UAW Reaches Out To Auto Execs

The new president of the United Auto Workers union reaching out to leaders of the auto industry, but also asking for a pledge from non-union companies.

Bob King is the first UAW president to speak to the Management Briefing Seminars in more than a decade. He was on a panel kicking off four days of conferences dedicated to the future of the auto industry.

"The UAW of the 21st century must be fundamentally and radically different than the UAW of the 20th century," said King.

King saying both the union and the major automakers made mistakes heading into the crisis of the past year, and they've learned from those mistakes. He said the union has learned that job security only comes from making products that people want to buy.

"The 20th century UAW tried to find ways to achieve job security, such as jobs banks, that in the end did not achieve the results that we were seeking," said King.

King, however, said that the union will step up its efforts to organize non-union auto companies. He said the UAW is developing a set of "principals for free elections" that it will ask companies to sign. The principals are still being developed, but King says the aim is to make sure that workers aren't intimidated and can also hear the union's message.

"If workers are given a free choice without harassment or intimidation, that's all we want," said King, who promised to abide by the results of any organizing election held under the new principals.

But King vowed to vigorously fight any company that refused to sign the principals. .

Executives of non-union auto companies were cautious in their response.

"The decision ultimately for a union or not a union is left up to team members." says Norm Bafunno, President, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana.

Bafunno saying that despite the recent downturn, Toyota did not lay off workers at its Indiana manufacturing facility. With the economy picking up, Bafunno says they may even do some limited hiring soon.

"At Toyota, we have an opportunity for team members to have two way communication, great job security, great benefits and a great future," Bafunno told WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert.

While the UAW has been picketing Toyota dealerships in response to the closing of a California assembly plant, the union president did sound one conciliatory note.

"Maybe because of my experience with Bill Ford, I have a lot of hope that Akio Toyota will really change things at Toyota," said King "We're cautiously optomistic that we can find a way to sit down and solve the issues that we have."

The recent recession has pushed UAW membership to a record low level, and the union has made organizing a major effort. King, however, said the goal of the "principals for free elections" is more long term.

"It is not about getting more dues money," said King. "It is about democracy."

Hear Bob King talk with reporters, including WWJ's Jeff Gilbert.