UAW Region 9A Weekly Newsletter: March 6

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LOCAL & ORGANIZING UPDATES

Local 3999: Solidarity Rally with Bath Iron Works
Saturday, March 7 | 9 AM - 1 PM | Brunswick High School, Brunswick, ME

This week, Local 3999 members at Bath Iron Works kicked off bargaining with a “March Forth” solidarity action on March 4. Members wore red to work and engaged in a lunchtime march around the building to show management just how many workers are united in fighting for the strongest possible contract in 2026.

The next day, members also joined the Maine AFL-CIO’s annual labor lobby day, where union members from around the state lobbied their elected representatives on labor’s top policy priorities. Unions are working to pass a number of bills to improve working conditions and staffing, make childcare more affordable, create more union jobs, improve retirement security and more.

Local 4100: Mount Sinai Researchers Hold Town Hall on Life-Saving Science Funding

This week, UAW Local 4100 brought together researchers, faculty, and patients at Mount Sinai for a town hall to discuss the importance of expanding life-saving science funding that benefits all New Yorkers. Special thank you to New York State Senators Cordell Cleare and Erik Bottcher for joining us!

For the latest on UAW’s organizing campaign to establish state-funded biomedical research in New York, follow @fundnyscience on Twitter and Instagram.

Local 7902: The New School Unions Fight Back Against Management’s Job Cuts

On Wednesday, The New School’s part-time faculty, full-time faculty, students, and staff united to hand deliver a collective petition against unilateral restructuring to President Joel Towers.

Local 7902 members made their voices heard as university leadership continues to push forward extreme austerity measures that close academic programs and eliminate union and non-union faculty and staff positions across the university.

“Uniting together to deliver this petition is an escalation in our campaign,” the union wrote on Instagram. “We will not sit by calmly as our university is dismantled and our colleagues quietly disappear.” The petition has amassed over 1,650 signatures, calling on the Board of Trustees to reinstate faculty, disclose financial documents, and bargain with student, staff, and faculty unions.

Local 2179: Rally with the Nitehawk Union in NYC
Friday, March 13 | 12 PM | Nitehawk Cinema, Brooklyn, NY

The snow on the ground has frozen over, and so have the Nitehawk Workers Union’s contract negotiations—so join Local 2179 on March 13 for the union’s first ever rally!

Come show your support, stand with our union members, and help Nitehawk workers fight for a fair contract! 

Follow @nitehawkunion on Instagram for more.

Local 6950: Protect Public Education & Stand with UConn Graduate Workers

GEU-UAW Local 6950 is the union representing UConn’s graduate workers, whose instruction, research, and mentorship are core to the university’s daily functions.

At a time when public education is under attack, Local 6950 is asking community members to write to UConn's administration asking them to invest in public higher education and democratic values by guaranteeing the economic and social well-being of graduate workers in their next contract.

Last Saturday, union members flyered outside the UConn men’s basketball game—follow @uconngeu on Instagram for the latest updates!

Local 2320: Stand with NELP Union Members Against Devastating Layoffs

On February 20, the National Employment Law Project reduced its staff union by 25 members through voluntary and involuntary layoffs. These layoffs, precipitated by a budgetary shortfall, dramatically decreased the NELP Staff Association (NOLSW-UAW 2320)'s membership down to a total of just eight members.

The layoffs disproportionately impacted longer-tenured staff, many of whom have served at the organization for over a decade. Union members are concerned about the future of NELP’s work without most of its programmatic staff, and its ability to live up to its mission and the ambitious agenda set for 2026.

Following a unanimous no-confidence vote in the executive team, as led by Rebecca Dixon, and the Board of Directors, the NELP Staff Organization is calling on the executive team to step down from leadership, install an interim executive director, and steward the organization so NELP can once again champion worker rights–for all, including its employees.

Send a letter to NELP’s management and board asking for the reinstatement of involuntarily laid off union members, shared sacrifice from management including pay cuts, and unit protections in the CBA. Follow the NELP Staff Association on Medium, Bluesky, and Instagram for updates on their campaign.

