UAWD Organizing Vision and Plan for Building a Local-level Rank-and-file Movement in the Manufacturing Sector

This resolution was passed at the 2024 March Membership Meeting.

Whereas, the Stand Up strike and the latest Big Three contract gains have changed the course of the UAW, opening up new opportunities for rank-and-file organizing at the Local level.

Whereas over the past five years UAWD has made huge inroads into reforming the UAW, which has given our caucus influence with the UAW International Executive Board (IEB).

Whereas there is still a huge amount of work to be done reforming the UAW at every level from the rank-and-file, Local Union Committees, Local Union Shop Committees, Local Union Executive Boards, International Staff (including Regional Staff), and to the IEB.

Whereas, UAWD sees building militant and democratic Locals as core to building a rank-and-file movement in the entire UAW and the US, and sees the formation of UAWD chapters within Locals as a way to achieve this goal.

Whereas, to that end, based on our May 2023 UAWD membership resolution, UAWD has already committed to “encourage UAWD members to create Local or Regional UAWD Chapters,” and “UAWD will fund any reasonable meeting expenses for meetings of any new Local or Regional UAWD Chapters at manufacturing-based Locals.”

Whereas UAWD needs to build a bench of leadership who are developing the skills to continue the reforms still desperately needed in the UAW for generations to come.

Therefore, be it resolved:

1. That UAWD will commit the resources needed to develop at least 10 Model UAWD Locals within the manufacturing sector.
2. That UAWD sets the following target criteria for a model UAWD Local:
   1. Democratic:
      1. Decisions about Local finances, Local contracts, etc., are made through rank-and-file deliberation and participation at membership meetings
      2. All committees are open and accessible to all members for participation and decision-making
      3. Local agreements will be bargained democratically, with all meetings open to all members and votes of rank-and-file members for compromises
      4. Leadership is accountable to members not just through elections but on an ongoing basis — leaders see their role not as decision-makers, but as thought-leaders and facilitators of rank-and-file decision-making
   2. Informed:
      1. Many members are trained as organizers, and the membership knows their union rights
      2. UAWD members of the local collaborate on a shop floor newsletter or other effective form of shop floor communications
   3. Responsive to member issues: Grievances are handled quickly and in the spirit of a “an injury to one is an injury to all” — with a connection to rank-and-file organizing on the shopfloor, not just procedurally through the shop committee
   4. Militant:
      1. Members are ready to take collective action — including rallies and other actions — over grievances and in advance of a contract deadline, without asking permission from leadership or servicing reps
      2. Following our UAWD Platform, model Locals will have rank-and-file movements oriented around class struggle and uniting the working class
   5. Engaged UAWD Chapter: 
      1. Model UAWD Locals will have at least 2% of the Local’s membership be active UAWD members, and 25% of the membership part of UAWD’s contacts database.
      2. UAWD members in the Local regularly meet to discuss shop floor issues and strategize to win power within to better take on the company
      3. UAWD members hold key leadership positions, such as Steward/Committeeperson, Bargaining Committee, Local Union Executive Board, Standing Committee members or leaders
3. That the relaunched Organizing Committee (OC), following the proposal approved by the Steering Committee, will be the main vehicle within UAWD pushing for Local rank-and-file movements and working to realize the vision of model UAWD Locals. Members of the OC will each be leading at least one of the initiatives listed below at a manufacturing Local. UAWD members outside of the OC will coordinate with OC members or staff to continue building our caucus with the goal of building a UAW that empowers the rank-and-file.
4. That the OC, with support of UAWD staff, is delegated the following national UAWD “organizing initiatives,” to be carried out by OC members at the Local level:
   1. Contract enforcement: Developing Local-level rank-and-file contract enforcement, including by working within the grievance procedure in a militant way and, when appropriate organizing collective action outside of the grievance
   2. Democratic reforms: Developing campaigns around petitions and Bylaws amendments to democratize Local Bylaws, processes, and strategic planning
   3. Local elections: Developing Local campaigns for slates of rank-and-file-oriented members, for executive board, steward, committeeperson, etc., by building a campaign team, developing literature, and making a plan to win
   4. Local UAWD Chapters: Using the above initiatives, and any other opportunities that arise, to launch Local UAWD Chapters that can function as sites for building relationships and launching the next phase of Local rank-and-file organizing