Women Candidates Explain How They Will Open Doors In Local 155

Women Candidates Explain How They Will Open Doors In Local 155

Recorded 5-12-26

Transcript

Why A Part Two Matters

SPEAKER_02 0:12

All right, are we ready to roll? I'ma have I'm gonna have you, I'ma have so welcome back to another episode of the Let Us Become Sharper slash TNS podcast. Let's give you an update. So what we did was we laid down a beautiful podcast three weeks ago, and the Ntel was two weeks ago, a couple weeks back. And that that podcast was based around the the election, the running for positions for the uh stepping up from the local 155. 155 the local one five five UAW. What happened was we we did one of the best podcasts that I've seen. It was sentimental, it was monumental, it was fundamental, and it really, really showed a lot of class and style. But this is one thing we we highlighted one of our mentors, one of our brothers, Wayman. He i even I had a I had a chance the honor to to converse converse with him about a few things, and he he he he broke down some bullet points to me. He said, Listen, his mentorship reached past the 155, and it it graced me as an honorary member of the 155. If I can use my pass, and he said, You know what? I reviewed this podcast, but I want to get my women. The only thing that we did not do is we did not get the women the the opinion of the fairer of the of the of the opinionated of the professional woman's mindset that are running for the positions as well. So, what I want to do is I want to reintroduce, come back in. I want you beautiful women to introduce yourselves and tell us the positions that you're running for, and we're going to continue. This is part two of the runnings, the electoral for the local 155. 155. So, what you need my help for? Let's get this thing going. We're starting right here in the front and working our way around the room.

SPEAKER_06 2:27

Well, hello, everybody. I'm Kimberly Legrand. I'm running for Sergeant in Arms for 155.

SPEAKER_07 2:34

155 every time.

SPEAKER_02 2:39

I'm loving that. Okay.

SPEAKER_07 2:41

Hi, I'm Wendy Brantley. I'm running for guide at local 155.

unknown 2:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:49

So that's what that's what, and then we're gonna go all the way around. All the way around.

SPEAKER_04 2:54

All right. My name is Carrie Howard. I'm running for the president for the local 155.

unknown 3:02

That's right.

SPEAKER_02 3:02

And my name is uh Keno Jones, running for Financial Secretary, Local 155. 155. Okay, so how we got right now. We're coming in on into the podcast. We we're gonna fulfill the the mission here is to for is to get the the uh the perspective of the women of the local one five because this is a shared opportunity, this is a shared dominion, this is a this is a shared expansion. So, what we want to do is we want to get their take, and they're gonna explain to us very, very soon. But before we do so, we want to continue to go all the way around the room and have everybody introduce themselves just like we did on our last podcast. We still have though they're not in the camera shot, but we get them in the camera shot a little bit. But here they are. We got so here's a microphone. Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_05 3:49

Hi, everybody doing my name is Big Rob. I'm running for vice president of the UAW local one five five.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

I am Gary Spears running for recording secretary of the local one five five.

SPEAKER_03 4:07

Chuck Gamage, I'm running for trustee, a local one five five.

SPEAKER_02 4:13

Okay, so now we we got it. We now now we cooking with propane once again. We got the same energy, and that's what that was a goal of mine. Oh, and I got my wonderful host, the wonderful Delena here. She's here with me to say something to the people.

SPEAKER_00 4:27

Say something to the people hello, hello, hello, hello.

Why They’re Running For Office

SPEAKER_02 4:29

Yeah, she's that's that's my call. She's she's gold. Okay, so now we we got what I what I wanted to feel is I wanted to feel that same energy as before, and we we're making it to that level. We're gonna start off, and uh, we've already outlined the objective. Why I just want to ask a question. Why are you running for your respectable positions? Now, this question is directed because we covered that with the gents last episode. Coming into this episode, we want to highlight now. Everybody's equal now, everybody's on the same playing field. But what we want to do is we're gonna highlight you because you were not here, and what this podcast needs, what this podcast calls for is for your voices to come up and resonate with the people about why you're running for your respectable positions that you have chosen. Let us know that right now, okay.

SPEAKER_06 5:28

Well, I'm running for sergeant in arms, first of all, because I want inclusiveness. I want inclusiveness for the LGBT community, for the women community, and for the younger community, because everybody hears about the union, but they're not too educated on what we do, the solidarity that we bring and the rules and the regulations of such. So I'm here to represent the women, the LGBTQ community, and uh I want them to be included too, because some feel that they are not.

