become part of the UAW-

Yeah! That’s right! Yes, sir!

… and receive the same wages and benefits as union members.

That’s it!

Brothers and sisters, the CEOs of General Motors, Ford and Stellantis and the major stockholders on Wall Street have got to understand they cannot have it all.

No! Woo! Yes, sir!

We refuse to live in an oligarchy.

Yes!

We refuse to accept a society in which so few have so much and so many have so little.

Yes! Yes! That’s right!

Brothers and sisters, enough is enough.

Yes! Yes!

Let us stand together to end corporate greed-

Yes! Yeah!

… stand together to rebuild the disappearing middle class.

Yes, sir!

Let us create an economy that works for all, not just the 1%-

Yes!

… and let us all, every American in every state in this country stand with the UAW. Thank you very much.

Yeah! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!

Let’s give it up to Bernie Sanders-

Yeah! Woo! Woo!

… and our international president, Shawn Fain.

Yeah! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo, woo, woo!

Now next, we’re going to introduce some people that are putting in the hard work, the late nights, taking your demands to the table-

Woo!

… and that is the National Negotiating Committees.

Woo! Woo!

… and the vice presidents that lead those committees.

Yeah! Woo!

Now, I’m going to turn it over to my good sister, my sister in solidarity, LaShawn English.

Yeah!

So I’d like to bring to the stage the man that’s the VP over General Motors, and let’s get a round of applause for Mike Booth.

Yeah! Woo! Yeah!

When I say, who are we? You respond, UAW. Who are we?

UAW!

What are we?

UAW!

One more time.

UAW!

It’s an absolute honor to be here with each and every one of you. In the past 33 years, this has been like family. We share our likes, our dislikes, we express our differences. We have arguments and agreements just like our real brothers and sisters do. At the end of the day, we always have each other’s backs. So I want to read to you an email I just received this morning. This is actually very heartfelt that this young man took the time to send out.

[inaudible 00:50:51] Thank you!

So there was an email that I received this morning by a young man that it was a lot of passion for him to take his time to send this out. “I work for GM Subsystems. This upcoming Saturday will be my eighth straight Saturday and 10th since summer shutdown. We’re used and abused, taken advantage of, and I personally am exhausted. With over 2000 hours already this year, I am tired and so is my team. We hope you hear our voices now, we are tired. We want to see our families. We want to be treated like people do. Do what’s right, not what’s easy.”

Yeah! Woo! Woo! Woo!

He ended with the words, “In solidarity,” and that meant a lot. So he is physically and emotionally, he’s tired. He wants the simple act of enjoying his family. His ask is not him being greedy or lazy or selfish. This brother is craving for something as simple as respect. Last night was the opening salvo at the UAW to wake up not only GM, Ford and Stellantis, but all of corporate America.

Yeah! Yeah!

The middle class of America are feeling exhausted, frustrated and held down. It’s our time to stand up.

Yes, sir! Woo!

So on behalf of the entire UAW GM department, the negotiators are here. We’re honored to be here with you. Thank you each and every one of you.

Woo! Woo!

Thank you all.

Woo! Woo! Woo!

Okay. Let’s hear it for Mike. You got to get a hand clap for Mike.

Woo! Woo!

Woo! Mike Booth. Now coming to the stage, this little short guy here. No, this [inaudible 00:53:14] He’s over Stellantis I have to say, and his name is Rich Boyer. He is over the Stellantis plant.

Woo, woo, woo! Woo!

So come on up, Rich.

Yeah!

Hey, we’re going to start by first thing I want to do is thank all of you because I’m going to tell you something, the only strength that we have is you. You are the strength of this whole thing. We have finally come together and tell everybody we belong, we deserve. This is my national bargaining committee, strong people, real good people. We sat down the other day and we went around the room and talked about our experiences in bargaining. The reason why I did that is ’cause I wanted everybody to understand

We all matter to each other. Right? So now I want to say a couple of things. I normally don’t do this, but I want to quote one thing that I read from Dr. Martin Luther King today. He said “A strike is not about being greedy or selfish. It’s about dignity and respect.” Right? Now, I’m going to get into it. Now, I’m going to get into it. Now We’ve been listening to these SOBs talk about how greedy you are and these big old great contracts they’re offering. Let me tell you what they offered in Stellantis. In Stellantis, they want to close down six more power plans.

