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It was early in 1965
that the Ford Motor Company set up an employment office. It was located
in an empty market building on Fort Street in Trenton, Michigan.
Early hired workers
consisted of skilled trades and receiving material control checkers. There
were new hires from all walks of life. They came here from all parts of
the country and even from foreign lands. There were many U.A.W. members transferred
to Woodhaven from other Ford facilities. With this opportunity they received
July 1, 1965 seniority.
The plant, located
on West Road, was still under construction. The south end of the facility
was covered, but the north end was wide open. There were machines set up
in the tool and die room and only two production lines. A gaping hole was
located on the west side of the plant where a crane was used to bring hi-los
and tow trucks up out of the basement.
In July of 1965 the
International U.A.W. chartered Local 387. Ed Plawecki of the Star plant was
sent here as an administrator. The job was not easy; problems had to be
resolved without the aid of any local agreement. Woodhaven Stamping Plant
was a new plant, 387 was a new local, our committee had to negotiate every
grievance out of a common sense attitude. We did go by the International
Agreement as it concerned wages, benefits and holidays.
Our first membership
meeting was held at the Flat Rock High School. Region 1E director, Bard
Young, explained the procedures involved in establishing our new Local
Union. Ken Bannon, U.A.W. Vice-President and Director of National Ford Department,
was introduced. He explained that it would take time to get Local 387 on
the road to its own identity. The fact is that there were members transferred
here that had worked under different local agreements. There were also
selected supervisors sent here from other Ford®
Plants that were implementing new ideas.
The first election
of Local 387 officers was held with Ed Plawecki being chosen as the President
and Plant Chairman. Along with the collective bargaining unit, he had to
negotiate a local agreement. It was not easy, even though Ford Motor Company
had agreements with other stamping plants. Our Local began to come together
with the membership attending meetings at the Flat Rock High School. Committees
were formed and began to function with writing a local constitution, education
for the membership and having sports and social activities. Our Local rented
office space in Flat Rock for its headquarters.
Subsequently, we
held meetings in the Trenton High School and in the K. of C. Hall on Dix
Road in Southgate, Michigan. Our first election
was held in the plant parking lot on February 24, 1966 with the following
results:
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President - Eddie Plawecki
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Vice-President - John Noble
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Recording Secretary - David L. Smith
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Financial Secretary - Doyle Williams
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Guide - Dick Tuszynski
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Sergeant-At-Arms - Joe King
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Trustees - "Toledo" Art Harris, Bill Chaney, George
Splan
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Non-Skilled Bargaining Committeeman - Rich Haynes
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Skilled Trades Bargaining Committeeman - Frank
C. Kastl
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Non-Skilled District Committeemen - Ken Brown,
Tom Igielski
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Skilled Trades Committeemen - David "Smitty" Smith,
Earl Smith
There were 1,072 members who participated in the
first election. We held our first
Local meeting in our new hall on Telegraph Road, Flat Rock, on Sunday,
August 24, 1969, with an Open House.
When the Local 387 hall was opened, the leadership was as follows:
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President
- Robert Daniels
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Vice-President
- Robert Johnson
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Recording
Secretary - Frank Sablowski Jr.
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Financial
Secretary - Doyle Williams
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Trustee
Chairman - Robert Muse
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Trustee
- Theodore Varady
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Trustee
- Philip Kuspa
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Sergeant-At-Arms
- Arnold Foster
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Guide - Joseph Behers
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Bargaining Committeeperson -
Albert Divincenzo
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Bargaining Committeeperson -
Alfred "Pops" Nudi
The
Building Project Committee consisted of:
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Doyle Williams
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Philip Kuspa
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Samuel Carrier
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Robert Muse
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David Lavigne
Over the years Local
387 has established itself in the U.A.W. We have been chosen in many pilot
programs that were negotiated. We have had three of our former Presidents
on the Region 1E Staff, Eddie Plawecki, Jesse Gregory, and Al Suemnick
(Region 1A & 1E).
Our Local was involved
in strikes against Ford® Motor Company
in 1967 and 1976.
There was also a D-2 (Health and Safety violations)
situation that was resolved in 1976.
Many health and safety gains were made preventing
our Local going on strike.
Our first leadership
programs were held at the Geo. Burt U.A.W. Educational Center in
Canada.
Every year members
are sent to the Walter and Mae Reuther Education Center in
Onaway, Michigan. This consists of many educational,
social, living quarters, library, and
eating facilities. The center is located on
Black Lake near Cheboygan.
A Retiree Chapter
was chartered and instituted in the early 70's. The membership has
increased over the years to a total over 800
members.
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