Today, Thursday, September 22, at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, UAW presidential candidate Will Lehman will participate in a debate against UAW President Ray Curry and bureaucrat Shawn Fain. The debate is organized by the court-appointed monitor overseeing the election as a result of the massive corruption scandal that has engulfed the UAW apparatus.

Lehman challenged Curry to debate him in a public statement issued last week, and Curry’s participation has since been confirmed by the Detroit News.

The debate will be streamed live at WillForUAWPresident.org/debate.

In a statement to the World Socialist Web Site, Lehman explained what is at stake in the debate.

“I am eager to have the chance to present my program to the working class,” Lehman said. “We must break up the UAW apparatus and give power to the rank-and-file workers on the shop floor. This debate is a historic event. For the first time, a rank-and-file worker will be able to tell the UAW bureaucracy what we think of them.

“The UAW is not promoting this debate at all. It doesn’t want workers to know it is even happening. This isn’t surprising, considering the bureaucracy opposed the idea of direct elections in the first place. The only reason this debate is even happening is because the UAW leadership was convicted of robbing workers of our dues money and selling us out to the companies.

“I have received messages of support from workers across the country heading into the debate, urging me to confront the bureaucracy about the conditions we workers face, both in auto as well as health care, education and other sectors.

“Even though I was not given time off to prepare for the debate (I had to use one of my few personal days to attend the debate itself), I feel confident because I know I have the support of the rank and file.

“I encourage everyone to watch the debate, which begins at 6:00 p.m. and will last until 8:00 p.m. You can watch the debate live at WillforUAWPresident.org/debate.”