Unions across Western New York rallied together at the UAW Local 774 Union Hall on Niagara Street, to advocate for UAW unions across the country. Speakers included local government leaders such as Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and State Senator Timothy Kennedy, who talked about the record profits recently recorded by the automobile industry and the lack of respect shown for those employees who make their products. Jimmy Lakeman, Servicing Rep for UAW Region 9, says now is the time to come together and fight for equity.
“We’re fighting for our survival in this area because General Motors has cut our pay in lieu of our— and threatening our job security,” said Lakeman. “We did all this to help them out during the bankruptcy when their business plan went south, not our business plan, the fight for our job security— and today we’re fighting for it again. Without our COLA, without pay equity, without pensions, and they’re making $22 billion dollars a year.”
(For reference, $22 billion is about $68 per person in the U.S.)
The official decision to strike here in Buffalo won’t be announced until Friday, but members of 774 are ready to stand in solidarity.