BACKGROUND:
GM is attempting to sell its Indianapolis stamping plant. The potential buyer, JD Norman, wants the Indianapolis workers -- UAW Local 23 -- to continue with him (since he needs someone who actually knows how to run the factory, at least until he can have them train their replacements) -- but at 50% less than they make now. That's as little as $15/hour for workers with years of experience.
However, the local's contract has a successor clause, to wit: they're guaranteed the same package if the plant is sold, until 2015. So the membership voted overwhelmingly not to enter into contract negotiations with Norman.
However, after that vote, the leadership of the UAW International, against the express will of the members of Local 23, entered into secret negotiations with Norman & called another meeting: at which time the membership threw the bums out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owUjzuVLY-s Then the UAW International & Norman set up an "informational" meeting, so they could "explain" all the great things they were offering along with that 50% wage cut. 50 people showed up out of 630, the majority of them anti-Norman. Even new hires, who are already on "second tier" starting wages of $14/hr, are honoring the resistance.
Local 23's position is that if Norman doesn't want to honor their contract, they'll take a transfer -- which most are eligible for. Labor notes says: "Many of these workers have already moved three or four times to protect their wages, working conditions, and benefits accrued over many years. They feel that if J.D. Norman succeeds in throwing out the successor clause, the wage cuts will spread to other GM stamping plants in a new round of a race to the bottom."
If Norman gets his way, GM will use that -- the threat that they can contract out their stamping work to Norman -- to rachet down wages of other senior workers in a domino effect -- making the "second-tier" wages universal.
Now the International has set up a mail-in vote run by a "third party" chosen by the International -- in violation of UAW's own Constitution:
"Article 19 says no one, including International officials, has the authority to negotiate a contract with any employer 'without first obtaining the approval of the Local Union.' Today the local election committee handed out a flyer saying it did not sanction the vote and that it is illegal..."
http://labornotes.org/blogs/2010/09/end-run-indy-uaw-forces-members-vote-cutting-pay-halfAND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW:
Indianapolis GM workers fight new UAW vote on wage cut
On Tuesday workers uncovered an internal memo from plant manager Gary Malkus to salaried personnel at the plant, which said management had been “advised by the Region 3 and UAW International representatives that a vote will be conducted on the tentative agreements, that they have negotiated. Specifically, they have elected to use a mail-in ballot process and will employ a third party to oversee the ratification vote.”
Such a “vote” would be in complete defiance of the decision of GM stamping workers who have repeatedly voted against reopening their current contract... UAW International President Bob King, Region 3 Director Mo Davison and other UAW officials concocted the mail-in ballot scheme to prevent another local union meeting where workers will reject the deal en masse. At the same time, the handpicked “third party” will ensure the UAW gets the results it wants. The process is so outrageous that the UAW Local 23 Election Committee denounced the measure for usurping its duty to conduct all ratification votes.
After learning of the plan, workers issued and distributed a leaflet rejecting the plan. The leaflet...states that if the UAW pushes through this vote, "WE WILL NOT ACCEPT IT AS LEGITIMATE."
...The Indianapolis workers are urging auto workers throughout the country to print out their leaflet, distribute it, and take up a common fight against wage-cutting and layoffs.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/sep2010/indy-s16.shtml A LETTER TO ALL AUTO WORKERS
On Tuesday, Indianapolis GM stamping plant manager Gary Malkus sent an internal memo to salaried workers saying that UAW Region 3 and International Union representatives told management that a vote will be conducted on the wage cutting deal reached with JD Norman. The memo says the UAW has elected to use a mail-in ballot process and will employ a third party to oversee the ratification vote." Where in the contract does it say this is a legal process?
The reason for a mail-in vote is that the UAW knows that if workers come together we will reject this deal like we have done three times before. The UAW says a "third party" will count the votes. We the workers will have no way of checking the vote results. There is nothing to stop the UAW from stuffing the ballots and saying a majority voted for the deal. They are keeping this from the press and media because they know what will happen. We stopped them last time because of all the attention. We can do it again.
