UAW Higher Education Council Virtual Meeting

Last year, over 300 UAW members in the Higher Ed sector gathered in Pico Rivera, California, for the first meeting of the Higher Education Council. We discussed our “Kill the Cuts” campaign to protect and increase federal funding for science, and we strategized how to fight back against further attacks on free speech, the rights of workers in all immigration statuses, and job security at our local institutions. While we’ve had many wins in 2025, we know the fight isn’t over.

For 2026, albeit a busy year for our union, we are planning a virtual meeting for the Higher Education Council. This will help minimize costs for local unions and enable more members and prospective members to attend our Higher Education Council meeting. The meeting will include updates on the sector, organizing trainings, council business, resources to support non-citizen workers, and sub-council meetings.

Process for Electing Council Delegates:
Per the Higher Education Council Bylaws, each bargaining unit is allotted delegates and votes to the Higher Education Council based on membership size. See the attachment that includes the number of delegates and votes for each bargaining unit, organized by Local Union. Many bargaining units elected delegates in 2025 who are still completing their term. If you need to hold vacancy elections to replace any delegate, please make sure the elections are completed by April 15, 2026.

Eligibility for Delegates:
Any unit member in good standing may run to be a delegate for their unit, or as an at-large delegate if their unit has less than 100 members. Presidents of local unions representing workers in higher education are eligible to run as at-large delegates, or as delegates from the higher education unit of which they are a member.

Sub-Councils:
The Council meeting will also include meeting times of the four Higher Education Sub-Councils:

1. Student Workers
2. Postdocs/Researchers
3. University Staff (Non-Academic)
4. Faculty

Where possible, Council delegates shall also serve as designated Sub-Council delegates.

Higher Education Council Per Capita Dues:
Per the Council Bylaws, beginning July 1, 2025, each local union with Higher Education bargaining units should have begun contributing a portion of their monthly dues to fund the activities of the Council. Please ensure your local is paying into the Council Dues. If you have questions about your contributions, please reach out to the Higher Education Department at HigherEd@uaw.net.

Registration:
Please register to attend using this online form. All UAW members or workers on active UAW organizing campaigns in the Higher Ed sector are welcome to register to attend the Council meetings, but only elected delegates in established higher ed units that are up to date on their dues payments will be able to vote in official council proceedings.

Meeting Schedule:

Friday, May 8, 2026
1 PM - 5 PM ET

Saturday, May 9, 2026
12 PM - 3 PM ET

Other:
There is no conference registration fee. Expenses including lost time and per diems are the responsibility of the Local Union.If you have any questions, please contact HigherEd@uaw.net.