(54:38)
That’s a great deal. Right? In Stellantis, they want to use more temps or supplementals than they have. That’s a good deal. Right? And by the way, hey, they’re going to let you be forced a couple more Saturdays every year because you like being in there, right? So let me tell you, them guys are greedy crooks and they’re all full of shit. Every one of them. Every one of them. And I tell you, and I tell you, and I want the world to hear this, the world. This is about the working class. This is about the have and have-nots. And we’re tired of not having anything.

(55:19)
We’re tired. We’ve had nothing for too long. And I tell you, I tell you, better understand if we got to come to the streets, if we got to go to your house, my family ain’t starving, nor is yours. We are not starving. We want what is owed. It’s time to get what is owed. And the only way to get it is through solidarity. I’m going to go one step further. Now, they’re going to start the game playing. We give you this and you can cross the line and make a little more money there. And by the way, them guys don’t want to do nothing for you.

(55:53)
Them are the games. Them are the games. Don’t fall for it. It’s all. You said it. You said it. It’s all bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. Let me say this. Jim Farley-

Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit.

Jim Farley said that we are trying to negotiate for $300,000 for everybody. Bullshit. Bullshit. Mary Barra says, hey, we’ve given them everything we can give them. There’s nothing more to give. Bullshit. Bullshit. Now the last thing I’m say before I go and just remember this, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock. Here we come. Thank you.

I would [inaudible 00:57:13], but now I’m not. I’m going to introduce you so you can [inaudible 00:57:21].

That’s going to be a hard act to follow there. You got to follow, son. You got to holler bullshit right off the bat.

That’s what I said. The little guy.

You can’t follow that.

Let’s hear for Rich. Come on. Call it is. What did Rich say?

Bullshit.

That’s right. That’s right. First off, I do want to make sure I say thanks to all the negotiations negotiators, I do want to make sure we say that. I want to say thank you. So please give everyone, give a loud rah for the negotiations. We got one more team coming up here. Because these guys have been putting in the work. They have been putting in the work. But I want to give the mic to my sister Laura Dickerson because she is going to introduce the next man of the hour. So here we go. Laura Dickerson to the mic.

Well, let me say this. This is my honor. This next team and this next vice president needs no introduction. I told you earlier, I have the only Ford plant in the country on strike. And this man who by the way was my boss at one point in time. He didn’t know what he was doing, but I think he did something right. But I love him. I know the negotiators love him and I know all of the members at Ford Motor Company love him. Vice president Chuck Browning at the National Negotiating Team.

Let them hear you. Let them hear you in Dearborn. While they’re sitting on their asses, let them hear them in Dearborn.

Bring them back. Bring them back. Yes.

First of all, I’d like to thank all of our members, not just our members at UAW Ford, but our members at UAW Stellantis, UAW General Motors that are on the picket lines today. Let them hear you.

Yes sir.

And I want to thank all of our 150,000 memberships strong that are out there fighting for respect and a decent standard of living and the right to retire with dignity and to have fair work rules. Let them hear you here in Detroit. And I want to thank everybody here today. This is a historic moment in the UAW. We all remember the sit down strike and the challenges to organize in the early days of our union. And we stand here today, decades later fighting for our future, for the future membership, and for our current members to get the dignity and respect and fair hand that we deserve. And with the leadership of our president, Shawn Fain, we will stand up until we get what’s fair. Behind me is the UAW Ford Bargaining Team.

(01:01:53)
Oh yeah, we’ll. Do it. [inaudible 01:01:55]. So we bark. Every morning, we bark. Every night, we bark. But I got to tell you, they’ve been working day and night. They’ve been relentless. We have made some great progress over at Ford, but not the progress that we need to properly take care of the members. We’ve made good progress, but we have far to go. This team, I can’t tell you how proud I am of them. There’s not a minute that goes by that they’re not arguing, speaking, demanding on behalf of our members. It’s really incredible to see.

(01:02:52)
We’ve been a well-oiled machine, we’ve been strategic and we’ve been hard. You have some fans over there. Some late applause. I want to make one comment. Our CEO over at Ford Motor Company has been doing a lot of chirping in the media. He’s been erring his grievances with the process. He has an issue that the bargainers aren’t behaving like the peasants he believes they are and taking the scraps and taking things that he thinks is in our best interest, which he’s pretty proud of.

