Bruce Braumhower is president of Local 12 in Toledo that represents more than 16,000 members, including those at Stellantis NV’s Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator plants there. He’s seen five suppliers close in recent years. They all had fewer than 200 UAW members — the number needed to get a delegate representative.
“We solicited support from the Sourcing Committee and got zero help,” Braumhower said. “I’ve been a delegate for decades. I felt it was a pretty good system and worked pretty well. Over the last decade or so, I’ve changed my mind.
“It’s human nature: You get cozy spending a whole week in nice hotels and hanging out with the top echelon of the UAW,” Braumhower said of the conventions attended by delegates. “After a week of that stuff, ‘yeah, we’ll vote for you.’ It seems like there will be greater accountability.”