About the International Union

OUR FOUNDING

The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) was founded on August 26, 1935 in Detroit, Michigan as United Automobile Workers of America.

In 1941, the union’s official name changed to United Automobile, Aircraft and Agricultural Implement Workers of America to reflect the union’s expansion representing workers in other employment sectors.

The union’s name was updated in 1962 to International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America and continues to be used to this day.

OUR CONSTITUTION

The UAW Constitution is the foundation of our Union. It has been adopted, and can be amended, only by a majority vote of the delegates of regular Constitutional Conventions or Special Conventions.

The Constitution provides a strong foundation to support the union’s day-to-day work and sets forth the rights, guarantees and responsibilities of all UAW members.

The full UAW Constitution can be found at www.uaw.org.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

Every four years, the UAW holds a Constitutional Convention where delegates adopt resolutions that set the union’s position on important workplace and societal issues, decide constitutional changes, and elect officers and regional directors.

Local union members elect their convention delegates. Local union delegate numbers and votes are based on membership size.

INTERNATIONAL UNION STRUCTURE

The International Executive Board (IEB) consists of five officers (President, Secretary-Treasurer, and three Vice-Presidents) and nine Regional Directors. Together the IEB comprises the elected International leadership team.

International Officers are elected by the voting delegates to the UAW’s Constitutional Convention, who, in turn, are elected by local union members. For more information, see https://uaw.org/executive-board/.

The IEB administers the International Union and directs International staff representatives to help local unions and members with collective bargaining, organizing, political action, education, legal questions, health and safety and other issues.

International Union departments and councils are structured based on the UAW’s bargaining relationships with employers, industries or work sectors.

UAW International headquarters is fondly referred to as Solidarity House. The address is 8000 East Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48214.

REGIONS AND REGIONAL DIRECTORS

The UAW is divided into nine geographic regions. Each region is led by a Regional Director who is elected at the UAW Constitutional Convention by delegates from the region they represent.

Each region has a headquarters and may have additional sub-regional offices where high concentrations of UAW members are distant from the regional office. Current directors are serving for the 2014-2018 term.

For an interactive map, click here: https://uaw.org/regions/

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

UAW International staff members provide general and specialized assistance to UAW officers, regions, local unions and members.

International staff members are trained to assist in a wide range of areas, including contract bargaining, administration and enforcement, organizing, civic engagement, health and safety, and civil and human rights. Specialized services include legal, research, actuarial, and communications.

Most UAW staff members are represented by the UAW Staff Council.

AFFILIATED LABOR ORGANIZATIONS

In addition to being affiliated with the AFL-CIO and Canadian Labour Congress, the UAW is affiliated with IndustriALL Global Union, representing over 50 million energy, mining and manufacturing workers around the world. It is also affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation, consisting of over 176 million workers from 162 countries and territories.