GimmeFIVE

UAW Local 1435 member Marci Leahey and Tony Totty of UAW Local 14 participate in a recent Bank of America rally in Detroit.

According to Marci Leahey of UAW Local 1435 in Perrysburg, Ohio, sometimes things just make sense. In June 2010 when newly elected UAW President Bob King introduced GimmeFIVE education and mobilization program, it made sense to her to send a text and sign up. Since then, the Local 1435 webmaster spends as much time as she can encouraging other UAW members to get involved through GimmeFIVE. Leahey attends the local’s retiree meetings, sets up at the plant gate to encourage others to get involved, and posts union events and GimmeFIVE-related news to the local’s website.

A mother of five and grandmother of one, she has moved with lightning speed encouraging about 400 members and retirees of Local 1435 to get involved with GimmeFIVE activities. In the fall, she joined thousands of union members who strongly defeated Ohio’s infamous proposed Senate Bill (SB) 5, which struck down a legislative attempt to reduce the collective bargaining power of about 360,000 Ohio public workers. “Whatever it takes,” said Leahey, who is Local 1435’s technical training coordinator. “You just never stop thinking of ways to help or things you can do to get the word out.”

You’re a busy person. Why spend your free time with GimmeFIVE?

I enjoy keeping other people informed about union activities, and I like to know what’s going on – know what we need to accomplish to keep the union strong. The only way to accomplish that is to spread the word. GimmeFIVE is the best way.

Why do you think it’s more important than ever for members to engage in political action?

With the way the country is moving now, people everywhere are trying to take away things we have fought so hard for. We need to build strength in our unions. We need to make people understand the importance of these new issues and bills that are being created, that could really be detrimental to the middle class. We have fought for our rights, and we need to keep what we have. Union involvement can help people to fight for what we need.

How can others catch your spirit?

Get involved with your union. Know what is going on. Find ways to help others know that as well.

Sandra Davis