More Region 9A Locals in the News

“With negotiations in progress for the next contract ratification, museum workers unionized under Local 2110 UAW rallied outside the famous rotunda to inform VIP attendees about exorbitant healthcare benefit costs and job insecurity—especially highlighting the abrupt layoff of 20 Guggenheim employees last year.”

• Hyperallergic: Guggenheim Union Rallies at Carol Bove Reception (Mar. 5)

“On Wednesday in Manhattan, VIP guests trickled into the Guggenheim Museum to celebrate its buzzy Carol Bove show, while outside, its unionized staff—conservators, archivists, educators, front-facing staff, and others—rallied for a second contract that the group hopes will be more robust.”

• ArtNews: Guggenheim Union Rallies Outside Carol Bove Reception for New Contract (Mar. 4)

“If we don’t codify and clarify our protections in the contract, there’s nothing that prevents Harvard from using our rights as bargaining chips with the Trump administration,” said bargaining committee member Denish Jaswal.

• Harvard Crimson: A Year Into Contract Talks, Harvard and Its Grad Union Remain Still Divided on Key Demands (Feb. 24)

“Harvard reached a tentative agreement on Tuesday to enshrine intellectual property protections for non-tenure-track faculty in its first union contract with academic workers, but the University rejected renewed pushes to codify immigration safeguards and eliminate the preceptor classification.”

• Harvard Crimson: Harvard, HAW-UAW Reach Deal on Intellectual Property but Clash on Time Caps, Immigration (Mar. 4)

COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM (CAP)

Massachusetts Runs on Research Funding: Support the DRIVE Act

The DRIVE Act, part of an initiative proposed by Governor Maura Healey, fights back against the federal government's attacks on science by ensuring continued investment in critical life-saving research here in Massachusetts.

With thousands of members across nine institutions in Massachusetts—including the University of Massachusetts, Harvard University, Boston University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Wellesley College, and Northeastern University—the UAW appreciates DRIVE's $200 million commitment as an investment in union jobs, innovative research, and our collective future.

Add your name to this open letter urging the Massachusetts state legislature to urgently pass Governor Healey’s DRIVE Act to provide state-level funding to Massachusetts researchers! On Saturday, March 7, UAW members will be speaking and tabling about the importance of the DRIVE Act at the Stand Up For Science march and rally on the Boston Common.

Our Time Canvass for Child Care & Tax the Rich in the Bronx
Saturday, March 7 | 12 PM - 3 PM | Pelham Gardens, The Bronx, NY

Last week, thousands of New Yorkers—including UAW members—took off work, traveled hours across the state days after a blizzard, and showed up in Albany with a clear message to Gov. Kathy Hochul and state legislators: It’s time to TAX THE RICH.

With the state budget decision on the horizon, it's time for us to put pressure on the legislators who have yet to listen to the vast majority of New Yorkers who want to tax the rich to make this an affordable place for all. Every door knocked, phone call made, and conversation with a neighbor gets us one step closer to winning a New York that we can afford.

Brad on the Ballot: Rally to Take Back NY-10
Saturday, March 7 | 12 PM | Tompkins Square Park, New York, NY

It's time for a real progressive to represent New York's 10th Congressional District. Join us for a fun day of high traffic canvassing, door knocking and community engagement to get Brad on the ballot and show that grassroots organizing beats big money every time. We will be meeting by the Samuel Sullivan Cox at Avenue A and 7th street for our kickoff and rally!

We will be joined by Jen Gutierrez, Yuh-Line Niou, Ruth Messinger as well as our organizing partners Make the Road, CUFF, 504 Dems and many others to show that our district deserves fighters, not folders, and a Congressmember who represents every constituent.

UAW Phone Bank & Canvass for Conrad Blackburn for New York Assembly
Member-to-member phone bank: Tuesday, March 10 | 6-8 PM | Virtual
Canvass: Saturday, March 14 | 1 - 4 PM | Morningside Park, New York, NY

Join the mighty UAW to phone bank and canvass for one of our own, ALAA Local 2325 member Conrad Blackburn!

On Tuesday evening, UAW members will be phone banking fellow members to get out the vote for Conrad. On Saturday, we will be knocking doors in Harlem and talking about bringing power back to the people.

