General Holiefied, was just that – a general. The former leader of men and women ushered in a new way of thinking that not only helped save the auto industry, but helped create new jobs and steady wages for the many workers of Chrysler Group LLC.
The former United Auto Workers national vice president died last night at Harper Hospital after a short stint in hospice and a battle with pancreatic cancer.
One cannot begin to understand the magnitude of what Holiefield meant to them and their children –black and white – who walk the streets of this city and this country. He touched folks on a very personal level. The magnitude of his legacy will be hard to match. Holiefied seemed to always be fighting for something. The same can be said for the pancreatic cancer that took his life last night at age 61 – another hero gone before his time.
Needless to say, he was an intricate part of what made UAW Chrysler what it is today. Holiefied led the organization through one of the most difficult times in company history, helping to negotiate a contract that has returned the business to a strong position throughout this country.
He joined the UAW in 1973, after he went to work at Chrysler’s Jefferson assembly plant in Detroit. By 1975 he was more than involved with UAW Local 961. At the Chrysler axle plant in Detroit, he cut his teeth as he learned the bylaws and everything the union had to offer to its workers – from civil rights to community action programs.
In June of 2006, Holiefied became the UAW vice president. He was re-elected in 2010, where he was responsible for heavy trucks and the General Dynamics departments – leading Chrysler through contract negotiations in 2007 and 2011, where he was skillful and thoughtful in negotiating wage increases, profit-sharing plans and the growth in the number of jobs. His greatest achievement may have been his leadership in helping Chrysler avoid bankruptcy in 2009, when the automaker received federal assistance.
Before being elected vice president, he held many duties – administrative assistant, assistant director of the union’s DaimlerChrysler department, appeals board coordinator and a servicing representative. He worked closely with UAW members and local union leaders at manufacturing and parts plants throughout Michigan and Indiana.
Holiefied’s style will forever be missed. When someone in the world, especially someone as instrumental as Holiefied, it’s as if they never age. Somehow we have this way of thinking they will live on forever. Maybe it was because he was only 61. Maybe it’s because of who he was – a man who made people feel proud of who they are.
Zack Burgess is an award winning journalist. He is the Director/Owner of OFF WOODWARD MEDIA, LLC, where he works as a writer, editor and communications specialist. His work can be seen at zackburgess.com. Twitter: @zackburgess1