SPEAKER_02 6:04

So, from what I'm gathering, so let me let me just let me be ginger, let me be gentle here in this case, in this in this particular case. When I had the opportunity to talk on the phone with Waben, he outlined to me that, and first of all, y'all guys did a fantastic job of expressing the importance of the 155. 155. I just wanna man, y'all made y'all killed it. And as I talked to, as as you as you showed the homage and the the admiration for him, when I had the chance to speak to him, that's what he outlined to me. He brought a perspective of inclusiveness, he brought an aspect of inclusion. So, as you speak to me now, this is the message that I'm getting. I'm getting that you want equal opportunity for everybody, exactly. As you mentioned, you know which what it is that you mentioned about that, the LBGTQ. So, okay, no problem with that. Now I want to move right next to you. Okay, and I and what I want to do is I want to outline some objective and and motive for you as running for your next position.

SPEAKER_07 7:25

I'm running for guide from my understanding. I am the first, as well as Kim for her position. I'm looking to have some kind of inclusion for our young people. That's been a big thing amongst us is that we we were mentored, and we wouldn't be doing our mentor justice if we were not putting ourselves out to mentor others. This train does not want to stop, it doesn't want to stop, but it will if we don't reach out. As we are right now, the train is not moving. We need that train to move. We need to show that we have the education and the love and the respect to be able to pull more people in to learn and get this train going. I also want to run to make sure that our voices are heard right now. It's stagnant. Nobody wants to speak when it's time to speak to address certain issues, and we need that. I'm not scared to do it. I believe in my people, my sisters and my brothers, and that's why I'm running exactly a powerful, uh, a powerful breakdown.

Inclusion Through Education And Information

SPEAKER_02 8:48

I understand what Wayman was talking about. Now I understand it. The spirit is alive and well, I understand what he meant. Now we have the alternate, we have uh uh the understanding from the woman's perspective of what it is that we want to do. Now, I want to I want to commend the brothers that came in last time on the show, they did a great job with this same very same subject matter of articulating what it is that they the point that they want to get across and the reason for running. Now we have outlined your reasons for running. So now what I want to do right now is I want to take this opportunity since we since we we're covering ground and phenomenal way. You said we're gonna reach out to the younger generation while we're running from our for your respectable positions. I want to just add two things, and I'm not just to put you on the spot, but because this is a we this is a redo, you know. I didn't got a lot of opinion from these guys, you know. So now you know the light is on you. I'm just saying I did the light is on you. So now what I want to know now is I want to know the plan. Now that we're here, now that we have the microphones that are hot and the cameras and the lights, right? What is the game plan? What do you plan on bringing once you reach your new position? Let's hear that.

SPEAKER_06 10:12

Well, they call me the mouth, um, but uh inclusiveness, education, okay, yeah, because the education, so they don't know what's offered to them, what they can do, how far they can go, even in the plants that they're in. Yes, um, what they can say, what they can't say. We have none. We meanings. I'm a gather. That's what I do anyway. I gather and educate, even if it's a small five people, ten people, educating. So that's that's what I'm gonna bring. And I'm not afraid to speak up. I'm gonna tell you like it is. I'm not gonna lie to you, but I'm gonna tell you exactly what it is and what's what it's not.

SPEAKER_02 10:58

And that and that on that honesty is important, right? Especially when you're dealing with the public, when you're dealing with people, that that honesty aspect is so important because people are so quick to get led in the wrong direction, led astray, misunderstanding. So I like that. Let's let's see what you bring.

SPEAKER_07 11:16

Well, I've been bringing for quite some time. I have been pulling, pulling people from the plant, given information when I go to Black Lake, when I go to Chicago, anywhere, anytime that I get a chance to go somewhere, I get that knowledge, I write it down, I have my paperwork, I bring it back, I post it, I tell people. It's imperative. That is a part of the process. It's not for you to go somewhere, get the information, and hold on to it. You don't grow that way.

SPEAKER_02 11:48

No gatekeeping, no gatekeeping. We we cover gatekeeping, and and what I'm gonna do is because I edit this podcast personally, I'm gonna I'm gonna splice that and put that in there. We we covered that that whole gatekeeper thing. That's a problem for me personally. I don't I don't like the gatekeeper because how can we grow?

SPEAKER_07 12:04

It's a lot of that that's going on right now, and that's another reason why we're running, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:09

That's another reason why same subject matter keep reappearing. It's not by chance, right?

SPEAKER_07 12:16

How do we keep getting up here? It's not by chance, that's for sure. I want to tread lightly and be respectful in the state, the things that I say, no disclaimer, no disclaimer, but allegedly, well, for me, how can you lead by fear? Yeah, how how can you lead by fear?