All are welcome. No phone banking or canvassing experience necessary. Training provided before sending folks to the doors!

Labor Solidarity with Palestine: Lessons from Italy and Britain
Wednesday, March 18 | 1 - 2:30 PM ET | Online

The National Labor Network for Ceasefire and In These Times magazine will host an international webinar featuring trade unionists from Italy and Britain engaged in direct action for justice for Palestinians. On October 3, 2025, the Confederazione Generale Italiana di Lavoratori participated in a national strike for Palestine. The action involved over two million workers and paralyzed transport and logistics throughout Italy. British workers have also engaged in dramatic actions, pressuring both their government and corporate targets, and have had to withstand attacks on their civil liberties in the process. Join the webinar, moderated by UAW Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla, to learn more from unions from both countries and how it might inform the actions of unions here in the United States.

The need for working class solidarity with Palestine did not end with the so-called “ceasefire” in Gaza. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since the “ceasefire” went into effect, and the U.S. government recently sent $6.7 billion additional dollars worth of weapons to Israel, funds that are desperately needed to fund human needs in the U.S. The war that the US and Israel have launched against Iran shows all the more need for trade unionists to understand how to use their solidarity to stand against war and injustice.

UAW Regions 9 & 9A New York State CAP Lobby Conference
March 22 - 25 | Albany, NY

Join the New York State CAP Council for our annual lobbying conference in Albany. Region 9A will join members and leaders from UAW Region 9 to advocate for issues including unemployment, student loan assistance, temporary disability insurance, the NY Health Act, and the EmPIRE Act.

All members are welcome to join us in Albany! Active participation by our local union members helps us attain the positive results we need to fight for our issues at the legislature.

Save the Date: Next No Kings March
Saturday, March 28 | Nationwide

UAW is a proud supporter of No Kings!  We’re coming together again on March 28 to make clear to President Trump that his fear and intimidation aren’t working against a united working class. In America we have #NoKings, and we’ll do whatever it takes to protect our neighbors. Find an event (or start one!) in your area.

Region 9A CAP in the News

“Blackburn led his shop’s successful efforts to join the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys – UAW Local 2325. Last year, he and his colleagues fought to obtain a $68,500 wage floor, a new standard not only at the Bronx Defenders but for the industry at large. The folks at UAW saw even more potential in him and tapped him to run for office. [...] As far as his state assembly run, NYC-DSA and the UAW have backed his campaign. So did the New York Working Families Party and New York Communities for Change, as well as elected officials like State Senator Jabari Brisport, Assemblymember Claire Valdez, and councilmember Chi Ossé.”

• New York Amsterdam News: Could Conrad Blackburn be the next breakout Democratic Socialist candidate? (Mar. 5)

“We have a chance to really grow power for the left and make real, substantive changes in the material conditions of people’s lives,” Blackburn said. “I think both my union, UAW, and DSA recognize that there is this moment, and they recruited me to run for office to do just that,” he said.

• Columbia Spectator: Amid a surge in Democratic Socialist candidates, DSA-backed Conrad Blackburn campaigns for District 70 Assembly seat (Mar. 4)

“United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, whose union is endorsing Platner, reportedly called Schumer earlier in February to discuss the Maine race, and to describe what he views as ‘shortcomings’ in the Democrats’ approach to this year’s midterms. Fain cited Maine when telling Schumer about the party’s ‘failure to adequately listen to working-class voters.’”

• Portland Press Herald: Union leaders tell Schumer to stop backing Janet Mills over Graham Platner (Feb. 27)

“Hundreds of workers flocked to Albany last week for the latest step in an effort to convince state lawmakers, particularly Governor Kathy Hochul, to raise taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers. The Tax The Rich Campaign is backed by a number of unions, and of the over 1,500 who attended the rally and march in Albany, many were union members [of] the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), the Communication Workers of America (CWA), the Professional Staff Congress (PSC), United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 9A, the New York Taxi Workers Alliance and more.”

