“My turn is to workers on the factory floor”: Highlights from UAW presidential candidate Will Lehman’s debate with the union bureaucracy

On September 23, UAW presidential candidate Will Lehman took part in a historic debate involving UAW President Ray Curry, longtime UAW bureaucrat Shawn Fain, and other candidates running in the election.

The full video can be accessed at WillforUAWpresident.org/debatelive. We are publishing below excerpts of the debate, which have been posted by Lehman on Twitter and YouTube.

Introduction: “The UAW bureaucracy is part of management”

“My experience is the experience of rank-and-file workers”

“The working class needs to fight for everything it’s going to gain”

“Abolish the bureaucracy that can’t be trusted with our dues money”

“I’m calling for the abolition of the parasitic layer”

“The UAW bureaucracy is corrupt, not rank-and-file workers”

“Every one of the trade unions is failing their members”

“We need global unity to face multi-national corporations”

“If we organize internationally, we can shut these companies down”

“Every worker needs to understand that they should have the power directly in their hands”

“I’m a socialist: I’m advancing a workers’ agenda”

“We must reorganize society to meet human need, not private profit”

“The UAW doesn’t care about working class women”

“My turn is to workers on the factory floor”

Conclusion: “Stand up and fight back!”