SPEAKER_02 12:41

Some people some people believe that that's the way.

SPEAKER_07 12:44

How can you lead by backdoor promises?

SPEAKER_02 12:50

She's making us think right now.

SPEAKER_07 12:51

How can you lead that way? How can you lead by talking about yourself in third person? We are a community, we are brothers and sisters. It's not just in solidarity, and it's not just one person. The members are who are supposed to run things, the officers are just supposed to do the job that we want, right? And making sure that things go well, right, and by the bylaws and by the constitution. That's barely happening right now. We want, I want, Kim wants, we want to open the door. How do we open up the doors? You have to talk to the people, you have to inform the people, or how will we get the information that we need to move forward? Just like our mentor mentored us, again, we mentor to mentor. At some point, if we don't do that, where is the union gonna be? We won't have a union, and our ancestors, brothers and sisters, uncles, daddies, mamas, everybody that fought the fight for us to have and what we what we are sitting in now. Shame on us if we don't want to continue that. Shame on us, that is not acceptable, right?

SPEAKER_06 14:21

Not in my book, and it's not about us, it's not that's what it uh people don't understand. It's not about me, as I tell everybody in my plan, it's not about me, it's about them. I said, I won't bother you unless you're bothering somebody, right? Right, other than that, you're not gonna hear my mouth, but when you bother somebody, here come Miss Kim. And they usually drop it. They'd be like, no, no, not today. So my thing is they what I see in our plants that we're having a problem with is information.

unknown 14:57

Yep.

SPEAKER_06 14:57

And I give out as much information, I post stuff in the lunchroom, I'm outside, they smoking, I'm out there telling me, hey, you got the right to do this, this, that, the other. Call from help you out. But we're not, we're not getting the information, the updated information. Like I brought a whole bunch of constitution books. Read the constitution, read your contract, understand what's there. You got a question, come ask. Come ask a question. And a lot of people are being kept out the gate. You know, you just you can do what I say. Yeah, just do what I say. No, it's all of us. If it's not all of us, it's not all of us except you. You know, we're not gonna do that. It's everybody, whether you like them or not, it's not about whether you like them. Amen. You there to serve. I'm there to serve, and that's what I do.

SPEAKER_07 15:46

Because if you fall, I fall. Exactly.

Leading Without Fear Or Favors

SPEAKER_02 15:48

Exactly. So so under right. So so under this, so so now now you gotta remember this is the local 155. 155. Let's let me because I like to be thorough, you know, with me holding distinct responsibility to to host. Now we had we we we we we ushered in a new uh a new format, a new saying, and last podcast that we did when we had the opportunity to all meet here together. We didn't say if we win, we changed the mantra. That's right, we remixed it, we rebooted it, and we reserved it to you in a powerful manner, isn't we said when we win, manifest, right? We manifest manifestation is important. The reason why I haven't gone around too much and talked to the guys is because we covered a lot of ground last podcast. We not to put y'all on the spot because that's not what we do, we don't we don't spot the we, but we we I believe that everybody here would agree that we are getting a distinct treat today. Oh no, no, I'm I'm gonna speak for everybody in the room, but ain't nobody gonna disagree with me.

SPEAKER_04 17:10

This is a groundbreaking moment, right? This is a groundbreaking moment right now because these two women right now they are running for two positions that two women period have never run for, right? Right, she she didn't break it down all the way. These are the first two women running for these positions ever at our loan, right? And these jobs have never been held by a woman, a woman. So this is definitely a groundbreaking volume.

SPEAKER_07 17:38

And when I win, and when I win, and when Kevin wins, we hope to make sure, we hope to make sure that we have a legacy of women that are coming behind us.

SPEAKER_04 17:52

We're not trying to hold break the door.

SPEAKER_03 17:56

That's a little rob can speak on this. The position y'all running me and Robin.

SPEAKER_06 18:08

That's a good thing.

SPEAKER_03 18:09

You know, what makes this interesting is like I say, I think Big Rob could speak on this too. The positions that y'all are running for, we held those positions at one time, and you were good leaders females doing it, it's uplifting. Thank you. Right, it should be falling back down.

SPEAKER_05 18:28

And uh I want to say that uh right now, me and Gary hold those positions right now. Okay, we've been done uh done wrong. Yeah, we've been done wrong.

SPEAKER_07 18:39

Disclaimer, disclaimer allegedly allegedly.

