UAW Region 9A Weekly Newsletter: March 20

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LOCAL & ORGANIZING UPDATES

NYU Contract Faculty Set Unfair Labor Practice Strike Deadline of March 23

Over 900 contract faculty—full-time, renewable non-tenure track faculty—at NYU, have set a strike deadline for 8:00am on Monday, March 23, if the NYU administration does not reach a fair contract.

Contract faculty make up over half of all full-time professors at New York University, and are essential to fulfilling the teaching, research, and creative mission of the University.

Here’s how to support their campaign and effort to reach a strong first contract: 

• Send a letter to NYU’s Board of Trustees and high level administrators urging them to bargain in good faith and settle a fair contract.
• Community allies have started a hardship fund to support NYU contract faculty who may face financial difficulty in the event of a strike.
• In the event of a strike, join CFU-UAW at a scheduled shift on the picket line.

Read more about CFU’s fight for a fair contract in the news:

• City & State NY: NYC electeds back NYU faculty union with strike looming (Mar. 20)
• Hyperallergic: I’m an NYU Contract Professor. This Is Why We Plan to Strike. (Mar. 17)
• NYU News: Contract Faculty Called a Strike—Here’s How You Can Support It (Mar. 13)

Local 3999: 96% of Members Vote to Authorize a Strike

Earlier this week, Local 3999 members at Bath Iron Works General Dynamics voted 96% to authorize a strike in the event the bargaining committee deems it necessary. The bargaining committee continues to meet with the employer, while preparing picket schedules and logistics in the event of a strike.. The contract expires on Sunday night at midnight

Special thanks to the Maine AFL-CIO for coordinating support and solidarity from elected officials and other unions. Follow BMDA Local 3999 on Facebook for the latest updates

Local 2325: CAMBA IT Workers Rally Outside Board Fundraiser

Local 2325 members who work on the IT team at CAMBA rallied outside the organization’s fundraiser on Wednesday night in New York City. CAMBA IT workers directly confronted CEO Valerie Barton-Richardson after more than 20 weeks on strike, rallying dozens of ALAA members in support outside a CAMBA fundraiser.

Read more about the CAMBA IT workers’ fight in The City, and follow @cambaitworkersunion on Instagram for the latest updates.

Local 2110: HarperCollins Union Members Overwhelmingly Ratify New Union Contract

Workers in the Association of HarperCollins Employees, members of UAW Local 2110, voted overwhelmingly to ratify their most recent union contract last week after several months of bargaining. The new contract sets new standards for pay and job protection in the publishing industry. It is the first contract negotiated between the company and the union since the historic strike at HarperCollins that ended with a contract agreement in February 2023.

“This contract is a testament to the solidarity we have built in the HarperCollins Union. We are all proud to continue to set new standards in publishing,” says Caitlin Stamper, Designer, HarperCollins Children’s Books, and union chairperson and bargaining committee member. “We were able to achieve provisions that will provide life changing support to current members, and a more sustainable future for new employees.” Read more about the contract.

Local 6950: March for Fair Wages & Dignity for UConn Grad Workers
Tuesday, March 24 | 1 PM | UConn Fairfield Way, Storrs, CT

Join the Graduate Employee and Postdoc Union (GEU-UAW Local 6950) for a march for fair wages and dignity for graduate assistants! Members will deliver our petition to President Maric’s office calling on UConn to invest in higher education by agreeing to a fair graduate employee contract.

More Region 9A Locals in the News

“Much of what workers are fighting for are standard, reasonable asks in the service industry: safer working conditions, healthcare, fair pay, and, crucially, consistent and well-staffed schedules.”

• Defector: Fair Pay Feels Good In A Place Like This (Mar. 17)

COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM (CAP)

NYC CAP Announces Second Round of State Assembly Endorsements

UAW Region 9A’s New York City CAP Council voted to endorse six additional candidates—including a UAW Local 2320 member—in our second round of endorsements for the State Senate and Assembly this year.