(01:03:55)
He’s been advertising what he thinks is a great agreement all over the place. And I want to send this message. You can chirp, you can complain, you can think that you are being treated with an unfair hand, but that does not take away your responsibility to sit down at the bargaining table and hear our members members’ demands and figure out a way to creatively meet those demands. I don’t know who the hell he’s bargaining with in the media, but he ain’t bargaining with us. And I can assure you when the company sits down and sincerely wants to resolve our issues, our issues, the members’ issues that we will prevail and we will have the agreement that we all deserve and we will get back what’s been taken away from us for the last 13 years with their heavy-handedness.

(01:05:26)
We move forward untiring. We will not yield. We have not taken one concession through this negotiations. Not one. And we will stand up because this is our time to stand up. I can be very long-winded as you know. But I’m not going to be long-winded today. The committee’s been working hard. I know you have all been supporting us. It means so much It’s so inspiring to us. I feel fresh as a daisy because of all of your energy that you’re sharing with me. But every morning we meet and every evening now we meet to end the day and we meet and we go through the course of what we expect to take place during the day.

(01:06:29)
And we always end the meeting by saying, what are we going to get? We’re going to get our shit. So I want you all, all of you to be our extended bargaining committee. And I’m going to end my remarks with this. What are we going to get?

Our shit.

Get our shit.

Get our shit. Get our shit. Get our shit.

Thank you very much. I love you.

Get our shit. Get our shit.

Let’s hear it for them. Let’s hear it for the negotiators. Let’s her it. Let’s hear it. Yes. Yes. These guys been putting in some long hours, guys. They have been working their butt off of us. I was trying not to be cussing like the other two directors, [inaudible 01:07:32]. But he said we need to get our what?

Get our shit.

So I guess we need to get our shit together, right? No, just kidding. All right. So I have the pleasure of introducing not only someone said that the state of Michigan got a trifecta, but we got a trifecta in the UAW. I’m telling you right now. We got three of the most powerful women in the UAW about to hit this stage. Yes. And this sister here, she’s the highest woman of the UAW. But she mines that money, I tell you what. She mines that money. She have done a lot of wonderful things and I want to introduce our secretary treasurer and hold on.

(01:08:15)
She’s also the vice president of the TOP, the strike that’s going down the street, the TOP. So my sister, my friend, secretary treasurer Margaret Mock. Let’s hear it.

All right. All right. Hello. Hello. Hello. Good afternoon, sisters and brothers. Look, no matter where you work, today, we are united in a common cause. That’s right. Yes. Not just striking auto workers in the big three plants. They’re not the only ones out here, but solidarity across all sectors of this union. Like our brothers and sisters on strike at local union 997 in Newton, Iowa, local 2326 in Edison, New Jersey. That’s you? All right. Here we go. Right over here. We are proud to support our Blue Cross Blue Shield members who are on strike this week. Now I want you to hear me when I say this. Be very, very quiet because you may think that you heard wrong, but just pay attention. It takes 22 years to make top pay at Blue Cross Blue Shield. Bullshit.

Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit.

Think about that. 22 years, two and two, 22 years, top pay. Blue Cross has been outsourcing our union jobs to contractors and vendors. Boo. Yeah. I know. We need to get our jobs back. Now, we’ll be marching right down the street to support our Blue Cross Blue Shield brothers and sisters today. Today, tomorrow, every day when you’re in the neighborhood and you see them out there, support please. Do any and everything that you can. We all need your support. We demand that employers recognize and reward the immense contributions of our union workers.

(01:10:47)
Whether your color is blue, whether your color is pink, white, purple, green or anything in between, we are united strong as a union, one union. One union. Now let me say it has been an honor and a duty to oversee our strike fund. We have constructed a war chest ready and prepared to support our members throughout every step of this fight. Entrenched corporate greed harms all of us. Just this morning, Vice President Boyer and I and our staff, we went to Toledo Jeep and we were there when they walked out. Toledo Jeep in the house?

(01:11:47)
All right. What did we say last night when we were stand or this morning? This morning when we were standing out there? No justice.

No peace.

No justice.

No peace.

No justice.

No peace.