Actions Versus Words On Love

SPEAKER_02 18:44

So wait a minute, hold on, because I because I get I gathered more than you know, more than just you know, let's put the disclaimer out there, right? Allegedly, now this is what we're gonna do. We're gonna we're gonna we're gonna I think that we covered a lot of ground. I appreciate I appreciate the opportunity that I have experienced here today to hear the honest opinions, and I think everybody here would agree, but now this is a podcast, and this is uh let us become sharper. See you next podcast. So now that we've not that we've heard the beautiful women speak today, and trust me, you are truly beautiful. You have you have definitely accomplished, and we have the brothers here that would agree. We got the one five five present all in unison. I mean, I mean, matching to the T. So you gotta know that this is not something that we're not taking seriously, but I gotta ask one question, all right, before we depart. I gotta ask this question. This is a topic that I present. It's only fair because I presented a topic to the guys, I want to present a topic to the gals, all right. Right, and you know what I'm gonna do? Uh oh, no, I done heard the word disclaimer too many times tonight. No, I have so, in all fairness, normally I wouldn't do this, but I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna present the same topic, all right, because this is the one that I presented to the gents. You got your loved ones, people that love you. I know y'all show a lot of love, I know you receive a lot of love. You got people in your life that show you every day that they care about you and that they love you through actions, but now my question to you is outside of those actions, do you have to hear it? Do you have to hear the words I love you? I know we action people, I know I know we action people. Before you answer, I know we I know we action people, I know I know we want you to show me, but in addition to that, do you have to hear it? Let's go.

SPEAKER_06 21:08

No, I don't you don't have to hear it. I don't have to tell us why. I don't have to hear it because again, it's Missouri, they show me all the time from the show me states, they they show me all the time.

SPEAKER_02 21:21

All right, okay, we'll go right around.

SPEAKER_07 21:24

Same for me. What actions actions mean everything to me.

SPEAKER_02 21:29

Delana stop smiling over there.

SPEAKER_07 21:32

Everything, everything to me. I mean, you can you can you can say all you want to just think about what we're dealing with right now. We're dealing with the person that says a lot, but the action doesn't come with it.

SPEAKER_05 21:48

They get they get disclaimed.

SPEAKER_07 21:53

Allegedly, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry.

SPEAKER_04 21:56

Allegedly, I was talking to Rob yesterday and I came up with Saying and just in general conversation, we was like Rob, check this out. You can hear the lies, but you see the truth. Let that let that sit in all day. You can hear all the lies everybody wanna tell you, but your eyes tell you the truth. So what you see is what it is. You better believe it. That's right. Stand on that.

SPEAKER_07 22:30

That's right.

Election Details And Final Message

SPEAKER_02 22:31

Tent toes. We got two for no on that. Ain't no need to go round the room because we've already answered previously. And we have reinforced that. But I want to say this this is what I want to say. Now we see the opinions. Now we have heard the voice of the women of the 155. Now we got a different perspective. We was only operating off one perspective, and Wayman has said something about that. Yeah, whatever you want to add, but he said something about that. He uh labeled our last podcast as sentimental. He said this was high level sentiment, but now even tonight we've experienced a high level of sentiment. I want to do this. So, Rob, I see I see you here. I know you orchestrated anything you want to add. Yeah, I'm gonna give you the floor. You're gonna sit out for a minute. That's cool. If y'all come on, darling. We all two can come in and switch in. Yep, and we can and we can take it from there while we switching up. I want to say to our supporters, all cash is verified. Any cash coming in, any cash going out is verified. We appreciate you. Respect our show to my personal supporters, the the ones that just support me. I thank you, and we appreciate that. Coming in with the 15515 local. Before we close out, we want Rob to come in. He's the one who orchestrated all of this on my behalf to bring everybody in. But I just want to compliment everybody, how y'all color coordinated. Yeah, everybody out there. Let me look in the camera, everybody out there. The decision, yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_05 24:17

Yeah, we we went red on Wednesday, right? Right, right. That's red shirt Wednesday call today is Tuesday.

