4:30 PM TUESDAY 7/15/2008

WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!

The International UAW, on Wednesday July 15th at approximately noon, authorized a strike at the Johnson Controls Plant in Columbia Tennessee. This plant provides seats and consoles for the new Chevrolet Traverse being built at the Spring Hill General Motors Plant . There has been an ongoing discussion with the Corporate Leadership of JCI concerning the employees of the Columbia plant being represented by UAW Local 1853. Ninety Eight percent of the employees have signed union cards and have authorized the UAW to be their collective bargaining agent. Current seat builders at this location are being paid $10 to $11 an hour to work in extreme conditions with no job security and minimal benefits. JCI employees have been asking for the UAW to intervene for two weeks and are eager to be electing their own UAW Bargaining Committee.

Unfortunately, promises that were made to the International UAW in Detroit and at the Region 8 in addition to leaders of Local 1853 were broken. JCI leaders have refused to recognize the democratic right of these members to organize. After several failed attempts to get JCI to come to the table and recognize the UAW, there are no other options.

At 5:00 am tomorrow morning Wednesday (7/16), the employees of JCI with the support UAW Local 1853 and the International UAW will strike Johnson Controls in Columbia in an attempt to get the JCI Corporation to recognize the UAW. It is extremely important that the members of our Local support the brothers and sisters of JCI. We are asking our members for the same level of support that we got when we had to Strike for our National Agreement Contract. The UAW has tried to avoid this step at all cost. Unfortunately, Johnson Controls Leadership has chosen a course of Adversarialism and have employed unfair labor practices. Lets show them how the UAW supports the JCI members who will soon be the newest members of Local 1853 when they get the recognition that they deserve! Please come out to the plant located across the street from the Pepsi Plant located off the Hwy 412/43 Bypass at Oakland Parkway. There will be members arriving at 5:00 am at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge behind the Pepsi Plant. This will be our headquarters for this strike until further notice. The leaders of the UAW both locally and Internationally will be there on the picket line as well. We hope to see you there! Food and beverages will be provided and served by our Retirees! Thanks for all your support!