• UAW Local 2320 member David Orkin is running for State Assembly, seeking to represent District 38 in Queens. David is an immigrant workers' rights attorney in the bargaining unit at Make the Road New York.
• Current Assemblymembers Bobby Carroll (District 44) and Jo Anne Simon (District 52) as well as Eon Huntley (District 56) are running to represent three districts in Brooklyn.
• State Senators Julia Salazar (District 18, Brooklyn) and Kristen Gonzalez (District 59, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens) are running for reelection.

The Democratic primaries will be held on June 23, 2026. Members can see all of UAW Region 9A’s 2026 endorsements so far at region9a.uaw.org/cap.

Region 9A Leaders Meet with NYC Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice

Last week, Regional Director Brandon Mancilla and 9A CAP Representative Aaron Eisenberg met with the newly appointed New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su to discuss our UAW priorities in New York City.

They discussed the need for a resolution to the CAMBA IT strike that protects our members’ jobs, the ongoing negotiations at New York University with Contract Faculty United, the need for a union-made vehicle fleet, our growing organizing among cultural workers and scientific researchers, and more.

Julie Su’s career has been dedicated to supporting unions and working people, and her appointment to city hall shows Mayor Mamdani’s commitment to the working class.

They also met with Commissioner Sam Levine of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection about how to pair workplace organizing with consumer rights and the need for the city and state to properly fund their efforts.

NYC Electeds Back NYU Contract Faculty Union Ahead of Strike Deadline

City & State New York reported today that over 60 state and city elected officials sent a letter to top New York University leaders, urging them to avert a strike by giving the Contract Faculty Union (CFU-UAW) a “fair agreement.”

The letter comes several weeks after members of CFU-UAW overwhelmingly voted to strike after nearly a year and a half of negotiations with university administrators for their first union contract. CFU-UAW represents around 950 full-time non-tenure-track professors, comprising about half of NYU’s full-time faculty. Without a deal, members are slated to strike beginning March 23. 

 “A strike at NYU would seriously disrupt life for tens of thousands of New Yorkers who are students, employees, and members of the NYU community,” the letter reads. “We call on you to do everything in your power to return to the bargaining table and ensure a strike is averted and these workers receive the strong contract they deserve.” Read the full letter.

NYC Rally to Support Dignity Not Detention Act
Sunday, March 22 | 12 PM | 919 3rd Avenue, New York, NY

Rally with Region 9A, NYC DSA, JFREJ, and other community organizations to support the passage of the full Dignity Not Detention Act!

Governor Hochul has said she is working with the legislature on a package of immigration-related bills, but we know that Albany likes to water down essential protections we desperately need. As the Governor and legislature negotiate immigrant protections, we must call on them to meet the moment and protect all immigrant New Yorkers.

We need the full NY4All and Dignity Not Detention bills, no carveouts!

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

The New York CAP Conference will be held this week from Sunday to Wednesday featuring 75 Region 9A members. This is 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.

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.

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.

FROM REGION 9A

Region 9A UAW Convention 101 Training
Tuesday, March 24 | 6:00pm | Zoom

Many of your locals may be in the middle of, or about the start the process of electing delegates to the Convention, but even if you are not a delegate every member has the right to participate in the Constitutional Convention by submitting resolutions for the Convention to vote on. Delegates at our last convention voted on resolutions to increase strike pay, solidify the direct election of international officers, and more!

Please join our informational webinar on March 24 at 6 PM on Zoom for a UAW Convention 101 Training. We will be discussing the basics of the Constitutional Convention as well as how to draft and pass resolutions in your local to be sent for debate at the Convention in June, and everything else members need to know as we go into this moment!

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. 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.

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.

FROM THE INTERNATIONAL UAW

UAW Constitutional Convention Coverage 101
Tuesday, April 14 | 6:30 PM | Online

The UAW Constitutional Convention is the union’s highest governing body, where delegates from local unions gather every four years to make critical decisions, including constitutional amendments and resolutions on workplace and social issues.