• WNY Labor Today: Unions Back Tax The Rich Campaign - Increasing Levy On Richest NYers & Corporations Could Fund Childcare, Tier 6 Reform (Mar. 3)

FROM REGION 9A

Learn More & Apply to Region 9A's Student Loan Assistance Fund
Apply by April 1, 2026

Applications are now open for student loan assistance from the UAW Region 9A Education Fund! Members at participating workplaces through your union contract—currently NYLAG, Legal Aid Society (attorneys), and Riseboro Community Partnership—are eligible to receive up to $5,250 annually.

If your workplace is not currently eligible, consider bargaining for the Student Loan Assistance Fund in your next contract. Learn more about student loan assistance and all the other benefits offered by the Education Fund.

Applications for the 2026 Richard 'Dik' Days Scholarship Now Available
Apply by May 8

The Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the availability of the 2026 Richard ‘Dik’ Days Scholarship application. Connecticut graduating high school seniors attending college full-time in the fall and current full-time undergraduate students are eligible to apply. Three $2,000 scholarships will be awarded this year. The application deadline is May 8, 2026.

The Richard ‘Dik’ Days Scholarship Fund is an initiative formed through collaboration between the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Connecticut Chapter, UAW Region 9A and the Days Family. The Richard ‘Dik’ Days Scholarship Fund was created in memory of Richard Adam Days, who was a labor educator for the UAW. Prior to his retirement he was the Education & Civil Rights Director for UAW Region 9A. Read more about Brother Days and learn more about the scholarship on the Region 9A website.

Massachusetts Higher Education Summit
Saturday, April 4 | 9:30 AM - 6 PM | Dorchester, MA

As our universities face an onslaught of authoritarian attacks from the federal administration, campus groups often organize separately while decision-making power concentrates in the hands of our administrators, board of trustees, and local politicians. It’s time to unite to protect colleges as accessible, affordable, and high-quality public goods. Join students, faculty, staff, and alumni from over a dozen colleges to bridge gaps, build trust, and strengthen on-campus organizing to shift power back into our hands.

The summit will consist of panel discussions and workshops and will provide an opportunity for campus teams to deepen their organizing skills and strategize with one another as well as build community across campuses. The summit will be organized into five sessions with panels and workshops incorporated to develop a unified front, encourage strategic collaboration, and foster lasting relationships.

This Summit is organized by the Emergency Campaign to Support Higher Education, the Educational Freedom Project, SEIU, MTA, UAW, AFT, UE, Crimson Courage, Campus Climate Network, the American Association of University Professors, Higher Education Labor United, and the MA Higher Education Table. Contact Zoe Carey at zcarey@uaw.net with any questions.

FROM THE INTERNATIONAL UAW

Update Your Membership Records with the International UAW

The International UAW is committed to improving our member records. This effort is led by the UAW Membership Department. Maintaining accurate member records allows the UAW to effectively represent and communicate with active and retired members, provide relevant educational and training opportunities, better allocate resources, deliver targeted support, and facilitate International and local union elections.

Please take a moment to enter your contact information by completing the quick online form available at myinfo.uaw.org. Updating your mailing address now will help ensure that you receive a ballot to vote in the 2026 UAW International Officer Election, as well as other important communications and union updates in a timely manner. Download a flyer to share with your fellow members.

Register for the 2026 UAW Member Mobilization Institute
April 19 - 24 | Register by March 9 | Onaway, MI

The UAW Education Department will hold its Member Mobilization Institute at the Walter and May Reuther UAW Family Education Center in Onaway, Michigan. This institute transforms committed union members into skilled labor movement leaders ready to build union power from the inside out!

Three focused tracks offer hands-on training for rank-and-file members and local leaders who want to step up their involvement or sharpen their existing skills as union advocates. Whether new or experienced, delegates will gain practical skills and strategies to strengthen our union for the fights ahead. Learn more and register by March 9!

Save the Date: 2026 UAW Constitutional Convention
June 15-18 | Detroit, MI

Call letters for the 39th UAW Constitutional Convention were delivered to local unions this month. Each local union elects delegates to the Constitutional Convention, which occurs every four years in Detroit. For information about delegate elections, contact your local union. Region 9A delegate lodging and registration information will be available soon, and keep an eye out for upcoming regional trainings on how to prepare to serve as a delegate.

