[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 92 (Tuesday, June 5, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2986-S2987]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Tribute to Dennis Williams

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to someone 
who has been fighting for working men and women his entire career.
  Just for a moment, let's think back to 1977. The top movie that year 
was ``Star Wars''--the original one--and the average movie ticket cost 
$2.23. The Apple II computer went on sale. It cost $1,298, not 
including the television you needed to use for a monitor. The space 
shuttle Enterprise took its first test flight, perched on top of a 
Boeing 747. And a young Marine Corps veteran and salvage welder at J.I. 
Case first joined UAW Local 806 in Rock Island, IL. He began fighting 
at that point for workers' rights.
  A few things have changed since then. ``Star Wars'' and Apple have 
evolved, and the space shuttle has retired. Yet one thing hasn't 
changed: Dennis Williams is just as dedicated to the working men and 
women of the UAW today as he was four decades ago. Over the years, he 
has served them in a number of ways, including negotiating the first 
contract at Mitsubishi Motors North America in Bloomington, IL; 
organizing Indiana State employees; helping Local 844 in Vermont, IL, 
obtain their first contract; and serving locals throughout the nine 
States of Region 4.
  In 2010, he was elected UAW's secretary-treasurer. In 2014, he was 
elected United Auto Workers' president, a position he has held with 
distinction since then. It hasn't been an easy time to lead the UAW. 
The great recession hit the American automobile industry very hard. 
Some folks thought we should just let the auto industry go bankrupt. 
Instead, the United Auto Workers made sacrifices, stood strong, stood 
together, and weathered the storm. Under Dennis Williams' leadership, 
the UAW ended 2017 with a fiscal surplus for the third straight year 
and with more than 430,000 members--up 60,000 members since 2011. It is 
no surprise. Anyone who has worked with Dennis knows just how dedicated 
he is to his members and to the communities where they live and where 
they work.
  Just ask the people of Flint. During the water crisis--which, by the 
way, continues on--UAW members from all over the country were some of 
the first ones there to help. They collected bottled water and 
distributed it in their own vehicles, going door to door to help, even 
traveling to Washington, DC, to demand action from Congress. We are so 
pleased that they helped us get action to help the families in Flint.
  That tells us a little something about the character of the members 
of the UAW. Yet, it also tells us a little bit about their leader--a 
man who long ago signed up to serve his country and has simply never 
stopped. I think that Dennis would say it is about solidarity. He wrote 
in an editorial in the Detroit News last month:

       We believe that no matter where you come from, who you are, 
     what language you speak, or what religion you practice--being 
     in a union is about working men and women standing up for 
     each other. That's how it was in 1935 when the UAW was 
     formed, and that's how it is now.

  To Dennis Williams, thank you for your service, your hard work, and 
your dedication to making life better for working men and women so that 
we can actually have and sustain and grow an American middle class. I 
know that the members of the UAW join me in wishing you the very best 
in your well-earned retirement.
  I know that my partner and colleague from Michigan will be coming to 
the floor in just a bit.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

[[Page S2987]]

  

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, the history of the United Auto Workers is 
at the heart of what has made the United States a global economic 
powerhouse. It is tied to the growth of the thriving manufacturing 
sector and the birth of the American middle class.
  Dennis Williams, UAW president since 2014, is a strong contributor to 
this history. His leadership reflects a deep commitment to American 
workers and a clear eye toward the future. Since the union's formation 
in 1935, UAW members have stood together to ensure that their hard work 
is met with fair wages, safe workplaces, and reasonable hours. For over 
80 years, the voice of the UAW has amplified the voice of the American 
worker. Dennis Williams is a champion of keeping this voice strong in 
the 21st century.
  Williams joined UAW Local 806 as a salvage welder in 1977, following 
his service in the U.S. Marine Corps. There, he started his long path 
of elected union leadership and served as chairman of the Bargaining 
Committee. In the coming years, Williams would rise to the positions of 
international representative, Region 4 assistant director, and Region 4 
director. In 2010, UAW members elected him as secretary-treasurer, 
followed by the presidency in 2014.
  No matter what position Williams undertook during his decades of UAW 
leadership, he always stayed true to his roots. After becoming UAW 
president, he prioritized visiting union plants and locals to engage 
with members directly. He stated: ``I love the smell of black coffee 
and the smoke of the factory and walking up to UAW members and saying, 
`brother' or `sister'.''
  His passion for everything the UAW stands for, along with his 
businesslike approach to tough decisions, enabled Williams to take on 
some difficult challenges during his presidency.
  Just as Williams started in his role, Michigan--home to around one-
third of UAW members--had recently become a so-called right-to-work 
State. Michigan is now one of 28 States with policies designed to 
undermine union participation and workers' rights to collective 
bargaining. Despite tides of State and Federal anti-worker efforts, 
Williams remained practical and optimistic about overcoming any 
challenges that came the UAW's way. He emphasized the importance of 
sitting down and talking through issues rather than resorting to 
confrontation.
  Williams was steadfast about not giving up on organizing, and he has 
actively pursued new approaches to organizing that would keep the UAW 
strong in the future. His strategy has definitely paid off. During 
Williams' tenure, he successfully fought for the establishment of local 
unions at Volkswagen and Mercedes locations in the United States and 
for casino workers in Las Vegas. Under Williams' leadership, UAW 
membership has increased by almost 7 percent--over 27,000 new members--
between 2014 and 2017. The growth rate and membership over this past 
year has been the highest in a 1-year period since 2010.

  I am deeply honored by Dennis Williams' representation of over 
430,000 UAW members, including tens of thousands of workers in my State 
of Michigan. I wish him well in his retirement, along with his wife, 
Donna, of 43 years, his sons, Ryan and Matthew, and his grandchildren, 
Kendahl and Kai.
  I know I speak on behalf of many Michigan workers when I sincerely 
thank Dennis Williams for his admirable service as the UAW's 11th 
president.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Rubio). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 
up to 20 minutes as in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.