As referendum campaign comes to a close, our next steps are crucial

It’s hard for me to believe it’s almost over. The election vendor conducting the UAW referendum vote will begin tabulating ballots this Monday, November 29th.

The One Member One Vote campaign has been such a big part of my life for the last year or so. There hasn’t been a day go by where I haven’t at least thought about it.

It’s somewhat strange to think that something that has consumed so much of my time and thoughts for so long is coming to a close. Oddly enough, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me a little sad to think it will all be over soon.

I’ve had the opportunity to speak with so many great UAW members from all across the country and from all different sectors. It has only reinforced my belief that whether someone is an autoworker in Michigan, a casino worker in Nevada, a graduate worker in California or Massachusetts, or a John Deere worker in Iowa, we have so much in common that unites us. Our struggles are largely the same.

I feel like this campaign to win direct elections has brought so many of us together in a way that seemed impossible just a short time ago. Regardless of the outcome of the vote, the experience has been invaluable.

Of course, the end of the referendum campaign is the beginning of a couple of extremely important new ones. First, we will need to organize nationwide to get as many delegates elected from as many Locals as possible who are willing to take on the Administration Caucus and represent the best interests of the membership at the UAW Convention next summer.

One thing I know for certain — even if we do win direct elections of our International Executive Board officers — it’s not like the Administration Caucus is going to just go gently into the night. No doubt they will be hard at work planning how they can continue to dominate every facet of our union by any means necessary. Much of this will hinge on what happens at the 2022 Convention. We’ll need brave and selfless delegates who aren’t at all concerned with advancing their personal careers up the Administration Caucus hierarchy.

In addition, we will also need to start putting together a slate to run for International Executive Board office — whether that vote happens via the traditional delegate system, or direct elections.

After seeing how the International dealt with both the Volvo and John Deere strikes, the prospect of Ray Curry potentially at the helm of our union for close to the next decade should have all of us organizing in high gear for a different outcome.

Even if we do win direct elections, the deck will be massively stacked in favor of the Administration Caucus. We are going to have our hands full working to reach out to every UAW member we possibly can with a different vision for the union than what we’ve all experienced over the last few decades.

Regardless of the outcome of the referendum this coming week, UAWD will keep moving forward. As the great Victor Reuther once said, “the price we pay for free trade unionism is eternal vigilance. And every generation must play its part.”

Indeed. The struggle to build a more perfect union never ends.

In Solidarity,
Justin Mayhugh

Side note: Last month I joined Maximillian Alvarez — host of the Working People Podcast — to discuss all things UAW.

I’m grateful I had the opportunity to speak with Max about so many important topics going on within my union.

You can listen to the episode here.