By Ken Tramel, President and Chairman

As you know, 1999 is a contract year between the UAW and Ford. As in times past, it will be a very difficult and busy time for your bargaining committee. Not only will we be negotiating the local contract, but we will be keeping up with what is going on at the national level negotiations as well.

It has been announced that Ford will be the one to start the negotiations at the national level on June 14. Chrysler opening negotiations will follow on June 15 and GM on June 16. We hope being first means we are going to be the ‘target’ to negotiate the pattern agreement for the Big Three. The International Union will look at what each of the Big Three has to offer and the target will be the one who has the best offer. The decision on who the target will be will not be made until September 1.

I believe the contract negotiations will go very well and we will get a contract without the possibility of a strike. However, if Ford fails to meet our needs and negotiations break down, we must and will be ready for a strike. Worst case scenario, you need to be ready as well. So, put back some cash just in case and do not be caught off guard. There has not been a strike at Ford since 1976 and I think we will get through this one without one as well, but everyone needs to be prepared.

As always, there are numerous issues on the national contract to be worked out, but the number one issue for us is the future of Visteon. I have expressed that concern to the national negotiating committee and we are very lucky that the Chair of the National Committee is Johnny Martin. Johnny is the bargaining chair at Nashville Glass and a good friend to us at Tulsa. He and I have had many conversations about what is important to the Glass Division.

On a local basis, I think this could be the hardest set of local negotiations to date. The pressure at this plant to cut cost and make a profit is so great that it is going to be hard to get the company to give up anything. The one thing that I am most pleased with going into local negotiations, however, is that I have a great team with which to enter these negotiations. Your bargaining committee has lots of experience and are very good at their job. I want to ‘thank you’ for electing this bargaining committee. They will do a great job.

As you can imagine, the next few months will be a very busy time for the bargaining committee. So please be patient with us if we are not able to respond to your calls as quickly as we have done in the past.

In closing, thanks for your support and words of encouragement and we hope to be able to present to you a local contract you can be proud of. We will try to keep you as informed as possible as to what is going on in both the local and national negotiations.

On March 25, two Rogers County men were arrested and charged with robbing the RCB Bank in Claremore, thanks in large part to the quick thinking of teenager Matt McGill. Matt was outside the bank when the alleged bank robber entered the bank. He stated that he noticed that the man walked into the bank with his hand under his shirt as if he was trying to conceal a gun. Matt stated, however, he did not actually see a gun.

Matt said he hid behind the building and waited until the man exited and was able to give police a description of the suspect and the vehicle he and another suspect left in, including the license plate number. Reserve deputies in less than an hour after the robbery arrested the suspects based on Matt’s information. Police recovered between $300 to $400 in bills that matched the serial numbers of the money stolen from the bank. No gun was recovered at the time of the arrest.

Matt said he was not scared while he was hiding, but the man did not see him. He said the man exited the bank and the wind blew most of his money away and he started running, which Matt thought was comical.

The two suspects left the bank and stopped at a convenience store on Highway 88 where they purchased gas and left a $5 tip with bills matching the serial numbers stolen from the bank. They proceeded onto county back roads before exiting onto Highway 412 where they were spotted and arrested by a Rogers County reserve officer.

Receives Reward

In April, Matt received a $1,000 check from the Oklahoma Bankers Association for getting the license tag number and a detailed description of the getaway truck, which led to the rapid arrest of the suspected bank robbers.

On April 6, one suspect pleaded guilty to the March 25 robbery and was sentenced to 27 months in prison, while the other suspect, who also plead guilty to bank robbery, will be sentenced on August 25.

Matt is a Will Rogers Junior High eighth grader and grandson of UAW skilled trades member Lester Pruitt. Lester stated he is "very proud of his grandson."