Reject Tiers
UAWD Priority resolution for
the UAW Constitutional Convention
Reject tiers
Amendment to Article 19
“No corruption, no concessions, no tiers” is UAWD’s rallying cry. Now is the time to enshrine “no tiers” in the UAW Constitution, before our upcoming negotiations in 2023.
Draft Resolution
- Whereas, prior to 2007, the UAW took action to protect our membership by following the union principle of “equal pay for equal work,” overcoming employer actions which divided workers based on race, gender, language or national origin; and
- Whereas, the adoption of tiers in the automotive sector in 2007 has had a devastating impact on unity within our ranks; and
- Whereas, the adoption of tiers in any sector divides and weakens our union; and
- Whereas, it is the desire of the membership of the UAW to decisively reject all tiered contract language to the point of placing this prohibition into the Constitution; therefore
- Be it resolved to amend Article 19 to add a new section as follows:
- “The International Executive Board shall reject management proposals for contract language which seek to divide the membership through tiered wages, benefits, or post-employment income and benefits. Where current contracts provide for such divisive compensation, it shall be the obligation of the International Executive Board to seek the elimination of all such tiers by raising lower tiers to the higher level, holding to the long-standing union principle of ‘equal pay for equal work.’”
Background
- UAW’s adoption of tiers across multiple sectors has devastated unity among rank-and-file members & greatly weakened our union.
- We must bring an end to divisive bargaining and return to the time-honored principle of Equal Pay for Equal Work.
- At the 2019 Bargaining Convention, Delegate Scott Houldieson proposed an amendment to “Eliminate the Gap” instead of the written resolution to “Bridge the Gap.” This amendment was rejected.
- Auto: In 2007, tiers were introduced across the Big Three employers: Ford, GM, and Chrysler (now Stellantis). “Legacy” workers hired before 2007 reached top pay in a few years and had pensions. “Second tier” workers hired after 2007 faced a much longer progression scale and will no longer receive pensions. Temps, aka “supplemental workers,” face even worse conditions.
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- Agricultural Implements: Tiers were introduced in John Deere in 1997. In their historic 2021 strike, Deere workers voted down their first tentative agreement by a 90% margin before finally ratifying an agreement that preserved pensions for new hires and included significant wage increases. At Caterpillar, tiers were introduced in 1998, in a contract filled with concessions that was only approved by 54% of members.
- Higher education & other sectors: De facto tiers already exist in sectors outside of manufacturing. In academia, an egregious gap exists between the pay, benefits, and job security of tenure-track faculty and adjunct faculty. Our union should seek to reduce this gap, and avoid the introduction of new tiers in the academic workforce.
Opposition from the Administration Caucus
- The AC introduced tiers into the automotive and agricultural implements sectors. Tiers are integral to the AC’s philosophy of company unionism and bowing to the company’s “logic” of concessions.
- The AC has repeatedly sent contracts with tiers to the membership. Members responded by voting down contracts with tiers by 90% at John Deere. Ending tiers was also a top rank-and-file demand in the 2019 GM strike. The strike concluded with some minimal progress towards “bridging the gap” in the wage scale progression between legacy workers and second tier workers and temps—but not enough. As one media outlet put it, “All in all, the massive work stoppage did little to move the needle for employees.”
Why No Tiers Matters to Our Union Democracy
- In 2023, negotiations will take place with the Big Three & Caterpillar that will be a critical opportunity to bring an end to these divisions in our membership.
- We need to amend our Constitution now to put ourselves in the best position to bargain.
Why it matters to us
- As a second tier worker, I am the living, breathing result of the concessions our leadership has made. I have no guaranteed pension & no post-employment health care.
- As an auto worker, I’ve seen the devastating effects of tiers on our unity & bargaining power, leading to years of concessionary contracts.
- As a legal services worker, I fight for equal justice for all. Contract tiers guarantee that workers will be treated unequally.
- As a higher ed worker, I already see de facto tiers in my workplace. By rejecting tiers, our union can send a powerful message to higher ed.
- As a retiree, I believe new workers should have access to pensions like the one I now enjoy.
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.
