This resolution was passed at the June 2024 Annual Membership Meeting via Zoom on June 23, 2024.
Resolution: Streamline the UAWD WhatsApp Delegate Chat
Submitted by Tamar Samir (Local 7902)
Whereas:
- Transparency and solidarity are fundamental values of UAWD.
- The UAWD Delegate WhatsApp chat began as a useful tool for cross-region communication and organizing during the 2022 Constitutional Convention (aka ConCon).
- After the 2022 ConCon, the chat has evolved into an important space for information sharing, discussion, and organizing for UAWD nationwide.
- While Slack fulfills many of the same goals as the WhatsApp Chat, not all of our members are proficient in using Slack and are more accustomed to using WhatsApp.
- The UAWD Delegate WhatsApp chat currently has several non-UAWD members in it, some unsupportive of UAWD’s values of rank-and-file unionism, and there have been instances in which they have sought to quash rank-and-file voices through chat posts.
- Many UAWD members in good standing are not aware that this chat exists, because they were not ConCon delegates, and as a result, they miss out on important conversations and updates.
- The Steering Committee has already put in place chat guidelines, which can be further improved, to make the chat constructive and be able to handle a large number of people.
- To make the dialogue space more inclusive and help meet the ongoing goals of UAWD, it would be helpful to remove non-members and add current members (upon request).
Be it resolved that:
- The “UAWD Delegate Chat” shall be renamed “UAWD General Chat.”
- Anyone who is not a UAWD member in good standing shall be removed from the chat to maintain privacy:
- This will occur one week after this motion is approved;
- A notice will be posted in the chat on the day this motion is approved notifying people that any non-member that they can join UAWD to avoid being removed.
- Active UAWD members in good standing who wish to join shall be added upon request.
- All members shall read and follow the guidelines for dialogue (available in the chat description) and maintain a productive dialogue that advances the mission of UAWD.
- As long as they follow the guidelines, all UAWD members shall have the right to express themselves freely and openly in the chat, including expressing disagreement with the actions of UAWD and UAW leadership.
- The chat shall be converted to a WhatsApp Community:
- The current chat will be maintained as a channel where anyone can post;
- A new channel will be added that will only share announcements.
- The UAWD Steering Committee shall oversee the execution of this resolution and moderation of the chat, including the removal and addition of members, and may delegate portions of this responsibility to UAWD’s staff organizers.
For reference – the current UAWD Delegate Chat guidelines:
- The Chat is Private. Messages to the chat are for internal discussion only. Do not share or discuss the contents of the chat publicly.
- Make sure it’s the right place. If you have a personal ask for someone, do not message them in the chat. Send them a direct message instead. If your message is more appropriate to a smaller chat, don’t message in this large chat.
- Write something meaningful. It is okay to share articles and other media, but please include an observation or explain why the article is important—too many articles clog up the chat and make conversation harder. Let’s avoid short texts like “I agree,” and use an emoji instead.
- It better be really funny. Avoid memes, jokes, gossip. Unless the meme is truly great, it’s probably better to share elsewhere.
- Stay constructive. Making criticisms and talking about challenges is welcome. But please stay respectful and avoid trash-talking other members of the union, even if they are our political opponents. Sharing why you’re frustrated or unhappy is welcome, as is sharing how others can get involved or weigh in to work on a solution.