That’s what we said this morning, y’all. Corporations have made record profits because of our massive sacrifices. I stand with all the working class who deserve a better quality of life. I will be with you as we fight in this fight. We’ll continue to fight. Thank you very much.

All right. Let’s give it up for our secretary treasurer and director of the TOP department. Margaret Mock. Can we all just give TOP some love? TOP. TOP. TOP. TOP.

TOP. TOP. TOP. TOP. TOP.

Sometimes they feel forgotten. I want to say something else too. I said that Michigan Assembly Plant was on strike. They are, but ISA is also out as well. We’re working on those issues. And I want those people from ISA to know we got your back. We’re working on it. Next, it is my great honor to introduce someone that I often refer to is my BFF, best friend forever. We were together late last night over at Local 900. We talk almost every day because she is the congresswoman in Congressional District Six. She comes from a legacy. Right? She’s the wife of John Dingell and her name is Debbie Dingell.

We got to have energy. Are you in this?

Yeah.

And we got to just support each other. And you know what? Dance with each other, laugh each at the other and remember what You’re fighting for. I love you. You all know that. You see me every weekend in one of your halls. And I want to first of all thank my BFF who is the real director in 1A, which has been my traditional home, but LaShaun, I also am region one. Most of me is in region 1A. It was John Debbie Dingell’s home. I love region A. And you know for all of you, just in a moment of a little seriousness, the last public place John Debbie Dingell went was region 1A.

(01:15:07)
Chuck was still there. God, I love Chuck and he wanted to go out. He wanted to see you. And I said, Chuck, can John come? Would it be okay? And he said, welcome. And that was the last public place John Dingell went before he died. And he’s watching from of above. Not from down there according to that asshole. And he’s talking to God and he’s saying these workers need our support. I did say thank you LaShaun, that I was also in yours. But I’m going to be brief because You’ve had a lot of speeches. But a lot of people are looking at you.

(01:16:00)
Look at the cameras back there. Takes a while to get people to pay attention. They’re not in the union halls or working with you on the ton of projects that everybody does. But you need to tell people. You need to put your face on what this is about. That when the companies were in trouble in 2008, 2009, we didn’t want them to go bankrupt. So who gave? The workers gave their cola. You haven’t had cola since 2008 or 2009 and your real wages are less than what you were making in 2008 or 2009. Tell it. Tell them you have less buying power than you did then.

(01:16:56)
Tell them about the tears. People do not understand tears. They don’t know that some of you have been temporary employees for eight or 10 years and still don’t have benefits. They don’t know that two or three of you are working on that assembly line doing the same job and making significantly different wages. Tell them and you want job security. And lastly, I want to say this, I’ll be damned if we’ll cease our leadership, our innovation and technology to any other country in the world. We are the best workers in the world.

(01:17:54)
And as we transition to whatever the next vehicle of future is from the internal combustion engine to the electric vehicle, the workers must be part of that transition. So my brothers and sisters, I love you. I want keep this industry competitive. I’m sick and tired of seeing jobs shipped overseas, going to Mexico or wherever else where they don’t have labor standards, they don’t have environmental standards. We’re going to build them here. And by the way, Donald Trump said they’re all going to be built in China. Don’t buy his bullshit. We’re going to build them here.

Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit.

Rashida is like, I always blame my bad language on Rashida, but she says I swear more than she does. I’m a Catholic girl. But anyway, I love you all. We’re all going to be there. I was in 900 last night. I was in 900 Sunday. I love 900. I love 600. I love 3000 and I’m going to start and get in trouble. Stay together, united we stand, have each other’s back, put the human face on it and we’ll come out of this a competitive industry with workers being the backbone of America. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay. So y’all heard her. So I want to understand when she said tell your story, also hashtag behind her and it should say what?

[inaudible 01:19:54].

Well, it can say that too, but you can put the bullshit behind the stand up. So please make sure she’s right, tell your story. But use that hashtag, use that hashtag please. Oh wait, I love it. We just got a new hashtag, but I don’t. Hey, we don’t want to go there. We want to keep it clean, want to keep it safe. Stand up. So next, coming to the stage, from the moment I got elected, this young woman called me on the phone and I actually didn’t even know who it was. But I tell you what, the moment we got on the phone, we started talking about working people.

