[Keith Seymore]

Now, relative to "union wouldn't let management touch stuff": makes me think of a story, if I may. In fact, this will show how "militant" the union was at my home plant, Chevrolet Flint Assembly -

At the time of this story, I was a supervisor on the Line 2 (Blazer, Suburban) Chassis line. Among other things we hooked up the brake lines, evacuated and filled the brake system, tested the brakes and did any last repairs before sending the chassis over to "motor set".

It had been quite a day, probably like any other, which means frenzied frenetic activity on your feet for 8 or 10 hours, and then, once everybody else goes home you get to stay late and do the paperwork, inventory and get ready for the next shift. All of my workers had gone and I was kind of wandering aimlessly, trying to get my head back on straight. I noticed the repair bench was kind of a mess; Without really thinking, I started picking up exhaust hangers and brackets and was hanging them back on the appropriate pegs when, quite suddenly and out of nowhere, the Shop Committeeman pops out from behind the bench.

"WHATINTHEHELLDOYOUTHINKYOU'RE DOING!!" he starts screaming, spit flying from his reddened face. "YOU BLAH BLAH UNION WORK BLAH BLAH I OUGHTA BLAH BLAH" reading me the riot act. Truth be told, I sorta tuned him out, for one thing because I was so tired but for another thing because his response was so far over the top that it just wasn't even registering. I'm sure I tried to explain that I was just doing what seemed like what a normal human being would do and...whatever... and, after an uncomfortably long time somehow he finished up and left. I don't even recall my response but I probably just shook my head and went on about my business and forgot about it.....



...until....


...





...the next day. I was up in the front of the building, where the offices are, in the Personnel area. As you might guess, that's also where the Labor Relations office is and - no big surprise - this guy was in there chewing on one of the salaried workers. I didn't think he saw me but as I came in the door without even taking a breath he wheeled around and, with great fanfare, pointed directly at me and very loudly says "...and HIM!! HIM!! I CAUGHT HIM 'VIOLATING' DOWN ON THE CHASSIS LINE LAST NIGHT!!"

"Violating"?! What kind of word is that, I thought. To this day I still think it makes it sound like I was sodomizing sheep on the assembly line!



Geez. I was just a kid, maybe 19 or 20 or so, supervising probably 25 or 30 hourly employees. Even now I still just shake my head in wonder.


K