OTHER DEPARTMENTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL UNION

CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

This UAW department works to educate members and the community about environmental issues and to mobilize grassroots support for policies that strike the proper balance between economic growth and protecting our natural environment.

Working with the UAW’s Washington office, the department successfully pushed for the renewal of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts and other major environmental legislation. The department’s staff serve on numerous task forces, boards, and commissions dealing with environmental issues.

CONSUMER AFFAIRS

The UAW Consumer Affairs Department was created in 1968 to heighten awareness of consumer rights among UAW members and the community at large. The department works closely with the National Consumers League and the Consumer Federation of America to protect consumers in the marketplace and assists in grassroots lobbying on consumer issues.

ORGANIZING

The National Organizing Department coordinates the UAW’s efforts to reach out to non-unionized industrial workers. The Union’s TOP department is responsible for aiding Technical, Office and Professional workers who seek the benefits of UAW representation. In recent years, the expanded commitment of the union to organizing in all sectors has steadily improved the win rate in NLRB supervised elections, despite the sharp rise in anti-union activities by employers and the hostile political environment.

RECREATION AND LEISURE-TIME ACTIVITIES

This department helps organize a wide array of group recreational activities for UAW members and their families including sports, classes in boating safety, first aid training, group outings to musical events, golf outings, camera clubs, and more.

Many of its activities combine fun with raising money for charitable organizations. In addition, the department helps lobby to improve parks and other recreational facilities.

TIME STUDY AND ENGINEERING

This UAW department helps local unions protect UAW members from unreasonable and unsafe line speeds and production standards. It helps them negotiate contract language governing production standards, incentive pay systems, and job evaluations, and resolve disputes on these issues and provides training for local unions.

VETERANS

The UAW Veterans Department was founded in the 1980s to support the work of local union veterans committees, keep veterans informed on issues and benefits and bring veterans’ concerns to the attention of the International Union and the public.

WOMEN’S

The UAW Women’s Department was created in 1955 to focus attention on the issues and concerns of women in the workplace and to provide education aimed at motivating women to become active in their union. Working in coalition with other progressive groups, such as the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), the Women’s Department is active in grassroots lobbying and educating women and men alike on such issues as domestic violence, sexual harassment, pay equity, and child care.

A member of the Women’s Department serves on the National Committee on Pay Equity; a national coalition the UAW helped found. The department also helps regions and local unions implement UAW policies on equality, sex discrimination, and sexual harassment; and sets up Women’s Committees and Family Auxiliaries.