The letter says there will be no membership meetings at the union hall. Instead International UAW representatives will be in the auditorium in the plant on September 20 to "answer questions." The UAW officials want the meeting in the plant so that management can protect them. They don't want another scene, filmed by news crews and spread all over the Internet, of UAW bureaucrats being thrown out of a union meeting. If you look at the send and receive dates there won t be enough time to get all the votes in. And it is our understanding that if your vote is not received it will be counted as a "yes." This is just another way to get their "yes" votes and get what they want out of all of this. If this plant is so bad off it needs to be closed, how come they are breaking all the laws to keep it open?
The UAW is working against us, not for us. They want to protect their six-digit salaries, management perks and golf courses by doing the dirty work for GM and Norman. They are taking our dues. That is a paid contract to protect us, not sell us out and still take our money.
Bob King, Mo Davison and the rest of the UAW tops have nothing but contempt for our democratic rights. Their plan is to force us to vote until we "get it right." If our local tries to defy them, the International can put it into receivership and remove the elected officials. By accepting the pay cut and all other cuts, the only thing we are accomplishing is making them a large bank account while ours go dry.
If they push through this vote we will not accept it as legitimate. The next generation of auto workers has the right not to live in poverty and we will protect that right. No amount of threats will stop us.
We call on all workers who want to fight against this betrayal to join the Rank-and-File Action Committee. We reject the "choice" between a 50 percent wage cut and the shutdown of the plant. We must prepare for a fight against both. For those who have everything they have worked for their whole life at stake, this is legal robbery. For those working for their future this is slave labor. Is this the American way now?
If we are going to fight against this attack, we have to organize independently. We must unite all workers in the plant, young and older, full-time and temporary. We call on all auto workers throughout the country to support our struggle. Copies of this statement will be sent to many GM plants. They have a say-so in this also. It may be them facing the same struggle that we are facing now. Many is a very powerful thing. If we know we are not alone in this we know we are strong.
It is our responsibility to our children and their children not to let this happen. They will know history as it has happened and will know that we had a voice in this to prevent them from living a life of struggle. We must not let them down. This fight was fought years ago, and we as adults are proud of our predecessors for fighting the fight. Now it's our turn to be looked upon the same in our future. History does repeat itself.
Signed,
The Indianapolis GM Stamping Rank-and-File Committee
http://factoryrat.com/factoryrat/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=12999OTHER UNIONISTS IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL 23:
To our Local 23 UAW Sisters and Brothers
Greetings and Solidarity,
We are writing to express our deep respect and admiration for your acts of solidarity and courage in the face of tremendous pressure. We applaud Local 23’s bargaining chair and committee for their strength.
As former (and current) Local Union Presidents, Shop Chairs and other elected representatives, we have witnessed the incessant drumbeat for concession after concession. None of us have ever thought that concessions were the answer to the problems faced by the auto industry, or any industry for that matter. WE KNEW THAT LABOR COSTS WERE ONLY ABOUT 8-10% OF THE COST OF A VEHICLE. IF WE WORKED FOR FREE, THE INDUSTRY WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS...
If the situation is so dire, why aren’t those in power leading by example? Are GM execs willing to take a 50% pay cut? Is JD Norman saying he and his managers will take a 50% cut in pay if they buy the plant? The answer is obvious to us. No, they’re not. They want you to. What we have seen in the last 40 years is a growing disparity between the rich and the rest of us. Those at the top cannot continue to get wealthier unless the rest of us give up more. And that is what they want us to do.
That is why we stand in solidarity with you in this struggle. A line must be drawn. If you give in, it will be used to whipsaw other plants especially GM Stamping Plants into taking equal or greater concessions. Suppliers and other businesses will pressure their employees to take cuts in the never-ending ”race to the bottom.” If you stand strong, it will help everyone.
It appears to us that you have made your wishes clear. In our democratic union, the wishes of the majority must be respected. You have our deepest respect.
In Solidarity, (50 CURRENT & FORMER UNIONIST REPS, STEWARDS, ETC)
http://labornotes.org/blogs/2010/09/end-run-indy-uaw-forces-members-vote-cutting-pay-half 
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