The following resolution passed at the UAWD Membership Meeting held on March 12, 2023.
Whereas:
1. UAWD and the UAW rank-and-file movement is at an unprecedented and historic turning point. While the Administration Caucus (AC) has been dealt a blow, it will continue to exert its influence from within the IEB, AC loyalist staff and Local leaderships.
2. Even with UAWD members on the IEB, there is an enormous amount of work to do to organize a rank-and-file led union and dismantle the AC’s long-standing corruption.
3. Building a cohesive caucus and a connection between the UAWD membership and the UAWD members on the IEB will collectively advance the rank-and-file vision of UAWD.
4. The growing UAWD membership has a wide array of experience across sectors and Locals, which can bolster our experienced IEB leaders, and prove valuable in fights to come.
5. UAWD members on the IEB can also be confident in acting decisively if they know they have the support of hundreds of UAWD organizers across our union, who will be advocating for our collective goals on the shop floor.
6. UAWD organizers and committees, such as the Electric Vehicle Organizing Committee, can learn from the information that is accessible to the IEB. In particular, we stand a better chance of advancing our rank-and-file agenda at the upcoming Bargaining Convention by working closely together.
7. UAWD members on the IEB will be implementing a plan to build a Big Three contract campaign and preparing to strike, in part with input from UAWD’s Bargaining Convention proposals. UAWD member participation in these efforts will bolster them by developing Local organization, which will in turn grow our caucus.
8. Through the 1M1V campaign, the Constitutional Convention, and the IEB elections, UAWD has shown itself an effective force. Now, with the IEB election behind us, we must stay united and keep building our movement to combat AC influence and chart a path toward a militant rank-and-file union.
Be it resolved:
1. The UAWD Steering Committee (SC) will extend an open invitation to the UAWD members on the International Executive Board (IEB) to attend IEB Strategy Meetings (SMs). The SC will schedule and hold SMs at least monthly.
2. The focus of IEB SMs will be to discuss general strategy within the IEB, including:
a. for UAWD members on the IEB to answer questions and keep UAWD members informed about IEB activity and deliberation;
b. for UAWD members on the IEB to build support for major decisions and pushes within the IEB from UAWD members, who can organize in their Locals;
c. for UAWD members to share advice from Local organizing insight and experience, including through advisory votes, when called for; and
d. to discuss the role of the IEB in UAWD’s UAW-wide organizing efforts.
3. The SC, in consultation with UAWD members on the IEB, will set the agendas of IEB SMs. UAWD members, including leaders of UAWD committees, may ask the SC to add an agenda item or may raise items, time permitting, during the “New Business” section of each meeting.
4. Unlike UAWD Membership Meetings, IEB SMs will not have the binding force of the UAWD membership.
5. Acknowledging the immense workload of being an IEB member, and that they will have fast-changing schedules, the SC will work with them to schedule IEB SMs at a time that they are best able to attend. Meetings will be announced in advance and open to any UAWD member who wishes to join.
6. IEB SMs will otherwise be closed to non-UAWD members and notes from the meetings will only be shared with UAWD members. Non-UAWD members may only be invited through a vote of the SC or the UAWD membership.