On Friday December 6, 2019, the UAW International Executive Board voted to dissolve the 17-state Region 5.
Per a statement by the UAW on Friday, “When a vacancy occurs on the IEB – as happened with Region 5 – the UAW Constitution allows for the International Executive Board to combine regions, an action that has been taken in the past. These consolidations have no impact on regional staffing, international union programming or the operation of local unions.”
Region 5 will be merged into Regions 4 and 8 early next year.
The decision by the IEB to dissolve Region 5 is further proof of just how out of touch with the membership the Administration Caucus really is. During a time in which Federal oversight is still a very strong possibility, and in which numerous IUAW officials have pleaded guilty in the FBI investigation, the IEB unilaterally decided to dissolve a Region without a clear-cut reason.
Per the same UAW release, “Today’s action was taken in the interest of maintaining continuity in representing and servicing our members. Both Regions 4 and 8 have been prudently managed, cover wide geographic territories and have proven experience effectively representing UAW members.”
“Maintaining continuity in representing and servicing our members.” What does that even mean? THAT’S the extent of the explanation for why the IEB decided to dissolve an entire Region overnight? At a time when both the membership AND the Federal government are demanding transparency?
In 2002 at the 33rd Constitutional Convention, Warren Davis (the Region 2 Director at the time) broke Admin Caucus protocol and ran for re-election against the wishes of the IEB. The IEB’s solution to ensure Davis didn’t serve another term? DISSOLVE REGION 2!!!
So I ask, why did the IEB vote to dissolve Region 5? Yes, disgraced former Region 5 Director Vance Pearson has been charged in the corruption scandal, and more than likely former IUAW President Gary Jones will be as well — although Jones hasn’t officially been charged as of today. But to disband an entire Region because of the misdeeds of a few?
One interesting theory I read yesterday from a fellow UAW member was that “merging (Region 5 into Regions 4 and 8) allows the IEB to avoid a Special Convention election for Region 5 Director. Must be they’re not going to take a risk on the delegates from Region 5.” (Region 5 being the hotbed of corruption, and thus, the most likely of all the regions to vote in a candidate not of the Administration Caucus)
And as petty and improbable as that sounds — the idea that our leadership would actually dissolve an entire region simply because someone other than an Admin Caucus-endorsed candidate could possibly win the Region 5 Director position — we already have proof in our history that they can, in fact, be that petty.
After all, this IS the same Caucus that rigged the Region 5 Director election against Jerry Tucker back in 1986. And — as previously mentioned — the same Caucus that was willing to dissolve Region 2 because Warren Davis bucked his marching orders.
It appears that at a time when transparency and honesty would go a long way in restoring the membership’s trust in our International leaders, the IEB is more than happy to keep playing their same old games, and that does absolutely nothing to strengthen our union at this pivotal moment.