By Frank Hammer, May Day Detroit (UAW,) December 12, 2025
The International Automotive Workers Conference (IAWC) is a global gathering for automotive workers and unions, focusing on worker unity against multinational corporations, industrial transformation, environmental threats, and building international solidarity. Key topics this year included EV transition, job security, fair competition, and fighting fascism/war.
The gathering of approximately 200 autoworkers, family members and allies was warmly welcomed by representatives of two Indian trade union federations: Shramik Ekta Mahasangh (SEM) and the Trade Union Center of India (TUCI). The other countries represented included: Nepal, South Africa, Congo, Tunisia, Brazil, Venezuela, the USA, Russia, Belarus, Germany, and Italy. Participants joined from Colombia, Mexico, and Argentina. The convention also heard reports and greetings from France, Turkey, Spain, and China.
In the words of the International Automotive Workers Coordination (IAC) (based in Germany) which co-sponsored the conference:
“A representative of TUCI summed up the idea behind the IAC as follows: big capital is coming together in India and its automotive industry – but here, automotive workers from many countries are coming together. They are all united by the question of how to ensure that no struggle stands alone in the future.”
In its final resolution, the conference resolved to: “… take responsibility for the future of humanity and build a global, militant grassroots movement of auto workers, their families, and friends. Our goal is cross-border coordination and cooperation in struggles, the regular mutual exchange of information and experiences, the organization of international solidarity, and the strengthening of joint and solid trade union organizing. … Let’s prepare ourselves for hard struggles. Let’s set a course for a new level of international cooperation and solidarity, for worldwide joint struggles and strikes.”
The links of solidarity between the IAWC and ASOTRECOL date back over a decade. ASOTRECOL president Jorge Parra has been warmly received and featured at two conferences, in Germany & in South Africa. Parra would have been in attendance at this year’s gathering were it not for the fact that he remained at the tent encampment in Bogota to welcome the first ever delegation sponsored officially by the United Auto Workers and the global federation Industriall, accompanied by Brazilian representatives from the autoworkers’ union Conlutas.
In his absence, attendees voted unanimously to endorse the following:
Solidarity with Injured and fired GM workers of Colombia (ASOTRECOL) – to the finish line!
Whereas the ASOTRECOL members have engaged in a heroic tent encampment at the U.S. Embassy demanding a just resolution from the corporation that took their livelihoods and threw them to the curb,
Whereas their fight has been sustained by a network of workers’ and social justice organizations in the USA and around the world, providing material support and sustaining a visible presence of their struggle,
Whereas the IAWC was one of the early militant supporters of ASOTRECOL, issuing international letters of solidarity and hosting its president, Jorge Parra at one or more conferences,
Whereas a new UAW leadership has taken up ASOTRECOL’s demands and presented them to GM CEO Mary Barra, followed by an international delegation visiting the encampment, thereby expressing concretely their solidarity and resolve,
Therefore, be it resolved that
The IAWC will redouble its efforts to support ASOTRECOL by making public declarations of solidarity and giving material aid as part of a united front until a just resolution is achieved.
An injury to one as an injury to all. Workers of the world, unite!
###
Here is the link for the interview with Gimena Sánchez. Well worth the read, especially if this political moment has you feeling down at all. The interview is very grounding and will help to recharge your spirit to fight on!
Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement 
You must be logged in to post a comment.