(01:20:32)
I mean, a moment we’re talking and I’m being honest, we’re talking about women. So I don’t know, no one’s talking about this subject enough. But again, Shawn put some things in the proposal about when we have babies. Women in the crowd, do you get tired of going back to work at six weeks? I don’t hear any rage. What’s up? Six weeks is not enough. Right? You don’t want to leave your baby after six weeks, right? Daycare is hard, right?

Okay, but we also put in a proposal for you men too. So you guys get to stay home with those babies, okay? So those are some things that we’re writing for, but this young lady that’s come to the stage, we’ve been corresponding about that. I’m a little too old to be having babies, but I remember what it was like. And I tell you what, it was very hard to leave my son when he first was born. So I do appreciate that Shawn did put this on a proposal and she’s going to help us. So US Rep Haley Stevens. So please get your hands up.

Can you feel the feels UAW because I sure as hell can feel the feels. We are standing up for working people. Let’s hear for the Women of Labor. Let’s hear it. Let’s hear it for my director, Lashawn English. I took the bus here. I took the bus here from Region 1. It was a good bus ride. We were honking the whole way. And Laura Dickerson, she might be running Region 1A, but she lives in my district. And we are so proud of our friends at Local 900. Thank you for standing up last night. The world was watching. UAW, I got a message for you. Be proud of who you are. Be proud of where you are standing right now because people are going to look back on this moment when we have said, ” No more.” No more mistreating the hardworking people of this country. That’s gone on too long.

(01:23:09)
I’m going to tell you something. I’m in DC and they’re talking about a shutdown. That hurts working people. We have got to give people the dignity for their fair share work. I’m sick of these corporate profits ballooning. I was there during the auto rescue. I saw that deal get cut. I saw the concessions. We had the words GM in bankruptcy in a sentence. It was unheard of. And the working people stood up to save an industry. Folks, you have been working your ass off through a recession, through a pandemic and I’m going to tell you something. You know in DC when the Texans start tapping you on the shoulder and saying, “How are you doing it in Michigan?” You know, you’re doing something right. This steady hand of hard work rising through any challenge. That’s what It’s all about in Detroit. That’s who we are. They cut us down. They say, “Who’s going to shut off the lights?” We turn back on the lights.

(01:24:16)
And that’s what you’re doing. What you’re doing right now is not easy. I’m an elected representative, but I am your representative. You are heard, you are seen, you are loved. We’re standing here today. It’s not just about today. It’s about the tomorrow and every tomorrow after that. So from this stage and this moment and this great leadership that we see coming out of every single one of you, back to the halls of Washington DC, that’s where we’re going. I’m proud of you my friends. I love you. I’m here to tell your story and I’m here to see us to the other side of this. I can’t wait to celebrate when that contract gets signed because it’s going to be a contract of beauty. It’s going to be a contract about the wages. It’s going to be a contract about your justice and equity. We’re together. I love you. We’ll see you on the other side. Thank you.

All right. She came up before I could introduce her. She said it’s her song. So another one of our Congress people. But let me say this, we’ve talked a lot about Local 900 because they’re on strike. But Debbie, I call her Debbie, she’s my BFF. And Rashida, who is my mama bear. We were down at Trenton Engine. Shout out to Trenton Engine. We had a great rally there to bring attention to the fact that they need product. That’s what today is about, making sure we get jobs for the future. And we can’t do that alone. So I want to take time and before, there’s a lady over here who keeps shouting out retirees. So let’s show our retirees some love. We love our retirees. So without further ado, I introduced Congresswoman of the 12th District in Michigan. Rashida Tlaib. Welcome to Detroit.

This is where we birth movement folks. Welcome to the most beautiful, blackest city in the country. The City of Detroit. I think it’s a blessing that the negotiations is right here in the heart of the city. That was part of the labor movement before the labor movement even existed. It was where we fought to make sure we could have unions in the workplace. This is where every corner is a reminder of us fighting for civil rights. And I want to say this to you, every single transformative thing that we’ve been ever been able to do in our country is when the streets demand it. When you all up rise and make sure that you are respected and valued. None of you should be living literally in the plant for seven days a week. None of you. It is unbelievable that when my dad started and he only had fourth grade education when he started at the Flat Rock Ford. And when he got on that line and became part of the UAW family, he felt human dignity for the very first time. He said he learned it didn’t matter what kind of education he had. He didn’t matter, he had an accent. It didn’t matter anything. He was on the line with his brothers and sisters and he was [inaudible 01:28:10] against those big folks out there that got all the money, but they don’t have all the power. We do. So what do we want? End tiers. Say with me. What do we want? End tiers. When do we want it?

