UAW Civil & Human Rights Committee
The Civil and Human Rights Committee is an essential guardian of the “No Discrimination” policy of our union. Members of this committee fulfill the local union’s commitment to assure members full rights regardless of religion, race, creed, color, sex, political affiliation or nationality, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
The committee informs members of steps and procedures, including filing complaints and hearings, whenever a member or members believe their rights have been violated, either by management or other union members. The committee works toward the elimination of discrimination in the workplace, the community and the nation.
Members of this committee have the opportunity to keep the local union moving forward toward the fulfillment of our UAW commitment on the civil rights front.
This committee needs members who feel a moral obligation to speak out on the issues of intolerance, injustice and bigotry and to rebuke any person or group that expresses such activity.
Community Services Committee
The Community Services Committee performs the important task of getting help for members and their families in time of need. This committee also plays a pivotal role in plant closings, strikes and layoffs. If being there to assist when an emergency, natural disaster, or even just hard times arise is something you feel strongly about, then this is the committee to invest your time and effort into. Some examples of community service activities include:
- Hurricane relief
- Organ donor awareness
- Food drives
- Blood drives
- Support for laid off workers
The Community Services Committee works through public and private organizations to assure that members faced with problems and emergency situations get relief when needed.
Generally, strike insurance benefits are handled by this committee when local unions are forced to demonstrate their economic strength. This committee serves as the local’s link with the community as we all work together to help those in need.
Conservation and Recreation Committee
This committee provides a variety of opportunities that fall into two categories: recreation, which includes leisure time activities, and conservation, which includes environmental concerns.
It has been proven that in today’s busy work environments, people need to combat stress with quality family and individual leisure activities. If you enjoy organizing events such as bowling leagues, hunting trips, sporting events, team sport competitions and the like, then the Conservation and Recreation Committee could be your committee of choice!
This committee is also an avenue to explore if you are interested in making sure all citizens have access to clean air, clean water, and parks. The Conservation and Recreation Committee’s focus is not limited to your neighborhood or state but includes national and global issues that affect us all.
Constitution and By Laws Committee
The bylaws of each local union, with the UAW Constitution, set out the rules by which the local union operates. Even well-established locals may need to modify or amend their bylaws. The work of this committee sets the stage for how the local union will function.
Members of this committee are responsible for submitting original and/or amended bylaws provisions to the local union membership for discussion and approval. This committee monitors the required local union bylaws amendment procedure to ensure compliance with the current bylaws and constitutional provisions.
Once the amended bylaws provision(s) has been approved by the local union membership, this committee monitors the process to ensure that the amendment is immediately submitted to the International Executive Board pursuant to Article 37, Section 3 of the Constitution.
This committee can also teach members how to read the UAW Constitution.
Join this committee to strengthen your local union’s bylaws and structure
Consumer Affairs Committee
The Consumer Affairs Committee monitors the social conscience and performance of companies to ensure members consume safe and honest products and services. This committee helps protect our union brothers and sisters by educating them on scams, unfair lending practices and other consumer pitfalls. The committee’s area of focus includes, but is not limited to:
- Truth in lending
- Truth in packaging
- Truth in advertising
- Child labor
- Utilities
- Consumer fraud
- Scams
- Credit, and the like
Once the committee has identified significant information they should:
- Share information at membership meetings
- Provide information for the Local Union newsletter, website or social media
- Create flyers to be posted
- Have one-on-one conversations
Education Committee
The Education Committee is responsible for building the power of the movement through educating and training members of their local union. Members of this committee identify the training needs of their local union membership and, with their leadership’s approval, provide classes, materials, and information based on those needs. If you are committed to providing education that informs, develops skills and motivates our leadership and members, this is the committee for you!
Once someone has completed Effective Educator training, they have access to a variety of “on the shelf” curriculum, provided by the International Education Department, that can be delivered to members by the Education Committee.
There are also several programs that require an Education Rep to partner with the local union Education Committee to deliver to the membership.
Once you determine the training needs of your membership, work with your local union leadership to arrange time to present at membership meetings or host workshops with your local union membership. If you require assistance from the International Education Department, please have your Local Union President request support through your Servicing Rep.
The UAW Education Department holds an annual conference at the UAW’s Walter and May Reuther Family Education Center in northern Michigan for those who are serving on their local union’s Education Committee, and for those who are looking to build their committee. Delegates to this annual conference are trained in how to run their committees effectively and advance their facilitation skills to prepare them for presenting workshops at their locals.
