The UAW cannot use union dues to directly support federal candidates and, in an ever-increasing number of states, any candidate for public office. Our only means of monetary support for many labor-friendly candidates is voluntary political contributions from UAW members to UAW V-CAP (our union’s political action fund).

Members can contribute to V-CAP in multiple ways. Many of our contracts have “check off” which allows for direct contribution to V-CAP through payroll deduction. Members and retirees can also give to V-CAP directly with a check. Either way, a modest contribution of $10 a month comes to about 33 cents a day and allows our union to support candidates who support our values.

Click on your Region to sign-up. Region 1A, Region 1C and Region 1D . Open letter from Local 6000 Executive Board.

The latest update concerning our 4% lawsuit, oral arguments will be heard in June.

The Michigan Court of Appeals has scheduled oral argument on 12 June 2013 at 10 am in Lansing on the state's appeal of Judge Draganchuk's decision in our favor on the 4% defined benefit contribution requirement and the change in computing overtime pay for pension purposes. On the panel is Judges Cynthia Stephens, Elizabeth Gleicher and Donald Owens. Judge Stephens was on the panel that decided the 3% pension case in our favor. See 294 Mich App 1 (2011).

The UAW Local 6000 will keep you informed of any new developments. But much like our victory regarding the 3% lawsuit it is our strong belief that the Governor and State Legislature violated the state constitution. Their last retirement program forced people in the Defined Benefits plan to pay 4% towards their pension or be kicked out of the plan with their years frozen.

"Michigan State Employees know first- hand the devastation that home foreclosure has reaped upon the state.

In the various departments around Michigan we deal with the families that are left homeless. Nowhere has this been more devastating than in the city of Detroit. We know federal agencies have given home foreclosure relief to communities that have suffered natural disasters around the country. But not in Detroit which suffered one the greatest man-made disasters in the last century. Of course we're talking about the financial collapse in 2008.

Please come out and advocate with your fellow state employees on May 20 at the UAW Local 600. "

I would like to remind everyone that all Labor/Management Team, committees, taskforces, TOP delegate, CAP delegate, Regional Council appointments and Health and Safety appointments expire in June. If you would like to be appointed/re-appointed to a Labor/Management Team position, committee, taskforce, TOP delegate, CAP delegate, Regional Council or Health and Safety Rep position, please fill out the Request for Appointment form on the website or in the NewsBreak.
Ed Mitchell, President Local 6000

Please see below what the Minority Leaders in the Michigan House of Representatives had to say about the 2014 budget on the House floor yesterday. They cover concerns with the program and service cuts to DHS. This information is from the House Journal that is kept each session by the House of Representative.

Rep. Greimel, Lamonte and Slavens, having reserved the right to explain their protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement:

“Mr. Speaker and members of the House:

I voted against HB 4228 because it does not include adequate funding for quality early childhood education, as requested by Governor Snyder and as proposed by House Democrats, because it provides no increase in per-pupil funding to many Michigan school districts, and because it actually cuts per pupil funding to some Michigan school districts.”

Rep. Tlaib, having reserved the right to explain her protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement: “Mr. Speaker and members of the House:
This budget proposal goes way too far and hurts core services for our veterans, seniors, children and families that need us to help ensure that we protect them from the harms that this budget will cause.

The budget threatens the values of our state. It does not invest in education or give our middle class families the tax relief they desperately need. It also does not create opportunities for real job creation. The past two budgets that shifted the tax burden on our families didn’t work. It hasn’t made our kids classrooms smaller or helped our children succeed. The tax shift didn’t help our families thrive. It didn’t decrease unemployment. The shift didn’t help real small businesses where we know the names of the owners who bring economic development to our local neighborhoods and always hire Michigan residents.

Peter MacGregor is a Michigan State Representative from Rockford, Michigan. This man believes that is appropriate to eliminate 1,000 employees from the 2013-14 DHS budget. HB 4217 became public on April 9, 13 when Rep. MacGregor and his House Subcommittee voted out a budget that wipes out all progress DHS has made regarding child safety. No CPS/FC worker needs to be reminded that DHS was recently sued for not adequately staffing the department’s child welfare programs. That’s why it is so shocking to see a House budget that is so blatantly neglectful and dangerous.

The budget calls for a reduction of 233 child welfare workers and 223 public assistance caseworkers. Not all the positions are from the UAW. The budget would also see all new foster care cases going to private agencies and all three DHS juvenile justice centers closed and the youth placed in private facilities.

Gov. Snyder’s budget would create a new fee payable by every electric utility customer that would raise $60 million for state emergency energy relief. The House budget would cut this and force the department to find $60 million in other parts of the budget.

This is all during a time when Michigan has half a billon dollars in the rainy day fund. The entire House budget for all departments calls for reducing 1,800 state jobs while the Senate reduces 900 employees. Gov. Snyder calls for the elimination of 600 employees. The reductions are in comparison to the 2012-13 budget.

The extreme lawmakers supporting these cuts claim because both child welfare and public assistance cases are down so their budget is justified. The reality is that DHS and other departments still need more employees to meet the needs of Michigan citizens and ensure Michigan is not sued again costing taxpayers to pay for lawmakers’ negligence.

The UAW Local 6000 has a long and proud history of being politically active and we are asking people to call and write Rep. Peter MacGregor to oppose these actions.

State Capitol P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909-7514 or phone 517-373-0218 or even e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Tell Rep. Peter MacGregor that not only do Michigan’s children deserve to be safe but taxpayers must also be protected. Cutting staff when DHS is under the authority of a Federal Judge means fines and penalties.