Fall 2026 UAW-GM National Sub-Council Report

Brothers, Sisters, and Siblings:

On September 23, 2026, President Mike Cartwright, Shop Chairperson Kenny Hines, and your Shop Committee represented Local 276 at the UAW-GM National Sub-Council meeting, where leadership and delegates from GM plants across the country came together to discuss the issues affecting all of us on the shop floor. We are bringing you this report jointly — from the President's office and from your Unit 1 (GM) Shop Committee — because what was discussed at the national level connects directly to what the Shop Committee is already working on here at Arlington every day. Below is a summary of what was covered and what it means for us.

Contract Enforcement & Benefits
The Sub-Council clarified eligibility requirements for profit sharing tied to year-end plan status. We will make sure Unit 1 members have clear guidance on this as it firms up, so there's no confusion when profit sharing is calculated. New disability and mental health claim forms are rolling out system-wide, designed to cut down on the number of claims that get denied and then must be appealed. We want every member to know these forms are coming; the Benefits Representatives are ready to help you file if you need it. The Sub-Council also reinforced GM's contractual obligations on retirement processing and life insurance. This is a good time for all of us to doublecheck that our beneficiary designations are current — it is a simple thing that protects your family.

Staffing, Layoffs, and Temporary Employees
National leadership reviewed production and skilled trades staffing levels at GM plants across the country, along with how indefinite and temporary layoffs are being managed — including recall order and job placement for affected members. On a positive note, GM has converted 3,295 temporary employees to full-time status nationally under the terms of our National Agreement, with more conversions and wage increases secured along the way. Shop Chairperson Hines and the Unit 1 Shop Committee will be pushing to make sure Arlington's TPTs continue to see their fair share of these conversions.

AI, Automation, and Outsourcing
This was one of the most serious topics on the table. Across the GM system, there is growing concern about AI, cobots, and automation replacing production jobs, and about outsourcing practices and third-party contractors doing work that belongs to our members. The Sub-Council agreed on the need for strategic technology committees at the local level to get ahead of this instead of reacting to it after the fact. The National Department is now surveying sites to see which locals already have these committees in place. The Shop Committee is already tracking where new automation and robotics are showing up on our floor and we intend to raise the formation of a local technology committee, so Arlington isn't caught off guard.

ANY on-site outsourcing or contractor work you see... report it directly to Shop Chairperson Hines or your committeeperson. The Shop Committee is investigating and grieving instances of bargaining unit work going to outside contractors. This is a fight for job security and it’s coming to every plant - including ours.

Training and Member Support
There were financial updates on joint program trust funds and an expansion of training classes and skilled development opportunities for qualified members. We will be working with our training reps to make sure Arlington members know how to access these when they become available. The Sub-Council also announced new communication strategies and a suicide prevention awareness program, which we think is important and overdue; more on this as it develops.

Union Leadership & Unity
UAW-GM Vice President Mike Booth addressed the Sub-Council directly on where our priorities need to be. His message was straightforward: contract negotiations must be about our members' livelihoods, not politics, and our strength — the 3,295 conversions, the wage increases, everything we have won — comes from staying united. He talked about the threat AI and automation pose to production jobs and the need for technology committees to meet that threat head-on. His bottom line, and ours: our job security, our retirement, and our bargaining power all depend on locals like ours staying focused and standing together — the President's office and the Shop Committee working as one.

There were also some hard conversations at the Sub-Council about accountability — locals across the system pushed for more transparency on funding and on where national negotiations stand. Leadership committed to better communication going forward, including regular funding updates. We will hold them to that and will pass along what we learn to you.

The Unit 1 Shop Committee continues to handle day-to-day grievances, staffing concerns, and contract enforcement across Paint, Body, General Assembly, and Skilled Trades. If anything above affects you directly, bring it to your Shop Committee representative. 

Unit 1 Shop Committee
Kenny Hines, Shop Chairperson
Gino Clark, 1 shift Committeeperson-st at-Large (Zone)
Shenequa Shepard, 2nd shift Committeeperson-at-Large (Zone)
Steve Ewell, 3rd shift Committeeperson-at-Large (Zone)
Regina Davis, District 2A Committeeperson
Felise Glover, District 1A Committeeperson
Hykeem Stover, District 5A Committeeperson
 

In Solidarity,
Mike Cartwright, President
Kenny Hines, Unit 1 Shop Chairperson
On behalf of your Unit 1 Shop Committee

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