Reps. Sak, Polidori, Bennett, Plakas, Spade, Farrah, Kolb, Waters, Accavitti, Anderson, Angerer, Bieda, Brandenburg, Brown, Byrnes, Byrum, Condino, Cushingberry, Gillard, Gleason, Gonzales, Green, Hopgood, Hunter, Kehrl, Kathleen Law, Leland, Lemmons, III, Lemmons, Jr., Lipsey, Meyer, Murphy, Sheltrown, Alma Smith, Stahl, Tobocman, Vagnozzi, Wojno and Zelenko offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 127.

A resolution honoring the 70th anniversary of the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America.

Whereas, The United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) is one of the largest and most diverse unions in North America, with members in virtually every sector of the economy; and

Whereas, The UAW-represented workplaces range from multinational corporations, small manufacturers, and state and local governments to colleges and universities, hospitals, and private non-profit organizations; and

Whereas, The UAW has approximately 620,000 active members and over 500,000 retired members in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico; and

Whereas, There are more than 950 local unions in the UAW. The UAW currently has contracts with some 3,200 employers in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico; and

Whereas, A unique strength of the UAW is the solidarity between its active and retired members. A solid majority of the union’s half-million retirees stay actively involved in the life of their union, participating in some 700 retiree chapters and playing a vital role in the UAW’s community action program; and

Whereas, Since its founding in 1935, the UAW has consistently developed innovative partnerships with employers and negotiated industry-leading wages and benefits for its members; and

Whereas, UAW members have benefited from a number of collective bargaining breakthroughs, including: the first employer-paid health insurance plan for industrial workers, the first cost-of-living allowances, a pioneering role in product quality improvements, landmark job and income security provisions, and comprehensive training and educational programs; and

Whereas, From their earliest days, the UAW has been a leader in the struggle to secure economic and social justice for all people. The UAW has been actively involved in every civil rights legislative battle since the 1950’s, including the campaigns to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988, and legislation to prohibit discrimination against women, the elderly, and people with disabilities; and

Whereas, The UAW also has played a vital role in passing such landmark legislation as Medicare and Medicaid, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Employee Retirement Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act. In Washington and state capitols, the UAW is fighting for better schools for kids, secure health care and pensions for retirees, clean air and water, tougher workplace health and safety standards, stronger worker’s compensation and unemployment insurance laws, and fairer taxes; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of the legislative body recognize the UAW as they celebrate 70 years of solidarity.