USW Local 2-232

formerly PACE 7-232

Representing  employees at Briggs & Stratton Corp. and Strattec Security Corp. in Milwaukee, WI

Membership Meeting 

Sunday December 7, 2008

Frank Monreal's El Matador

9155 W. Bluemound Rd. Milwaukee 

9:30a.m.

   Members are urged to Attend this Meeting.

Obnoxious Company Letter (Strattec Editorial)

    In regards to the letter that the Company issued with concerns of product quality and employee choices, I would like to say as a union all of the members understand the importance of the quality of our products and the importance of such as a whole. Now, with that being said, I would like to thank management for insulting all of our members and taking shop floor morale to a new low. Not only was the letter an insult but it was also a cheap shot at all the members integrity and work ethic. What management fails to realize is, by making the choice to issue this poorly written letter, they are in fact, chastising the very same work force that worked their asses off to help get the Ford business rolling when we were a young and supposedly different company. Not Briggs and Stratton. We are the same work force that even after a strike, held no grudges, but came back to work and exemplified a level of professionalism that management only wishes they could reach. For that level of professionalism and excellence I am proud of all my Local 7-232 brothers and sisters.

    I understand that we do not live in a perfect world nor do we work in a perfect environment. Accidents and oversights are going to happen.

    Quality is a team effort. The coach of any team will not abandon his players after a loss and isolate his or herself on an island of innocence. He or she will assume just as much if not more of the burden of responsibility. We have to merely dust ourselves off and correct the problems. Unfortunately, our coaching staff made a choice to issue a poorly written letter which created a greater divide, instead of taking the time to professionally make us aware of the problem and correct it.

    Of course it looks like again, the proud members of Local 7-232 are going to have to step up and be the bigger men and women. We, the members realize it is just as much our livelihoods as much as managements. With no Strattec De Milwaukee facility our management has no one left to manage, they quite possibly will be receiving the same unemployment check as you and I. The reality is no one wants the plant to close or move away. Understanding the importance of quality and getting that point across, management should have talked to us with more respect and not by an insulting letter.

    In closing, I would like to ask all members to get your foreman involved when there is a questionable or suspect situation. If management wants to play the finger pointing game let them. If we get them more involved and let them make the choices, they will have no one to blame but themselves. Remember, we as a union do not want their kind of C.Y.A work environment but we were pushed in a corner. We will not choose to lay down and take injust tongue lashings and indiscrete threats about our future. We will fight for quality, professionalism and respect. That is what American Labor Unions do!!!