July 28, 2022
38th Constitutional Convention Day 4 Report
by UAW Region 8 Webmaster John Davis
The final day of the 38th International Union Constitutional Convention began with an invocation by Elder Herb Taylor. Elder Taylor, National Chaplaincy Chair had some words of wisdom for the membership. “I would ask of some you, stop disrespecting this union,” Elder Taylor said. “My life riddled by addiction and the master of all things helped me over come. My union gave me a chance and I was proud to serve. Last spring I was in the hospital and when I got home I had a bill for $66,000. When I read to the bottom of that page it said you owe $230. My union did that for me. We need to respect our union and support it. Our great leader Walter Reuther used to quote Isiah 54:17 “No weapon forged against me shall prosper.” We need this union, people on the outside need this union.”
The election for trustee began on Wednesday afternoon. Delegates elect trustees, with two positions to being elected. Trustees are still elected by delegates. The first election was for an eight-year term and the second for a twelve-year term. Emilio Ramirez, Local 5242 president was elected for the eight-year term. On Thursday morning the election for the second delegate position which is a full twelve-year term. Dana Davidson was elected for the twelve-year slot.
Following the trustee elections each region broke out to hold nominations for region directors. Region 8 members conveyed to accepted nominations for Region 8 Director. Region 8 Director Mitchell Smith is retiring at the conclusion of this term. Assistant Director Tim Smith was nominated as a candidate for the International Executive Board position of Region 8 Director. There were no other nominations made, electing Tim Smith as Region 8 Director for the next IEB term. Click Here to Read More
On the final day of the 38th UAW Constitutional Convention, delegates voted to reconsider a motion from Day Three that increased UAW strike pay from $400 to $500 per week then subsequently voted to keep strike pay at $400 per week. Previous delegate action made strike pay available on the first day of the strike. Earlier this year the IEB had voted to increase strike pay from $275 a week to $400 a week.
UAW Ethics Officer Wilma Liebman presented a report to the delegates on the findings of the ethics committee over the past year. Delegates approved a recommendation to extend the union’s ethics committee until the next constitutional convention in 2026.  Delegates also strengthened the UAW Ethical Practices Codes.
Delegates concluded convention business by approving the use of gender-neutral language and strengthening language on the duties of local union members. Another resolution added an organizing committee to the union’s standing committees. Also, delegates unanimously approved a resolution to authorize the International Executive Board to use legal resources to recoup from UAW officials convicted of felonies the estimated $12.9 million in costs related to the court-appointed Monitor. This is in addition to the $1.1 million currently still owed in restitution for monies fraudulently taken from the UAW.
Resolutions Chair Todd Dunn, President of Local 862 in Louisville, Kentucky came to the podium to thank the members of his committee and all those who had assisted their efforts. Todd Dunn deserves a lot of credit for the incredible job he did chairing the resolutions committee. The resolutions committee takes all the resolutions submitted from locals across the entire UAW and assembles them in a book of submitted resolutions. From there the resolutions are streamlined into the proposed resolutions. Resolutions that are aimed at bargaining are then reserved for the bargaining convention. The Resolution Committee had spent weeks in Detroit reviewing and assembling the resolutions. Todd Dunn lead this committee and was a resource during debate to explain and add background information on the resolutions. We thank him for his leadership and service.
The convention was gaveled adjourned around 6:00PM.
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