[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 150 (Monday, September 18, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H4373-H4374]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        JOINING THE PICKET LINE

  (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, this weekend I proudly joined United Auto 
Workers on the picket line at United Auto Workers Local 12 in Toledo, 
Ohio, striking Jeep Stellantis in solidarity.

[[Page H4374]]

  Our mother helped organize the United Auto Workers nearly 90 years 
ago at Champion Spark Plug, organizing and negotiating with United Auto 
Workers founders Victor and Walter Reuther.
  Our father, Stephen, who they called Kappy, retired in 1969 from 
Jeep. Both were able to get better wages and benefits to help our 
family as we were growing up.
  I am including in the Record our mother's brief summary of why she 
joined the union and worked so hard; primarily to assure seniority 
rights of employment so you couldn't be fired because the supervisor 
brought family members to replace you.
  A bidding system was established so any open job was put up on the 
board so the one with the most seniority got the job, if qualified.
  Discrimination was outlawed so the foreman could no longer put his 
pets or relatives on the best job. The right to ask for a pay raise was 
assured through negotiation and the right to strike granted to 
employees.
  Leaves for illness were granted so people wouldn't be fired if a 
doctor certification was provided.
  I will continue tomorrow and enter the additional three sentences 
orally, but I just want to say go, UAW. We are so proud of you.
  When our mother Anastasia was in her early 20's, she landed a job at 
the Champion Spark Plug Company in Toledo where she had applied at the 
employment office every day for one year. She never missed a day of 
work between any of her jobs. Here, her weekly wage rose to $40 a week. 
She worked the production line at plug tamping where she was paid based 
on her output and she always did the maximum number each day. It was at 
Champion that she was elected to the Charter Committee of the Local 12 
United Auto Workers Trade Union that was forming. She summarized for 
her children why she helped form the union--``primarily to assure 
seniority rights of employment so you couldn't be fired because the 
supervisor brought family members to replace you. A bidding system was 
established so any open job was put up on the board so the one with the 
most seniority got the job if qualified. Discrimination was outlawed so 
the foreman could no longer put his pets or relatives on the best job. 
The right to ask for a pay raise was assured through negotiation and 
the right to strike granted to employees. Leaves for illness were 
granted so people wouldn't be fired if a doctor's certification was 
provided. Bathroom privileges were allowed for personal contingencies. 
Three months leave was allowed for pregnancy. Layoffs would occur 
according to seniority. And a grievance procedure was established to 
curb harassment by mean foremen.''
  Elected union Secretary, Mom gained respect by both company and union 
members for her knowledge of the bidding system, her ability to handle 
grievances, and her detailed grasp of the labor contract.

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