Apply Now for the 2026 Family Scholarship at Black Lake
July 12-16 | Onaway, MI | Apply by June 1

Since 1970, thousands of UAW members and their families have participated in the Walter and May Reuther UAW Family Education Center Scholarship Program—changing their lives and those of their loved ones forever!

Located in scenic Onaway, Michigan, on Black Lake, the Center was envisioned by legendary UAW President Walter Reuther to be a place where UAW members and their families could come together to learn and relax.

Through educational and recreational activities, the Family Scholarship Program provides an opportunity for adults and children to learn and think about how our union empowers us to change our workplaces and communities for ourselves and future generations.

Learn more and apply for the Family Scholarship Program today!

SOLIDARITY REQUESTS

Out of the Union Halls & Into the Streets: Building Labor’s Political Power
Saturday, March 7 | 8:30 AM - 2 PM | Andover, MA
Join the Merrimack Valley & North Shore Labor Councils for a one-day conference uniting organizers, workers, and allies to build solidarity, share strategies, and strengthen networks to push back against rising authoritarianism - together.

Stand Up for Science March and Rally
Saturday, March 7 | 12 PM - 3 PM | Boston Common
Boston is joining the Stand Up for Science national day of action! Join us at the Parkman Bandstand for speakers, chants, and actions. Speakers will include faculty and students, including UAW members, at Boston area universities.

Progressive Mass: How MA Can to Stand Up to ICE
Wednesday, March 11 | 7 PM | Zoom
Every day brings new horror stories about ICE's violent, law-breaking activity across the country and here in Massachusetts. What can a state like Massachusetts do to stand up to ICE? Laura Rotolo, the Field Director at the ACLU of Massachusetts, will explain what we can get done this legislative session in Massachusetts and how you can help make it happen.

Protect Massachusetts Communities Phone Banks
Thursday, March 12 | 5 PM | Zoom
Join the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) in phone banking to drive constituent calls to key legislators in support of critical protections for our immigrant 

Massachusetts AFL-CIO Dropkick Murphys Union Night Fundraiser
Friday, March 13 | 4:45 - 10 PM | MGM Music Hall, Boston, MA
Buy your tickets now for the Dropkick Murphys’ annual Union Night, hosted by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO to raise money for the Steven A. Tolman Recovery Fund. Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey has joined UAW members at rallies and on the picket line many times, including our Local 3270 members on strike at Wellesley College and last week at Boston labor unions’ anti-ICE rally. Tickets are $65 each and include the main show, a special pre-show acoustic performance specifically for union members, and a union-made commemorative t-shirt.

Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) in the Winter
Saturday, March 14 | 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM | Worcester, MA
The Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) provides education, training and support to help women become ever more effective organizers and leaders: in their unions and the labor movement as a whole; in the political arena and within their communities.

Solidarity Rally & Vigil for Fishers outside the North American Seafood Expo
Monday, March 16 | 4:30 - 6 PM | Convention Center, Boston, MA
Migrant fishers in Taiwan's distant-water fishing industry, who catch the tuna that ends up in the cans we buy, face routine labor rights violations, including injuries and even death. Fishers are at sea for 6 months or longer without a way to communicate with their families, unions, or regulators, unable to report injury and abuse. Despite the known labor risks in Taiwan’s tuna industry, U.S. companies continue to purchase tuna from the Taiwanese fleet without investing in real protections for workers, putting their own profits ahead of workers’ rights, health, and safety. The fishers need our support more than ever. Please join us for a rally and vigil for those lost at sea in front of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center to show solidarity with migrant fishers working in Taiwan and elsewhere who face dangerous, abusive conditions and extreme isolation at sea.

Progressive Mass: How MA Can Opt Out of Trump’s Corporate Tax Cuts
Wednesday, March 18 | 7 PM | Zoom
Trump’s regressive corporate tax cuts are going to cost Massachusetts nearly half a billion dollars this year alone — on top of billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other federal programs we rely on. States across the country are already saying NO and opting out, protecting essential revenue, and Massachusetts needs to join them. Phineas Baxandall of Mass Budget explains what's at stake.

