Onward
for 848!
After
their defeat in 1985, LTV management went on an entirely new tack. Supervisors
and foremen began going to "sensitivity" classes and new programs
were launched to try to regain their employees' previous devotion to the company.
The
Local re-elected Carroll Butler and B.J. Meeks to leadership. After his election
in 1990, Carroll Butler became the union president with the most years of
continuous service in our local's history. Among the many accomplishments
of his tenure are: computerization of the local's business affairs, strong
solidarity efforts toward other unions, help for community projects, strengthening
of communications with the membership, ongoing organizational efforts resulting
in near-record high levels of unionization, and the bringing together of the
union's archives.
LTV
had continued their long-standing policies of acquisition and divestment of
various other companies, and they ran into deep trouble in 1986. They had
become the nation's second largest steel producer after acquiring several
steel companies. When the market did not develop as they had hoped, they chose
bankruptcy. They also tried to put the employees' pensions money into the
same bankruptcy fund as all their normal debts. Local 848 retirees played
a role in getting laws passed that would protect retirees' benefits when companies
go bankrupt.
The
union local had learned an important lesson in 1984. When the 1988 contract
negotiations rolled around, the local was primed and ready. One of the local's
many accomplishments had been the formation of an ongoing Family Auxiliary
to support the union's activities. All of the elements were in place for any
kind of struggle that might develop; consequently, LTV gave in early and the
local enjoyed another contract that was the envy of the industry.
In
1989, the local honored longtime International Reps Roy Kinney and Pancho
Medrano, Sr on their retirements. Because of the example that Local 848 had
set for other UAW locals in 1984-85, the local continued to be a controversial
topic as American unions began to adjust to the new national situation.
While
Local 848 healed its divisions and prepared for future contract struggles,
the union movement in America began to find its footing in battle. Local 848
pitched in with solidarity activities. For example, President Butler was thanked
by a leader of striking Greyhound drivers in 1990 for the help our local gave.
Pittstown
miners, Delta Pride Catfish workers, New York Daily News employees, and other
unionists began to win victories over very difficult odds. The outlook for
the future began to brighten.
In
1990, the UAW International ruled that the local's re-election of the Butler-Meeks
team was unfair. They supervised another, very contentious, election that
featured uncommonly crude slanders against Meeks and Butler. Butler won a
third term, but Chairman Meeks was replace by Coy Click. Although the New
Directions movement remained strong until the UAW convention in San Diego
in 1992, it was essentially finished at Local 848. After several changes,
the UAW International Union assigned Darryl Greer, the top leader of the UAW
Staff Local, to serve as the Local's International Rep.
BJ
Meeks was a long way from finished, however. He was re-elected in 1993 for
yet another term as Chairman. Meeks' ally Mike Hall came seemingly from nowhere
to defeat Carroll Butler for President. On his first day, Hall carried out
his campaign promise to laid-off people by initiating a previous proposal
to win layoff benefits under federal programs. Within a year, Local 848 layoff
victims had the best benefits ever enjoyed in the aerospace industry!
Hall and Meeks were easily re-elected in 1996. By 1999, Meeks had decided not to run again. Hall campaigned hard but was defeated by a relatively unknown candidate, Chuck Stanley, in a sweep whereby six of the top leaders of the local and a large number of other representatives were defeated. The new Chairman was former Committeeman Rocky Wagner. Both Hall and Meeks pledged to help the new leadership.
Chuck
Stanley did not run for President in 2002, but for Chairman. Reecie Giesecke,
a longtime activist and head of the Skilled Trades Committee, won President
and Russell Strowd took Chairman. In 2005, Stanley tried again for Chairman
and won.
For
a fuller picture of the great history of our local, please browse through
the archives in the union hall.
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