Now.

And if we don’t get it?

Shut it down.

I don’t hear you. If we don’t get it?

Shut it down.

What do we want?

End tiers.

When do we want it?

Now.

And if we don’t get it?

Shut it down.

And what else we want? COLA. 1948. Since 1948, COLA, the Cost of Living Adjustment has been part of every single UAW contract until ’09. You all took the biggest hit. You all took the biggest hit. The plant closures destroyed communities. They didn’t care. They turned their backs on you all. You guys got rid of COLA, you did everything you were supposed to do so you can keep them afloat. And now that you’re all struggling, our retirees are struggling. Now they want to turn their backs to you while they give themselves 300 to four times more in pay. And I got a message for Jimmy. Jimmy needs to stop talking to the press and get into the room and negotiate.

(01:29:36)
And if Jimmy is so worried about the economic health of his company, then maybe he shouldn’t have took all that 20 million dollar pay. He shouldn’t if he really cared. Maybe it’s time for them to take the hit because you all did it in ’09 and you deserve respect. So what do we want? And COLA. Say it with me. What do we want?

And COLA.

When do we want it?

Now.

And if we don’t get it. Shut it down.

Shut it down.

Thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Can we get another round of applause there? Come on. So I’d be remiss if I did not bring two guys up here that traveled pretty far. One not too far. He’s right next door.

[inaudible 01:30:31].

Oh, okay. I don’t know what that’s all going on there. But I’d like to bring to the stage… You know them? Oh, just two people. Dawn. Three. No, two right now. Two. Two people I want to recognize. Dave Green Region 2B. I know we got 2B in the house. I’m not know if y’all aware, we did have a bust load of members that came up here, all the way up to Michigan to support this. And here’s the guy for the hour. Brandon Campbell. Woo. Region 4. So they’re going to give us quick second of words of encouragement before the master act come in. So we’re going to start with Brandon or whichever way.

Go ahead buddy, go ahead.

Let’s go Brandon.

Hey, you’ve been standing out here long enough, it’s time to hit the streets brothers and sisters. We’ve been crying long enough. So what do you say? No more tiers. No more tiers. No more tiers. No more tiers.

No more tiers. No more tiers.

Brothers and sisters, you hold the line. That’s your job. One day longer, one day stronger. One day longer, one day stronger. One day longer, one day stronger. All right, stay solid brothers and sisters.

Thank you brother. So last night we walked out. 6,000 people from Stellantis, Region 2B. No justice, no Jeeps. No justice, no Jeeps. No justice, no Jeeps. No justice, no jeeps. That’s right. Hey, and I’ve been doing this for a minute. And for a long time they used to come to me and tell me, I said, “What is this contract?” “We got to fight to live another day.” Have you ever heard that? Fight to live another day? Today is our day people. Today is the day. God bless, y’all.

Yeah, you’re good. You’re good Shawn. I just wanted to make sure…

(01:32:45)
All right. All right, is everybody ready to hit the streets? Well, not before we hear from someone special. Somebody who did something historic. Somebody who took the big three out one by one. Somebody who’s bargaining for the middle class. Who’s bargaining to end tiers, who’s bargaining for a strong contract, who’s bargaining to end COLA. Our international president, Shawn Fain.

All right. You can try to read the lyrics off of this paper before I lay them. But you won’t take the sting out these words before I say them. That’s right. All right. So good afternoon UAW family and friends. And hello again to the big three. Can you hear us now? It’s my absolute honor to stand here with you today on the doorstep of another proposed casualty of corporate greed. As we speak, the company, Ford Motor Company, wants to shut down this training center now. It’s one more casualty in the long line of buildings that just keep on getting shut down of the 65 plants the big three have shut down in the last 20 years. It’s got to stop. Looking out at this sea of red shirts today, I see power. Power of united class. Right now at Ford’s, Michigan assembly plant, right now at Stellantis’ Toledo assembly plant, and right now a GM’s Wentzville assembly plant, around 13,000 of our members are on strike. And depending on what happens as we continue bargaining, more may be joining them really soon.

