The first regional leadership meetings in our bigger and better Region 2-B will be held in May, 2012. Regional Director, Ken Lortz will make a swing through both Ohio and Indiana and hold a series of five meetings to update Leadership on both International and Regional UAW news. Read more >>>

Brian Slagle is a member of the Region 2-B, UAW Local 12/JCI Battery Unit and is the face and voice in this new TV ad for President Barack Obama.

The ad will start airing today in Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, Florida, and Iowa.

Thank you Brother Slagle for being a voice for all of us!

To All Ohio Members of Region 2-B UAW,

As you all know, the right wing extremists are circulating petitions to change Ohio's Constitution to make Ohio a Right to Work state. If they can collect 385,000 valid signatures by July 4, 2012 they can get this issue on the November 2012 ballot. If they miss July 4, 2012 they can continue to collect signatures and submit them for the November 2013 ballot. This group is well funded and we are sure the National Right to Work Committee is heavily involved in the effort. In addition to their volunteer solicitors, they have hired petitioners and are paying them $1.50 per signature.

As a result of our success defeating SB 5, key Republican legislators have temporarily attempted to distance themselves from the RTW effort. Bottom line, unless we can head it off, we know we will need to deal with the RTW issue in Ohio, most likely in 2013.

Our defense held with Issue 2. Our defense successfully got repeal of HB194 the voter suppression Bill on the November ballot, and our defense is preparing to defend against RTW. We need to get our offense on the field! 

Read more >>>

While not a household name, Flex-N-Gate has become the 15th largest automotive supplier in North America, with revenues of about $3 billion and plants in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Spain, and Argentina.

While Flex-N-Gate manufactures many car parts, one of its most important products is chrome-plated bumpers for pickup trucks.

It's hazardous work, using “hexavalent chromium”—the chemical made famous in the movie Erin Brockovich. The solvent is known to cause cancer when ingested or inhaled, and can cause skin ulcers, respiratory problems, and painful sores which can eat a hole in your nose.

Only about 40 percent of Flex-N-Gate workers in the United States are represented by unions, and so enjoy the benefits of negotiated health and safety provisions.

On December 9, workers at Flex-N-Gate plants in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Texas formed the first-ever National Flex-N-Gate Organizing Committee as the first step toward improving their workplace and creating a brighter future for themselves and their families. These workers say they want a fair process by which they and their co-workers can choose to form their own union.

HOW CAN WE HELP THESE WORKERS?

Read more >>>

Well...actually they never left us...

After the overwhelmingly successful job they did helping us repeal OH SB 5 (Issue 2), they are rested and re-tooled and back with a vengenance!

This time their mission is two-fold:

Helping us defeat Ohio's despicable, voter suppression HB 194 and to defeat any effort to introduce so-called Right To Work (for less) legislation in Ohio - both brought to us by the same over-reaching right-wing Republicans who brought us SB 5.

So if you've tuned out Ohio...tune back in to We Are Ohio - it's a great clearing house for the most current information on both of the draconian issues facing Ohio: where to go and what to do about them...

Read more >>>

Michigan citizens from all backgrounds who work hard and play by the rules are joining together and taking a stand.

For more than a year, Lansing politicians and corporate special interests have made one attack after another on Michigan workers: cutting middle-class families’ wages, health care benefits, retirement security and safety protections.

They’re not done yet — there are more than 80 bills waiting for a vote in the state Legislature that would strip basic protections from working people.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Citizens from across Michigan are collecting signatures to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that will enshrine into the Constitution the basic right of every worker to collectively bargain.

Read more >>>

The Indiana Alliance for Retired Americans Annual Convention will begin at 10:00 AM (Indianapolis EST) Thursday, May 24, 2012 at UAW Local Union 1111, 431 S. Shortridge Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46219.

Registration will begin at 9:00 AM.

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Join other Indiana Retired Worker Chapter Executive Board officers as Regional Director Ken Lortz presents a "state of the union" address.

We hope to have other speakers as well and a Director's lunch will be served at 12 noon.

Since the 1970 opening of The Walter and May Reuther Family Education Center, thousands of UAW members and their families have participated in the Family Scholarship Program.

This year the dates are:

July 8 -13; July 15 - 20; and July 22- 27.

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The 2012 Region 2-B, UAW Leadership Institute will be held at the Walter and May Reuther UAW Family Education Center in Onaway, Michigan. This year the Leadership Institute will be held on two separate weeks: 

Sunday, July 29 – Friday, August 3 (Revised date)
Sunday, September 16 – Friday, September 21

PLEASE NOTE RETIRED WORKER CALL LETTER WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AFTER MAY 30 INDIANA RETIRED WORKER MEETING.

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The Region 2-B, UAW Charity Golf Tournament will be held at Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin, Indiana on August 11, 2012.

All tournament proceeds will be donated to selected worthwhile charities.

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UAW Region 2-B Director Ken Lortz reaches out to us in support of The United Way:

"As members of organized labor, we know how important it is for each of us to do our part to make our community a great place to live and work."

Read more >>>