UAWD STATEMENT REGARDING UPCOMING MEETING BETWEEN PRESIDENT RORY GAMBLE AND US ATTORNEY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
On June 15th the IUAW announced that President Rory Gamble and US Attorney Matthew Schneider will have a meeting June 30, 2020 in Detroit to discuss reforms in lieu of the ongoing corruption investigation.
On numerous occasions during the course of the investigation, our leadership at the International UAW has stated that it is their goal to restore the rank-and-file’s trust and confidence in our International leadership. Yet, the IUAW has never sought to involve the membership in any credible way in order to better understand how the membership believes we can move our union forward.
The only promise of membership-involved reform made by Brother Rory Gamble thus far has been the proposed Ethics Advisory Committee, which — according to the UAW website — will be composed of UAW Members and individuals from the UAW’s Public Review Board. However, we still do not know who will be selecting the UAW members that will sit on the Ethics Advisory Committee. We also do not know what the process to select those UAW members will entail.
Furthermore, the Ethics Advisory Committee will have no actual power to implement reforms that would force the Administration Caucus to concede any power of consequence in the name of accountability. Given what little we know about the Ethics Advisory Committee, it appears as if the committee will merely make recommendations on potential reforms.
The fact that only the offenders who have pled guilty to criminal charges brought against them due to the outside investigation by the United States government is — in our opinion — proof that the Administration Caucus cannot or is not willing to effectively police our union ethics.
We believe the membership of our union should have a legitimate voice in the room during the scheduled meeting between Brother Gamble and Mr. Schneider.
We also believe that the Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD) Steering Committee — given the breadth of experience and knowledge within it — is qualified to be that voice for the rank-and-file.
Unite All Workers for Democracy is a grassroots movement of UAW members united in the common goal of advocating for structural change within our union in order to increase accountability, transparency, and democracy.
The UAWD Steering Committee is composed of UAW members from workplaces that span from California to New York. From autoworkers to graduate student workers. The Committee also includes UAW retirees.
Almost every member on the Committee hold or have held elected office in the past at their respective Locals. Those that have not held elected office have been organizers and activists within the labor movement.
We believe that if Brother Gamble is serious about implementing reforms that will fix a clearly broken system, membership involvement will include a seat at the table on June 30th.
UAWD STEERING COMMITTEE:
Asar Amen-Ra, UAW Local 869 — Life-long community and labor activist
Chris Budnick, UAW Local 862 — Labor activist with Autoworker Caravan, Co-founder of Solidarity Sunday
Mike Cannon, UAW retiree — Shop Steward, Committeeman, and Shop Chairman from 1973-1984 at UAW Local 282, UAW International Representative from 1984-2008. Servicing Representative Region 5, UAW International President’s Office and Research Department
Eleanor Castracane, UAW Local 2865 — Current Local 2865 Bargaining Team, current Recording Secretary at the University of California, San Diego unit
Sean Crawford, UAW Local 598 — Alternate committeeman at GM Lake Orion Assembly from 2014-2016. Former SEIU organizer.
Mike DiGiuseppe, UAW Local 259 — Current Vice President of Local 259
Frank Hammer, UAW retiree — Former Vice President, President, and Shop Chairman of UAW 909 from 1982-1993. UAW Local 909 elected delegate at four UAW Constitutional Conventions. UAW-GM Future Product Sourcing Representative from 1995-2000. UAW International Representative, GM Department Umpire Staff from 2000-2006.
Scott Houldieson, UAW Local 551 — Former Vice President and Financial Secretary at Local 551, UAW Local 551 elected delegate at the last three UAW Constitutional Conventions.
Jessie Kelly, UAW Local 160 — Former committeeperson for 3rd party unit, former Trustee on Local Executive Board. Currently Chair of Member-to-Member Committee, Chair of Communications, Local 160 LUCA representative, and GM Unit Recording Secretary.
Kenneth Larew, UAW Local 1853 — labor organizer
Justin Mayhugh, UAW Local 31 — Elected Local alternate delegate to the 2018 UAW Constitutional Convention.
Brain Schneck, UAW Local 259 — Current President of Local 259
Travis Watkins, UAW Local 167 — Current Bargaining Chairman, CAP delegate, Local by-laws Chairman