Member Spotlight: Ricky McDowell (UAW)

Member Spotlight is a recurring blog post series intended to highlight and connect the dots between the programs and priorities of the NC State AFL-CIO and the leaders and activist members of our affiliates who make it all possible.

My name is Ricky McDowell, and I’m with the United Auto Workers (UAW). I’ve worked at Daimler Truck North America in Mount Holly, North Carolina, for over 35 years, where I serve as both President and Shopchair of UAW Local 5285. I was one of the original 17 UAW members to first organize the plant back in the 1990s, and I led the fight against the outsourcing of our jobs in the 2000s.

I also helped secure the recent record contract at Daimler Truck, which will benefit over 7,000 members in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. The Daimler negotiations went great because I felt the company finally realized we were serious about getting our fair share of the profits they had been bragging about. I think they realized that this new UAW is trying to do what’s right for its members.

Being in the union is important to me because I know how it feels to work in a non-union facility. I know how it feels to not really have a voice inside the place where you work. Union shops bring better benefits, wages, healthcare, job security, and retirement plans—and these items are really important. Our union gives people a voice to stand up for themselves inside the plant. Working together enables people to prosper.

During my third term as President, I’ve been really focused on training the next generation. We must take the time to train the young brothers and sisters and tell them about our history so that they can continue to fight this fight. Never let them forget about the history of the UAW or their other local unions. Train them in the process of doing, so that they can make a good living and take care of their families. This is especially important to me.