Fighting discrimination
UAWD Priority resolution for
the UAW Constitutional Convention
Fighting Discrimination
Resolution
We call for building unity and strengthening our union by restating the UAW’s historic commitment to civil and human rights, taking more concrete and effective steps to fight discrimination and harassment in our workplaces, as well as by closing the gap in representation in UAW leadership as well as in occupations such as the skilled trades.
Background
- The UAW has historically been one of the most racially diverse unions in the U.S.
- UAW’s long legacy of supporting civil rights movements and leaders must continue.
- U.S. workers and immigrants saw the highest improvements to our wages and working conditions during the 1960s to 1980s, when the labor movement & civil rights movement were intertwined.
- Today racism, sexism, ableism, anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry, religious discrimination (including Islamophobia), xenophobia, & other forms of oppression are being increasingly used by employers, big companies, & politicians to generate divisions among workers in the workplace & society as whole, impeding progress on broadly supported reforms like the PRO Act.
- In our workplaces, we are able to overcome these divisions through solidarity in our unions for our common fight to improve our working conditions and gain dignity in the workplace.
- To build a society that serves workers interests, UAW needs to take open & bold steps to fight discrimination & divisions, inside our union & in broader society, to foster solidarity among ALL workers.
Opposition from the Administration Caucus
- After the #MeToo movement, as workers (especially new members in higher ed) were organizing around harassment & discrimination in their workplaces, AC leadership was embroiled in multiple sexual harassment scandals.
- In addition to being a gross abuse of power, the shameful and discriminatory actions of AC leadership impeded our ability to organize because workers didn’t trust the UAW. We must now work to rebuild that trust.
Why anti-discrimination Matters to Our Union Democracy
- According to several projections, the U.S. population is diversifying more and more & will reach a majority people of color in 2032.
- In order to make our union welcoming for the workers that will make up the U.S. working class over the next decade & to continue growing our membership in every sector, the UAW needs to reclaim & rebuild an open & bold commitment to fight discrimination in our workplaces & society.
- Some regions in UAW are already creating spaces for members to discuss our different conditions & backgrounds & the importance of fighting against discrimination & division. Every region should start these efforts to engage & foster solidarity among UAW members nationally & build a strong united UAW.
Why Ranked Choice Voting matters to us
- As an auto worker, I know that we need to organize aggressively in new workplaces in electric vehicles & foreign-owned plants. Showing leadership by taking a strong stance against discrimination will not only strengthen our existing locals, but also make the UAW more successful in new auto-organizing efforts, especially in the south.
As a legal services worker, many of us fight illegal discrimination every day in our work. Leadership from the UAW to fight discrimination everywhere would not only show appreciation for our work and attract more to the UAW ranks, but also benefit the entire working class who we fight for every day as our clients.
- As a higher ed worker, our sector is diverse. Some of our locals have memberships that are 50% international. But yet discrimination & power-based harassment are rampant. Our union is the most effective way to fight harassment & discrimination at work, but we need to show that our union is willing to fight for us on these issues.
2022 Convention
Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD) is a grassroots movement of UAW members united in the common goal of creating a more democratic and accountable union.
Follow what we're fighting for at the 2022 UAW Constitutional Convention.
