Standardization of New Supporter Orientation and Induction

Whereas, after adopting our new UAWD Member Platform this summer, putting forward a class struggle vision for the UAW, a large portion of our previous members adopted it, signed on to our UAWD Member Commitments, and became UAWD members. There is still a significant organizing initiative that needs to be undertaken to bring these members into our regular UAWD operations and help them build their own shop floor organization;

Whereas, to grow the capacity, reach, and effect of UAWD, it is necessary to bring on new members and supporters and incorporate them into our existing network of members who are cohering a collective vision for class struggle;

Whereas, as we encounter like-minded people inside the UAW, members and supporters are encouraged to talk with and try to sign up new persons to UAWD, if those members and supporters feel the new person would be a good fit for our Class Struggle, bottom-up, member first approach to unionism. UAWD needs to have a mechanism for introducing our caucus to the new person, and them to us. This process should be both intentional and informative for both the new person signing up and UAWD, while still feeling as natural as we can make it.

Be it resolved, to effect this policy, the following steps shall be followed by UAWD for bringing in new persons to our caucus.

1. UAWD will create a Membership Development Committee (MDC) to lead internal organizing of our members and supporters.

1. Initiation of this MDC will be the responsibility of the Steering Committee (SC), who will appoint an initial group of MDC Co-Chairs and work with them to share resources and create any initial policies needed to begin work.
2. The MDC shall have at least three Co-Chairs, and at least one of them shall be a member of the SC.
3. The remainder of this resolution will not go into effect until the SC has voted to initialize the MDC and appointed Co-Chairs.

2. The purpose of the MDC shall be:

1. To reach out to each UAWD member, engage them in our collective work, help them build their own shop floor organization, and help them meet the expectations laid out in the UAWD Member Commitments;
2. To reach out to UAWD supporters to educate them about UAWD Member Platform, inform them about UAWD’s initiatives, and engage them in our work;
3. To onboard new UAWD members and supporters in the manner described below.

3. Within two weeks of a UAW member signing up as a new supporter of our caucus, a pair of MDC members shall reach out to the new supporter for the purpose of greeting them and orienting them into UAWD and Class Struggle Unionism. More detailed policies for this follow-up interview will be established by the MDC.
   
4. After the new member has gone through the initial interview, a follow-up interview will be scheduled within 60 days of their initial sign-up to assess how they’ve been involved, and to get feedback on how we can further involve them in UAWD, as well as determine if they want to become a member or remain a supporter, if they haven’t already signed on to be a member. More detailed policies for this follow-up interview will be established by the MDC.
   
5. Follow-up interviews should be had with supporters no less than once a year, and more often when capacity allows, to see if there are ways that we can plug them into the ongoings of the caucus, with the goal of growing our capacity.