Corey Hill, President, UAW Local 3520, Cleveland, N.C.
♦ On April 16, 2016, the 10th Annual Touch a Truck Event was held in Salisbury, NC for the community to attend. UAW Local 3520 from the Daimler Trucks North America (Freightliner) plant, located in Cleveland, NC, attended the event. We brought with us two semi-trucks to the event: the original Cascadia, and the newly released Western Star Phantom 5700 series truck. These trucks were built locally here at the Cleveland, NC plant by individuals from Cleveland, Salisbury and surrounding counties. We were proud to show off our American made, quality built with the community.
Just to hear the laughter of the children as they climbed in the driver’s seat and got to pull the air horn.
“Again, Again,” they’d yell.
“Honk, Honk, HONKKKK,” The air horns would ring out. Their eyes lit up as they climbed into the seat of the Western Star and realized how big the inside of the truck was. Not only the children were surprised to see our fabulous Cascadia and Western Star trucks, many adults were surprised as well. Many employees of Daimler brought their family members over, excited to see their work.
“I built this truck. See these mud flaps? I put these on.”
“See this fabulous paint job? This is my work.” Many employees of the Cleveland, NC plant were excited to show off what their job was. Pointing out what particular part they installed or built for these two trucks. They got to share with their family what they do on the inside of the plant. Many local truck drivers were dreaming how they wish they could have the beautiful Western Star truck. Many stated if they had that truck they wouldn’t ever have to go home.
UAW members would tell them you can have one built here locally at the Cleveland plant, not even 20 miles from where we stood. Also, many of the UAW Local 3520 members, who attended, explained to local and city officials how important it was to us for them to request an U.S. made truck for city and county fleets. You have the right to request where your truck is built. This is important because we must compete with other plants for orders within our own organization. We have two DTNA plant in Mexico that we compete with for orders. Even though you receive the same style truck your request keeps orders here in return keeps and creates jobs. Orders equals jobs, jobs that put people back to work. When employees go back to work, they make money, and the money is put back into the community. We currently have over 1330 employees laid off at the Cleveland facility that need our help.
Members of the community were surprised to see the compassion from the UAW Local 3520 members as they talked about their jobs at the Cleveland plant. Many people were shocked to know that the trucks were built from ground up, from rails rolling through the door, to the end of the line, where you’re driving it out the other end of the plant as a complete truck. Our members at Cleveland (Freightliner) pride themselves on building good quality and safe trucks. From the time the rails hit the door to the complete truck sold to the customer.
Also, UAW Local 3520 passed out over 400 plus Child Identification Kits to the community members who attended this event. These free kits purchased by the UAW were given out to family members for free. These kits included a pamphlet to record all the identifiable characteristics of your child, as well as a finger print card to record prints and a swab to collect a DNA sample. These kits were given to parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other family members. Some even took some for their elderly parents that they take care of. At the local this is our way of giving back and being a present in the community we live and work in.
Just remember UAW Local 3520 supports our community in various ways, and we also say to you that you have a right to request your truck at the Cleveland, NC plant, and if we don’t carry the style of truck, We’re sure our sister plant in Mt. Holly can build it. Remember when you buy American you keep jobs in America! You help people get back to work and create more jobs in America.
CLEVELAND: Where Real People – Build Real Trucks!