Organizing Committee
The Organizing Committee, part of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, is dedicated to advocating for workers’ rights within the automotive and related industries. This committee focuses on organizing efforts to help employees secure better wages, benefits, and working conditions by facilitating union representation. Through grassroots initiatives, outreach, and education, the UAW Organizing Committee aims to empower workers, raise awareness about labor issues, and promote solidarity among workers in their pursuit of fair treatment and collective bargaining power. The committee plays a crucial role in expanding union membership and strengthening the labor movement as a whole.
Union Label Committee
The Union Label Committee informs and educates members about the products and services we buy and use as consumers. This committee helps to emphasize the importance of supporting goods and services produced by union members under union-won working conditions. And keeps members informed of union products and their availability in the community. This committee also updates members on product manufacturing that has been moved out of the United States and product boycotts endorsed by the AFL-CIO.
This committee can promote union label by:
- Work with the Education Committee to conduct the Ethical Consumer workshop at your local union. Your local union leadership can request the curriculum kit through your Servicing Rep.
- Presenting Union Label information at membership meetings
- Developing and distributing buying guides – this can be an overall guide or specific, like candy for Valentine’s, Easter, Halloween, back-to-school or Christmas shopping, there are certain times of the year when people pay attention to shopping
- Provide Union Label content and announcements for the Local Union newsletter, website or social media
- Asking people to take the Union Label Pledge
- Designing a traveling display to be used at civic and school functions
- Joining school boards or PTA’s to promote Buying American/Buying Union
- Attending Community or Town Hall meetings to promote spending tax dollars on Union made school buses, fire equipment and police equipment
- Asking management to buy or lease union-made equipment and office supplies and hire union companies and contractors to service the worksite
- Reminding leaders to use union vendors for catering picnics or parties
- Reminding members to book travel on union airlines and in union hotels
Veterans Committee
The Veterans Committee seeks members who are willing to represent the interest of all active and retired UAW Veterans and their families. This committee is dedicated to advocating for the political and social concerns of Veterans.
This is accomplished through leadership, guidance and education.
The men and women who came to the aid of our nation when they were called upon, are a valuable resource to the entire labor movement. If you want to build and enhance the dignity that all Veterans have earned by serving their country, the Veterans Committee encourages you to participate.
Women’s Committee
To educate the women of the local union of labor’s position on local, state and national laws regarding women’s issues.
- To build self-esteem.
- To provide leadership and educational training for women members so that they may become more active in the local union and seek leadership positions.
- To inform all union members about women and family issues.
- To encourage women members to become politically active.
- To discuss problems of women workers in the workplace with the local union leadership.
- To become active with other labor and women’s organizations supported by the International Union, UAW in order to promote labor’s agenda.
- To support the local union’s program.
CAP Committee
The Citizenship and Legislative Committee, most often referred to as the Community Action Program (CAP), is the worksite political-legislative arm of the local union and the vital workplace political activator.
If you believe that the people we elect greatly impact the political climate for working families and you want your voice heard, then this is the committee to join. CAP committee members work on identified key issues adopted by convention action.
This agenda includes:
- Protecting worker rights
- Fair trade
- New initiatives for working families
- Health and safety
- Other issues that affect working families
These issues are given priority based on, among other things, urgency and geography. We support candidates who support and fight for working people. The CAP committee assists in voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, dollar drives, letter writing campaigns, and publicizing the issues and positions of public officials. This is the committee for hands-on political experience that allows you to grow and learn and take part in the legislative process.
Chaplaincy Committee
One of the lesser-known programs of the UAW draws its inspiration from the very core of what founded our union – compassion and caring. The UAW Chaplaincy program started in the mid-eighties as a pilot project at Local 599 in Flint, Michigan. At the time, many UAW members – particularly those in the auto industry – were experiencing extreme pressures as domestic car sales plummeted and the lingering effects of the oil crisis led to huge waves of layoffs. UAW leaders recognized that a program was needed to help members adjust through the difficult times and avoid personal crisis.
Despite what its name suggests, the program is nondenominational. Where some worksites have EAP (Employee Assistance Program) representatives, chaplains work in conjunction with them to assist members. From divorce to bankruptcy, depression to substance abuse, chaplains are a key part of helping our UAW family through hard times.
https://uaw.org/members/chaplaincy/ This link has the history of what the Chaplaincy committee does.
