UAW Members United and Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD) jointly issue the following statement regarding the upcoming election of the UAW International Executive Board:
DAYTON, OH – The second day of ballot counting for the UAW’s first-ever direct elections of International Executive Board officers saw three reform candidates elected to serve as Regional Directors—an unprecedented outcome for the union’s top leadership.
“These Regional Director victories show that the membership is ready to rebuild our great union. Brandon, LaShawn, and Dave will be strong voices on the International Executive Board for reform and democracy. The companies should prepare for a new, more aggressive UAW,” said Margaret Mock, UAW Members United candidate for Secretary Treasurer.
UAW Members United candidates LaShawn English and Brandon Mancilla, and independent reform candidate Dave Green, all successfully challenged and won their respective elections against IEB incumbents. Their victories mark the first time in over 30 years that a candidate outside of the Administration Caucus—the party that has held nearly every position on the IEB for over seventy years—has been able to win an IEB position.
English was able to win 53% of the votes cast in Region 1, successfully unseating incumbent James Harris for the Regional Directorship. The Region 1 Director-elect ran a campaign focused on the need for the UAW to finally win back many of the concessions autoworkers sacrificed during the Great Recession and earlier in order to keep the Big Three auto companies afloat.
Brandon Mancilla, the Members United candidate for Region 9A Director, captured 59% of the vote, defeating incumbent Beverley Brakeman. A former President of the Harvard Graduate Students Union/ UAW Local 5118, Mancilla ran a campaign based on a bold and progressive vision for the region, where he plans to take a more militant and democratic approach than his predecessor. Mancilla says he also wants to prioritize building solidarity between the various sectors within the region.
Dave Green is the former president of UAW Local 1112. Incumbent Regional Directors James Harris, Wayne Blanchard, and Beverley Brakeman are all members of the Administration Caucus, and ran on the Curry Solidarity Team.
Meanwhile, in the election for UAW President, Members United candidate Shawn Fain currently holds a lead over incumbent Ray Curry. Margaret Mock, the Members United candidate for Secretary Treasurer, currently leads Curry Team candidate Frank Stuglin by over 10,000 votes. Members United Vice Presidential candidates, Mike Booth and Rich Boyer, currently lead the eight-candidate field.
Members United candidate for Region 9 Director Daniel Vicente won over 40% of the votes cast in the three candidate race. Lauren Farrell, the Curry Team candidate, and Jimmy Lakeman each won 31% and 28% of the vote, respectively. Because no candidate reached the 50% plus-one threshold needed to win the election outright, Vicente will go to a run-off against Farrell to be held early next year.