At the April 2015 bargaining convention, the leadership of the United Auto Workers (UAW) strutted around, confident they’d be able to win gains in the upcoming contract given the hefty profits Detroit automakers were enjoying. Officials made no attempt to organize workers for a contract campaign or to prepare members (aside from taking formal strike votes). Sloganeering — “It’s Our Turn” and “Bridge the Gap” — stood in for rank-and-file engagement.

Workers knew they were in a better position this time around. While the UAW agreed to suspend the right to strike at GM and Chrysler/Fiat (FCA) as part of a restructuring deal during the corporations’ bankruptcies, autoworkers would regain the strike weapon when the old contract expired September 14. And in the face of declining wages and deteriorating working conditions, they were ready for a fight.

But in September, when officials brought the resulting contract to workers — choosing first to negotiate with Chrysler — members balked. A widespread demand had been the elimination of the wage differential between those hired since the economic crisis of 2009 and longer-term workers. Union activists — unaided by the International —  created “No Two Tier” t-shirts and wore them to work.