In The News

THREE RIVERS - When Erv Heidbrink, president of Local 2093 in Three Rivers, takes his seat at the bargaining table with American Axle today in Rochester Hills, he will be thinking about the 750 workers back home.

"These talks are about the working people," he said. "When the ultra-wealthy gain power, they try to destroy the middle class."

Heidbrink said he considers everyone who holds a job, union or not, as working people.

Heidbrink and Dave Morris, who is chairman of Local 2093, left St. Joseph County early today for Rochester Hills, where talks were set to resume in the nine-day old strike.

The parking lot of the UAW Hall at 15802 Hoffman Road outside Three Rivers was jammed Wednesday afternoon as workers met to hear the latest news.

Heidbrink said he hopes for the best, but is prepared to come home empty-handed.

"With our positions being so far apart, it seems kind of early in the process for major progress," Heidbrink said. "We are certainly trying to look at it in a positive manner and hope the company is willing to work along with us."

Heidbrink is serving his second term as president of UAW Local 2093 at American Axle.

"In 2004, we had a very short strike," said Heidbrink. "This time I'm noticing a change in people's attitudes about us. So many people feel the way we do because they're hurting in their jobs because of this economy. We're getting lots of support. Our strike has affected other facilities. I get phone calls and e-mails from presidents of these facilities. They say they understand and wish us well. We certainly want to see General Motors be successful and we want to be back to work as soon as we can."

Heidbrink said the workers at American Axle conducted themselves in an orderly way when they walked off the job in Three Rivers Feb. 26.

"We were in Detroit at the negotiating table," said Heidbrink. "We were so fundamentally apart there seemed no value to continue negotiations. If we were even close we would have extended our talk. Obviously there was no compromise in sight."

Heidbrink said the UAW executive board was waiting at the Union Hall for news. "I called at 10 minutes to midnight. I asked that our strike chairperson Marcia Ballard prepare to put the announcement on the speaker phone at American Axle. By 12:01 a.m. Feb. 26 the strike had started."

Heidbrink began his career with General Motors in St. Louis in 1969. He moved to Nottawa Township in 1980.

He and his wife, Connie, have three grown children, all of whom graduated from Sturgis schools.

Heidbrink said the sad part is the lack of good work in Michigan. All three of their children have left Michigan to find jobs that pay well. One son works in Montana.

Terry Katz is a staff writer for the Journal. Contact her at katz@sturgisjournal.com.