June 16, 2026
Day Two Of the 39th Constitutional Convention
text and photos by UAW Region 8 Webmaster John Davis
Day Two of the 39th International UAW Constitutional Convention kicked off at 9:00 AM at Huntington Place. Local 862 President Anthony Spencer offered the mornings invocation.
Atle Hoie General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union addressed the conference.
View his addess here
The keynote speaker for the morning was International UAW President Shawn Fain. “The last time I stood on this stage I had just been sworn in at the 2023 Special Bargaining Convention,” stated President Shawn Fain. “We have come a long way together and what we accomplished we did together.
We stand on the shoulders of the generations that came before us. From the Sit Down Strikers, to the following generations, they have paved a way. This is our generation’s defining moment. This week we set the agenda for how we will go forward for the next four years. I am proud of what we have  accomplished in the past four years. In the 2021 referendum we changed how we conducted elections and the members voted to have direct elections. We have changed how we communicate, how we negotiate and how we endorse political candidates.
Corporate greed is what is wrong with America and the world. We have to defend the working class. You have to communicate with our membership and we have changed how we do that. We wanted to make certain they were engaged. In the 2023 we changed the way we negotiate. We have a bargaining retreat with all three vice presidents and their staff. We looked at each company and broke down how we approached the contracted talks. Instead of the tradition handshake we went to plant gates and shook hands with our members.
The Standup Strike won three many victories. Since 2023, the average auto wage in the country has gone up $8.00 an hour. We said the UAW means “you are welcome” because our contracts resulted in wages for all auto workers. Number two we brought the general public over to our side. Lastly number three, we taught everyone how to bargain. What we learned in the Stand Up Strike became a model we have taken to all our contracts. We used mass mobilization of our members.
You can watch the entire address here
Tuesday kicked off with a full slate of resolutions, most if which involved financing for the next four years. Our members are the ultimate authority, and the delegates debated and voted on a number of resolutions around our cost structure for the next four years.
The body debated an amendment to Article 5 on Jurisdiction. The current language list the sectors we resent. The language was amended to include health care.
Article 10 refers to officers and elections. There was change to the language for qualifications to run for region director to include the members in newly added Region 6.
The Second Social Justice Award of the Convention was presented to the workers of UAW Local 42, in  Chattanooga. Workers Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee had for fourteen years worked to organize, with two elections that ended closely. “These workers didn’t quit when everyone told them no,” stated UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith. “This movement didn’t start in 2024, it started over 15 years ago. It has been their perseverance, their solidarity and their determination that made their victory.”
Watch the presentation here
SEI President April Verrett addresses the conference and thanked UAW members for their work to build the middle class.
See her entire  address here
The delegates took up a resolution to concerned Article 11, Section 1,2,3,8 to address salaries for the members of the International Executive Board. Their wages and raises are subject to the votes of the delegates. After debate the proposed raises were approved.
Director of Organizing and Bargaining Strategies Mike Morrison gave an update on organizing and bargaining. He pointed to victories at Volkswagen in Chattanooga and in the academic sector of examples how the UAW is leading the way.
The last resolution of the day Article 16 Section 2 A,B,G and Section 11 concerning dues and Article 50 Section 10 Strikes. Section 2 states that should the strike fund reach $850 million dollars, the 2.5 hour dues would roll back to 2 hours. Current strike pay is $500 a week. The proposed resolution is to move the threshold to reduce dues from $850 million to $1.3 billion dollars. In addition, weekly strike fund will increase from $500 to $550 a month.
After much debate, the resolution passed.
The convention adjourned until 9:00 AM on Wednesday June 17, 2026. |
