As the World Socialist Web Site discusses in its recent article “In historic debate, UAW presidential candidate Will Lehman calls for abolition of union bureaucracy, power to the rank and file,” this debate, held under the supervision of the federal government due to the United Auto Workers' (UAW's) recent history of corruption and embezzlement of workers' dues, was a significant development in the class struggle, which is seeing a sharp intensification due to the skyrocketing inflation caused by the criminal mishandling by Democrats and Republicans alike of the COVID-19 pandemic and the decades-long-instigated proxy war by US/NATO imperialism in Ukraine against Russia. While, at just over 2 hours, the debate may be a bit lengthy, I would recommend that workers here at least fast-forward to the portions where Lehman speaks and perhaps even the contributions by incumbent UAW President Ray Curry. Additionally, I would urge you to check out Lehman's campaign page.
Throughout his contributions, Lehman advances the abolitionist approach to the unions that I asserted here about a year ago:
Everyone here should keep in mind that contemporary trade unions, which are backed by the pro-capitalist Democrats and Republicans (including the likes of Senator Marco Rubio) alike, are allies of management and actually function as a kind of labor police force. While unions fulfilled a progressive role in the early 20th century, the past several decades have seen a slew of betrayals against workers at their hands in the form of concessions, raises that do not keep up with inflation, the elimination of the 8-hour day, and forced labor in the midst of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. For further elaboration on this point, refer to Trotskyist leader David North's “Why are Trade Unions Hostile to Socialism?,” a chapter from his book The Russian Revolution and the Unfinished Twentieth Century.
There is no point in the working class funneling its hard-earned money to union bureaucrats, who make upwards of $500,000 per year and have nothing in common with ordinary people. Instead, workers must independently form rank-and-file committees to defend their own interests. For more information, check out this World Socialist Web Site article: “Build rank-and-file committees!“
Indeed, it is absolutely critical for workers to recognize that these so-called “unions,” including all of those affiliated with the AFL-CIO, are anti-working-class organizations that represent the interests of the petty-bourgeois labor aristocracy and bourgeoisie as a whole.