This LUCA webinar gives labor communicators an inside look at how to cover the convention as press—reporting accurately, highlighting key decisions, and delivering clear, engaging updates back to members. Participants will learn strategies for capturing the story, from live coverage to post-convention summaries, ensuring that members stay informed and connected to their union’s work.

UAW Joins Lawsuit to Block Targeting Immigrants Based on Country of Origin

UAW joined a coalition of immigrant service organizations and labor unions in filing a lawsuit this month challenging a series of sweeping new discriminatory policies by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that have effectively shut down large portions of the legal immigration system for many people already living in the United States.

The policies include a nationwide halt on asylum adjudications, an indefinite freeze on immigration benefit applications for people from countries subject to the Trump-Vance administration’s travel ban, a sweeping re-review of previously approved immigration benefits, and new guidance instructing immigration officials to weigh an applicant’s country of origin against them when deciding discretionary benefits.

Read more about the complaint, which explains how these four policies have left millions of people in legal limbo: preventing asylum seekers from obtaining protection, blocking immigrants from renewing work permits or applying for green cards, putting previously granted legal status at risk of revocation, and exposing applicants to national-origin-based denials of immigration benefits.

UAW Higher Education Council Virtual Meeting
May 8-9, 2026 | Elect delegates by April 15 | Online

Last year, over 300 UAW members in the Higher Ed sector gathered in Pico Rivera, California, for the first meeting of the UAW’s 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, 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. Learn more and register to attend.

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!

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.

SOLIDARITY REQUESTS

Add Your Name: Advocate for a Fair Union Contract and Wages at NIJC
Stand in solidarity with Immigrant Justice Workers United, the NOLSW Local 2320 members at the National Immigrant Justice Center in Chicago, as we advocate for a fair union contract. Our union membership, consisting of attorneys, paralegals, receptionists and coordinators, work tirelessly on the front lines of immigrant rights advocacy. We are fighting for a say in our workplace and livable wages. Please sign this petition to urge the leadership of NIJC to work with our union to achieve a contract that provides fair pay and protects employees’ right to have input in the workplace.

Somerville Stands Together Starbucks Solidarity Day of Action
Saturday, March 21 | 9-10 AM | Assembly Square Starbucks, Somerville, MA
Somerville Stands Together is a community-labor coalition. We support collective bargaining for baristas at Starbucks who have been fighting for a contract for several years. Now, after years of organizing, strikes, and public pressure, workers are demanding what they've always deserved: a $17 minimum wage floor, at least three workers on the floor at all times, more hours for current baristas before new hires, real raises that keep up with the cost of living, and protections so workers can't be fired unfairly. Join us to participate in a national Day of Action to help keep the pressure on management to negotiate in good faith!

AFT Direct Action, Direct Care: A First Aid Workshop
Tuesday, March 24 | 4 - 7:30 PM | New Haven, CT
In moments of collective action, whether at protests, marches, or acts of non-violent direct action, ensuring the health and safety of participants is crucial. Direct Action, Direct Care is a hands-on workshop designed to equip activists and organizers with the essential skills to provide emergency medical care in high-stress environments. Hosted by AFT New Haven.

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.

Maine Scontras Center Strategic Research & Campaigns Training
Thursday, April 2, 2026 | 7-9 PM | Online
Join a webinar with Tom Juravich to learn how you can use a rank-and-file approach to research the boss! Find out how we are using a member-based, democratic approach to train rank-and-file researchers to investigate and beat the firms that control so much of our lives. Hear about how we did it with workers at Delta Air Lines, Google, Apple, Trader Joe's, The New York Times, Tyson Chicken processing plants, and more.

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.

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
• NY United for Child Care | Director of Organizing and Campaigns | New York, NY
• May Day Strong | Campaign Coordinator | Albuquerque, NM (flexible)

UPCOMING EVENTS

Region 9A UAW Convention 101 Training
Tuesday, March 24 | 6:00pm | Zoom

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 LUCA Webinar: Constitution Convention Coverage 101
Tuesday, April 14 | 6:30pm | Virtual

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