(01:35:59)
For the first time in our history, we’re on strike. Not just against Ford, not just against Chrysler, not just against GM, but all three. As we’ve said for months, nobody should be surprised, the target was the big three. And that’s because all three have made record profits. In the last six months alone, they made $ 21 billion. That’s money that our workers, work of our people create. In the last decade, they made a quarter of a trillion dollars. $250 billion while our workers have went backwards.

(01:36:51)
All three of the big three have priced gouged American consumers. They’ve ripped off the US taxpayer and all three have nickel and dimed the American worker. All three have failed to recognize the contribution that our workers make. The sacrifices we’ve endured. The retirement insecurity that over half of our workers don’t have anymore. That’s what you have to look forward to after you worked at a big three for 30 years. Knee replacement, shoulder surgeries, and no post-retirement health insurance and no damn retirement security. We’ve created these profits and these companies have forced our hand.

(01:37:45)
Over the last eight weeks, the CEOs didn’t seem to be able to find the time to show up for bargaining. But in the last week, in the last 24 hours particularly, the CEOs and the executives have found a lot of time to be able to go on corporate news and talk the talk. And we all know what they say. They say they can’t pay us a decent wage, but there’s always money for another stock buyback. They say they can’t provide a dignified retirement-

Bullshit.

But there’s always another special dividend for Wall Street. They say they can’t provide a cost of living allowance-

Bullshit.

But there’s always millions of more for the CEOs to bump their salaries up. Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors was on CNN just this morning. And they of course gave her an eight and a half minute segment. And she said every management talking point you’d expect to hear. And in those eight and a half minutes, she made more money doing nothing than any auto worker in America makes in over two weeks.

(01:39:20)
The day before that, Jim Farley, CEO of Ford was on CNBC sitting right over here. He said if they give us economic justice, it would bankrupt the company.

Bullshit.

He talked about how we can’t pay auto workers too much because then public school teachers and firefighters would get left behind.

Bullshit.

I don’t know where the hell he’s been living, but public school teachers and firefighters, everybody’s been left behind even paying us the shit that they pay us. That man made $21 million last year. In their economy, the CEOs get everything and the working class gets shit on. In their economy, workers live paycheck to paycheck while the billionaires buy another yacht.

Boo.

In their economy, we make all the sacrifice and they take all the profit. In their economy, one of our workers would have to work 400 years to make what a CEO makes in one year. So we’re going to wreck their economy because it only works for the billionaire class. You know, it’s sad. We look what we’ve been through in the last 15 years. The banks get bailed out and we get our homes foreclosed on. The big three get billions of our tax dollars to fund an EV transition. They got billions of dollars to get bailed out while the workers got left behind. They want to use scare tactics now saying we’re going to wreck the economy. All the pundits are saying that now. All the media talking heads. It’s going to wreck the economy if we get economic and social justice. We’re not going to wreck the economy. We’re going to wreck their economy.

(01:41:42)
I find it pathetic when they try to use scare tactics. They want to scare the hell out of everybody, not just our members. The working class in general. They want to make you think you don’t deserve your fair share. They want you to be afraid because they’re afraid. They’re afraid because they see their system where the billionaires keep everything, crumbling. And we’re not afraid. I say this a lot and I love this quote by Malcolm X when he talked about freedom back in the Civil Rights fight. When he said, “When a person tells you they believe in freedom, but in the next breath, they’ll tell you what they won’t do to get it, that person doesn’t believe in freedom.” And it’s the same For us in our fight. We have to do whatever we have to do by any means necessary.

(01:42:44)
We have nothing to fear. The only limit we have is the limit we put on ourselves. We’ve got to stop it. No limits. Look around. You know who’s scared?

They are.

The corporate media is scared. The billionaire class is scared. And the big three is scared. I look around here, I see power. You bet. I see faith and I see a working class that is fed up and fired up. I see working class people from all walks of life standing together. UAW friends and family, there’s only one thing left to do. When I asked you if you were ready to rumble, you all said you were. You all know what we need to do. And now the whole world knows what we need to do. When they tell us to sit down, we stand up. When they tell us to shut up, we stand up. And when they tell us to give up, we stand up. Are you ready to stand up? Then let’s stay in the fight and let’s go to it. Thank you.