September 2026

Hello UAW siblings, my name is Amy Castanon, I am the President of UAW Local 2256 as well as the chair of the BCBSM unit of 2256. It’s been quite the year so far, with so many conferences, the 39th Constitutional Convention, and now the UAW International Executive Board (IEB) Elections. So many people trying to get involved at a very high level, demanding significant changes that I can only hope some of those changes can be fulfilled. If you have not voted yet, I personally encourage all UAW members across all sectors to watch the debates on YouTube, or Facebook, for the positions of UAW International President, Financial Secretary/Treasurer, and the Vice-Presidents. Listen to what they all say. Allow others to help you if you have questions about a particular candidate; don’t just assume something. Make the best educated decision you can before marking anyone on the ballot.

Michigan CAP is back in town, and we are gearing up more now than ever for the November election. Involving our membership, will be a crucial part of this process. I hear members say every election, this election is the most significant, or the most important election coming up; but we can honestly say, here in Michigan, this is by far, the most controversial election for US Senate and the governor’s race, across the entire Country. It is critical we elect candidates that support our core values and what we stand for. Our fight now is about fair wages, retirement and pension, healthcare, and time off. Our membership is the backbone to this union and having a strong membership backing the candidates the UAW has endorsed, will help guide us in the right direction for our future, our children’s future, and so on. As Walter Reuther once said, “There is a direct correlation between the ballot box and the bread box.” I believe this to be a spot on quote. .

We have a lot of work to do between now and November 3, 2026. There will be several campaign opportunities for all of our members. We will have opportunities to knock on doors; we are doing things a little differently this time around; we are taking UAW members knocking on just UAW members doors, in an effort to ensure we have hit every single active and retired UAW member that lives in the State of Michigan. We will also be partnering with the AFL-CIO for additional opportunities over the next 6 weeks. There will be phone banking opportunities and text messaging as well.

In closing, we are the voice for the candidates we have endorsed; and when we get them elected, we will do what we must by holding them accountable for the things they stand on, which are our core beliefs. We deserve a piece of the profits these huge corporations are making on the backs of our UAW members. We have serious threats upon us with Artificial Intelligence, in the automotive industry, along with the office and administrative TOP industry. More employers are using AI which will eventually start to erode our jobs. Some of what we have to become more adaptable to is the integration of new technology while maintaining the continuous watch on our jobs with AI. It will be a difficult challenge, but together we can do this.

In Solidarity,

Amy