This Monday, January 21, we celebrate the national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was born in 1929 and would have celebrated his 90th birthday this year. He was a champion to civil rights and a dear friend to labor. King strongly believed that men and women of all races deserve the dignity of work, the right to earn more than poverty wages, and he knew that goal was not attainable without full-throated worker voice. This sentiment is what bonded Dr. King and past UAW President Walter Reuther. Walter understood the civil rights struggle and Dr. King understood the labor struggle making them fast friends and prominent figures in the fight for civil and labor rights.
While few people have changed the course of history quite like this Baptist minister and civil rights activist, it was still a struggle to commemorate King’s birthday with a holiday. Four days after King was assassinated, then Michigan Congressman, John Conyers first introduced the legislation for a commemorative holiday. It wasn’t until 1983 that it finally become recognized as a Federal holiday. Today, the King holiday serves multiple purposes: It honors the total legacy of Dr. King; focuses on the issue of civil rights; highlights the use of nonviolence to promote change; and calls people into public service.
As Dr. King said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'” To honor that instead of taking the day off, take the day on through service and citizenship. There are numerous organizations that could use your help, including many activities through UAW local unions and Regions. The Corporation for National and Community Service is also a great resource. https://www.nationalservice.gov/mlkday
In this tone of service and appreciation, we would like to thank our UAW bargaining team for negotiating to get Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a holiday along with all our other UAW-FCA negotiated holidays. It is important to remember that when they bargain, the whole contract is up for renegotiation not just wages. Some of the language we rely on everyday must be defined and renegotiated such as; seniority, holidays, disability leave, vacations and transfer rights. This is easy to take for granted, so many thanks to our UAW bargaining teams!
KS:cmg
opeiu494afl-cio
UAW FCA Membership Update 