United Auto Workers Local 31 held its seventh annual Adopt-A-Family Basketball Tournament at Hy-Vee Arena on Saturday to benefit local Kansas City families in need this holiday season.
Amid temporary layoffs at General Motors Fairfax plant, the union raised over $6,000 for Adopt-A-Family .
“We bring in families that are a little bit less fortunate than ours and we give them a Christmas,” UAW Local 31 President Dontay Wilson said.
The union said the basketball tournament is its way of giving back to Kansas City.
“This community stood with us when we were on strike,” Wilson said.
Symentha James, along with about 1,000 other General Motors Fairfax workers, were temporarily laid off about two weeks ago, according to UAW Local 31.
Brian Luton/KSHB“This is my third layoff from G.M., so I mean, it’s having its ups and downs,” she said.
Wilson said despite all the obstacles and hoops that come with layoffs, the tournament shows the union’s resilience.
Brian Luton/KSHB