Fraser led an inspirational life (Union leader. Teacher. Scholar. Citizen. Activist.)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080307/OPINION03/803070322

Friday, March 7, 2008

Ron Gettelfinger: Labor Voices

Union leader. Teacher. Scholar. Citizen. Activist.

There is no shortage of words to describe the countless ways in which Doug Fraser, the sixth United Auto Workers president, served others during his extraordinary life. But somehow, all the words fall a little short.

As a labor leader, Doug negotiated with titans of industry, but he always kept his focus on the rank-and-file workers who had chosen him as their representative. He was a fierce advocate for UAW members and families and was known to raise his voice a decibel or two when confronted with an injustice.

But no matter how tense the negotiations, he never lost the ability to bring things into perspective with his engaging sense of humor.

Everyone who had the privilege of working with Doug remembers his rare talent for analyzing the many facets of complex situations and arriving at solutions that worked for everyone.

Doug was just 26 when his co-workers at UAW Local 227, at Chrysler's DeSoto plant in Detroit, elected him as local union president. Management was equally impressed, and the young Fraser was offered a supervisory position. But Doug wasn't interested. He chose to make his life and career in the labor movement. The work he did in the years since then made life better for thousands and thousands of workers: in our union, throughout the United States, and around the globe.

FULL story at link.

http://www.uaw.org/