Autoworker Caravan

The Autoworker Caravan
Formation	2008
Type	Advocacy group
Location	Detroit, MI;
Region served	USA
Website	autoworkercaravan.net

The Autoworker Caravan is an

UAW

members. It is also sometimes referred to as the AWC.

The group's stated mission is "to be the Autoworker's advocate", by promoting ideals such as solidarity, labor justice, and green economic progress.^[1] Occasionally it opposes official UAW policies and agenda when they are not in the best interest of workers. Some Caravan members produce articles, op-eds, weblog posts, YouTube interviews, and are frequent guests in the media. They conduct workshop conferences and public forums to broaden the parameters of automotive policy debate to allow greater consideration of labor's role.

The Autoworker Caravan started in December 2008 as a grass roots effort by auto workers to lobby Congress during the 2008 - 2009 auto-bailout proceedings on Capitol Hill.^[2] It grew in response to the 2009 labor contract modifications forced upon General Motors and Chrysler workers on the eve of each automaker’s 2009 bankruptcy. Caravan members played a role in convincing Ford workers to reject similar labor contract modifications later that year.^[3]

Caravan members have been critical of UAW President

South Korea - United States Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), a two-tier system for wages and benefits implemented in the 2007 UAW contracts, and King’s refusal to support a large group of non-union workers fired from GM's plant in Colombia after they were injured on the job.^[4]

Caravan members have praised UAW initiatives on other issues, such as Bob King’s plan to organize the foreign southern auto transplant workers, and King’s support for collective bargaining rights in places such as Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan.

The group is best known for its annual demonstrations outside the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.[5]

References

^ "Autoworker Caravan". Retrieved September 3, 2013.
^ Wiener, Aaron (Dec 8, 2008). "Autoworkers Make Case for Bailout". The Washington Independent. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
^ Frank Hammer (May 28, 2010). Autoworkers reject more concessions (digital video) (YouTube). the Real news. Retrieved Jun 19, 2011. ^{[dead link]}
^ "Association of Injured and Ex-Workers of GM Colmotores". Retrieved September 23, 2013.
^ Grevatt, Martha (Jan 18, 2009). "Autoworkers demand ' No concessions!". Workers World. Retrieved June 18, 2011.

External links

The Autoworker Caravan

[1] "Autoworker Caravan". Retrieved September 3, 2013.

[2] Wiener, Aaron (Dec 8, 2008). "Autoworkers Make Case for Bailout". The Washington Independent. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.

[3] Frank Hammer (May 28, 2010). Autoworkers reject more concessions (digital video) (YouTube). the Real news. Retrieved Jun 19, 2011. ^{[dead link]}

[4] "Association of Injured and Ex-Workers of GM Colmotores". Retrieved September 23, 2013.

[5] Grevatt, Martha (Jan 18, 2009). "Autoworkers demand ' No concessions!". Workers World. Retrieved June 18, 2011.

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