2026 CUNY SLU Strategic Corporate Research Summer School
June 21 - 26 | Apply by April 1 | New York, NY
The SCR Summer School is now accepting applications! This school is a great way for union staff, community organizations, social movement organizations, and activists to develop skills for organizing, corporate accountability, and campaign building. To get all the details visit 2026 Strategic Corporate Research Summer School, and apply by April 1.

Connecticut AFL-CIO Health and Safety Committee Scholarship Essay Contest
Apply by April 1
The Connecticut AFL-CIO Health and Safety Committee is excited to announce the return of our Scholarship Essay Contest for high school seniors in Connecticut. This contest invites students to thoughtfully explore the real world impact of workplace hazards on workers and their families. Students are asked to submit an original essay of 1,000 words or less, responding to one of the scenarios listed below. The contest awards three scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $2,000. All applicants must have a parent or grandparent who is a member of a union affiliated with the Connecticut AFL-CIO. Learn more and apply by April 1.

Apply for the WILL Empower Apprenticeship Program
Apply by April 10
The WILL Empower Apprenticeship Program is a multipronged initiative designed to identify, nurture, and train a new generation of women’s and non-binary people’s labor leadership. As a WILL Empower apprentices, you can work in a variety of capacities, including organizing, research, communications, politics, mobilization, and policy. Apprentices benefit from a formal mentorship program, with mentors both within and outside of the host organization.

Get Involved with NYC’s TheaterWorks for Workers’ Theater-Making
Started in 2001, TheaterWorks! was designed as an avenue for our working constituents to have direct access to theater-making. It is a 12-16-week playwriting and performance class that culminates in a final performance of the participant’s short plays in an off-Broadway theater with professional actors.

TheaterWorks! is offered to corporations and unions as a resource for their employees and members, and each class is tailored to meet the specific needs of the host organization. Since its inception, the program has partnered with 10 unions, Cornell University ILR, CUNY, Climate Justice Institute, and been offered in bilingual sessions. 

To find out how to offer TheaterWorks! at your union or group, please contact us at info@theworkingtheater.org.

AFL-CIO Frontline Solidarity: A Mass Deportation Fight-Back Toolkit
The AFL-CIO released a new edition of Frontline Solidarity: A Mass Deportation Fight-Back Toolkit for Union Activists and Organizers, which is an educational resource to fight back against the mass deportation agenda impacting workers. Union activists and organizers can request a copy of the toolkit, which includes know your rights materials, expanded employer engagement guidance, and updates on travel, termination of status, and detention.

Union Hiring Hall

• New York State Nurses Association | Area Director | New York, NY
• UAW Local 4100 | Organizer | New York, NY
• SEIU Committee of Interns & Residents | Worksite Organizer | Providence, RI
• Muslim Advocates | Senior Staff Attorney | New York, NY
• Community Labor United | Senior Researcher | Boston, MA
• Community Labor United | Organizing Director | Boston, MA
• Community Labor United | Development Director | Boston, MA
• Emergency Campaign to Support Higher Education | National Campaign Director
• Emergency Campaign to Support Higher Education | National Organizing Director
• NY United for Child Care | 3-K & Pre-K Campaign Manager | Outside NYC, NY
• Ranking Member Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Office, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee | Paid Internships | Washington, DC
• May Day Strong | Campaign Coordinator | Albuquerque, NM (flexible)

UPCOMING EVENTS

UAW Local 677’s Organizing 101 Training
Saturday, March 7 & Sunday, March 8 | UAW Local 677, Allentown, PA

UAW Region 9A Labor History Event at NYU’s Tamiment Library
Tuesday, March 31 | 5:30 - 6:30 PM | NYU Tamiment Library, New York, NY

UAW Member Mobilization Institute
April 19 - 24, 2026 | Onaway, MI

UAW Higher Education Council Virtual Meeting
Friday, May 8 & Saturday, May 9 | Virtual

55th International Convention of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
May 20-24 | Atlanta, GA

39th Constitutional Convention
June 15-18 | Detroit, MI

Family Scholarship at Black Lake
July 12-16 | Onaway, MI | Apply by June 1