The following resolution passed at the UAWD Special Membership Meeting held on October 5, 2023.
Whereas voting on a tentative contract is an incredibly important decision for both the broad UAW membership and for UAWD as a reform caucus,
Whereas UAWD should make its decision based partly on an assessment of the sentiment among broader UAW membership in the Big Three,
Whereas UAWD should also consider our power in this contract and our goals as a caucus,
Whereas past UAW reform movements, including New Directions and Autoworkers Caravan, have analyzed Tentative Agreements and promoted more democratic votes on Tentative Agreements,
Whereas UAWD should continue to participate in this democratic tradition of open, broad debate and member-education during ratification to make an informed decision as a caucus,
Whereas UAW reform movements in the past have been able to focus on one contract, in this historic set of negotiations we may have two or all three auto contracts to consider simultaneously,
Whereas, this is an enhancement to the resolution passed at the 2023 UAWD annual meeting bringing clarity of next steps and additional democracy when one or more TAs are announced.
Therefore, UAWD’s Steering Committee will ask the International Union to make the tentative agreement available online as soon as possible with ample time to study its contents prior to a vote,
Therefore, UAWD will recruit groups of caucus members to analyze each of the tentative agreements prior to a vote,
Therefore, UAWD will share the results of this analysis at a mass Zoom meeting open to all UAW members. Big Three UAW members will be prioritized for discussion, with the aim of discussing the tentative contracts prior to the vote,
Therefore, after the open meeting, UAWD members will have a Special Membership Meeting to decide if we recommend a yes vote, a no vote, or make no recommendation, in accordance with UAWD’s bylaws,
Therefore, the Steering Committee will write, publish, and circulate a statement citing our position on key issues, including how the tentative agreement lines up in relation to the ten priorities, based on the decision of the broader UAWD membership.
Therefore, the “open mass meeting” and the “special membership UAWD meeting” will happen within 72 hours of a TA being publicized. An additional “open mass meeting” will be held within two days after that for the purpose of organizing a yes/no vote and publicizing UAWD’s position on the TA, if we’ve decided to take a position in the special UAWD Membership Meeting.