SPEAKER_02 24:23

I want to get solidary all the time. Before we get out of here, I want to talk it to the microphone into the camera for a minute. Last podcast, we stated we want to get to know, we want you to get to know who you are voting for. We want to get you to understand the person, not just the position. Tonight we made that clear. They gave their objectives, they gave the mission of what they want to do before we let Rob take it. Understand that this is real. Nobody colored coordinates this way, nobody shows up two podcasts in a row this way, nobody takes time out their schedule this way, and plan. So I am one. Let me just take y'all back. I am one. When I what when I came with the topic, do you have to hear it? I say yes, but I'm a spoiled brat, so that's just instant. But I'm talking about actions, actions speak louder than words, people and I and I and I'm gonna do this for y'all because this is the one five five. I'm gonna do this, and I and I don't do this often, and and we love you, Wayman. But we're gonna get a lot of views on this when I do this. People talk good, but when you see asses and seats, that lets you know that it's real. Nobody fires up with high gas prices, nobody pulls up at this hour and does no podcast and plan. Make your election vote count for this union. Yes, please. I'm giving you sincerity from my heart right now. I'm giving it to you, I'm giving you what I got. Please make the right decision because we we we we're showing you what we got, we're making it clear, as clear as day. And with that being said, from from my mouth to your ears, we're gonna let Rob take it, and then we're gonna move up out of here.

SPEAKER_05 26:27

All right. Well, I want to say I want to thank the women for coming out, saying what they had to say. We support them, definitely. Uh they always been with us and they always stood with us no matter what.

SPEAKER_02 26:42

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_05 26:43

Through any through all the hard times and all the disagreements with everybody else, they've been there for us. So I ask everybody to please vote for them. Vote for us May 19th, Tuesday, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. I want to give a shout out to a couple people, Virginia and Marie helping us uh put our flyers and things out, and everybody that's with us. We're trying our best to do what's right. People are led to believe that these seats are theirs already, but the all the seats are vacant. That's why we have an election. We're fighting to fill the vacant seats. They should have been filled, but it is what it is. Disclaimer, we're not gonna talk about no none of the other opponents, but we just want to let them know we're coming and we pray that everybody play fair. You know, because uh if we don't play fair, it's gonna be the the union gonna be split up. It's already kind of split up, but we're working it out, and uh, we just want to do right. And uh, I want everybody that to know right now today that's running. God bless y'all, and may the Lord be with y'all and be with me as well. And we want to thank Carl and his podcast for having us.

SPEAKER_02 28:13

I appreciate that. This is what I want to do. I want to do this. I edit this podcast personally with my own hands, right? I want a clear because not at the as you spoke beautifully just now. What I want is I want all of the campaign information in digital form, and I want to run it till that time comes. I want to run it. I want to run that, I want I'm gonna run that across not just the podcast, but my own personal media, that's right. And my personal media is lit. Yeah, I want to run it. I want to run it. I'm gonna take that for y'all because you come here, you're coming here, y'all believing in in the podcast, y'all believing in me, but I also believe in you. So I just wanted to add and ask that as we get out of here. So, Rob, you got anything else for him?

SPEAKER_05 29:06

Wayman, stay up. Yep, we'll see you Friday.

SPEAKER_02 29:10

I had the opportunity to speak with him. Great guy, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 29:12

We'll see him Friday, and uh, we'll be campaigning all the way to Tuesday.

SPEAKER_02 29:18

Okay, well, I'm loving that. Okay, so you know how we about to roll. Let me get a big one five five. One five five, one more time for the one five five. One five five. No, I don't play when when we win. When we win, one more time for the when we win. When we win, all right. We how they gonna stop us. How we as my father would say, how you gonna lose with the sugar honey icy that you use? We we're gonna get up out of here. We're gonna we're gonna take a lot of foot because everybody looking so beautiful with the red, we're gonna take some photo shoots. I am truly honored to be the platform that that you allow to represent you. We're about to go out here and enjoy some beauty. Like I said, we're gonna take we're gonna flick up all that's gonna be shown on the page. We're about to roll one more time for the one five five. One five five, and next door to the one five five is the new neighbor. Let us become sharper.

SPEAKER_05 30:18

All right, we're gonna write that information down for you so that you can do that.

SPEAKER_02 30:23

All that's I can now now. I'm gonna go swing, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 30:25

Right into the election, all right.

SPEAKER_04 30:28

We we thank you, man.

SPEAKER_01 30:29

It's it um it's it's one more thing.

SPEAKER_03 30:32

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We give his shots out to people, and we give William his homage, and we also had a couple more people that we are proud of what they taught us, and that's your Chris Robinson. Chris Robinson, Juwanna King, Juwanna King, yeah, uh William Vader, William Vader.

SPEAKER_02 30:54

So what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna take that because I edit this. I don't got no problem with exposing the process. I'm gonna take that, which you just said, put that at the beginning, all right, so they can receive that, and then everything else will flow.

SPEAKER_01 31:07

Yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_02 31:09

Right. We out of it.

SPEAKER_01 31:10

That's real.