UAW Region 9A Weekly Newsletter: April 17
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LOCAL & ORGANIZING UPDATES
Local 5118: HGSU Set to Strike Starting Tuesday in Cambridge & Boston
The Harvard Graduate Students Union (UAW Local 5118) has been bargaining for a new contract for over a year. Over the last 14 months, the Harvard administration has refused to negotiate on several key issues, including real recourse against harassment, discrimination, and bullying; cost of living adjustments; and noncitizen worker protections.
Just one day after HGSU’s contract expiration, the Harvard administration unilaterally—and in violation of the collective bargaining agreement—carved out almost 1,000 workers from union eligibility. The university has shown little interest in reaching a reasonable agreement, which is why members voted with 95.8% to authorize a strike, which has become necessary to push the university toward a fair contract that protects its workers.
Starting at 6 AM on Tuesday, April 21, fellow union members, workers, and community supporters can stand with HGSU members on strike by joining them on the picket line in both Cambridge and Boston! Supporters are also encouraged to add your name to this open letter asking Harvard to bargain in good faith. Follow @hgsuuaw on Instagram for the latest updates from the strike.
In the news:
- Harvard Crimson: Harvard Graduate Workers Set Strike for April 21 if Talks Fail (Apr. 11)
Puerto Rico Locals Fight Back Against Retaliation & Build Pressure Through Bargaining
This week, Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla worked with our local unions in Puerto Rico and visited several worksites including the Environmental Quality Board (Local 2337) and AEELA (Local 1850). He also met with Local 2415 at Bacardí to plan a fight back against the company for management’s recent wave of retaliation against union members, including President Luis Santiago. The local has successfully won their Unfair Labor Practice Charges, but they are not done fighting yet to keep management in check.
Director Mancilla also met with Local 2373, Local 2341, Local 3003, and Local 4004 representing hundreds of government agency workers including at the Treasury, Department of Transportation and Public Works, Lottery, and Department of Agriculture. On Tuesday, he joined our largest Puerto Rico local of school cafeteria workers (Local 2396) for a Facebook Live on the state of negotiations and how we can keep pressuring La Junta to respect collective bargaining. The week ended celebrating the announcement of the newly translated Spanish-language UAW Constitution.
Local 7902: Join NYU Adjuncts on Thursday to Rally for Paid Family Leave
Thursday, April 23 | 1 PM | 181 Mercer Street, New York, NY
It’s time for NYU adjunct faculty to have paid family leave! Local 7902 represents over 3,000 educators teaching nearly half of all NYU courses—who are also parents, caregivers, and family members and deserve the ability to care for loved ones without risking their livelihoods.
Join the rally on Thursday to tell NYU that all unionized faculty need paid family leave. NYU adjunct faculty will share testimonials about why this issue matters to them. Elected officials, leaders in our union, and other colleagues across the NYU community will be there too.
Follow @nyuadjunctsunion on Instagram for the latest updates.
Local 2322: Square One Workers Vote to Authorize Strike—Sign the Petition!
After 13 months of bargaining, Local 2322 members at Square One, a non-profit providing early education, care, and family support services in Springfield, MA, voted by a supermajority to authorize a strike (93%).
The primary issues are fair and equitable wages, paid leave allowance, and the ability to negotiate over changes to job descriptions. After organizing in 1985, this is the first time the Square One union has taken a strike authorization vote.
Add your name to the petition to support a fair and equitable contract for Square One teachers and staff!
Local 2110: Catapult Book Group Announces Union Drive
The workers of Catapult Book Group announced that they’re unionizing, becoming the latest publishing industry workers to affiliate with UAW Local 2110. Known as the Catapult Workers Collective, the union will represent the people behind the challenging, thoughtful, and radical books that Catapult, Counterpoint, Soft Skull Press, and Hawthorne Books have been committed to publishing since their founding.
The goal of the Catapult union is to protect wages and benefits, affirm the dignity and value of labor, and advance just and sustainable practices in the publishing industry. “We’re immensely proud of what we do, but little is guaranteed for employees without a union,” they wrote. “A fair contract will empower us to continue the meaningful work of supporting our beloved authors and engaging with the literary community for years to come.” Follow @catapultworkerscollective on Instagram for the latest updates.
More Region 9A Locals in the News
“Union drives began to surge across [Alamo’s] franchise locations in 2022 as part of a worker-led effort to combat layoffs and poor job conditions, several of which were successful despite overt anti-labor tactics… Here’s hoping that Nitehawk’s union-busting management learns from Alamo’s fatal self-own, signs a mutually respectful contract with its workers [unionized with UAW Local 2179], and continues to provide a blessedly phone-free theatrical experience.”
- Indiewire: The Absolute Hell of Watching a Movie at the Alamo Drafthouse (April 10)
“The Cambridge City Council voted Monday to back Harvard’s non-tenure-track faculty, urging the University to eliminate time caps on appointments and recognize workers’ rights to union representation as contract talks enter a second year… With negotiations approaching 19 months, the union opened a strike authorization vote two weeks ago, raising the possibility of a work stoppage if no agreement is reached.”
- The Crimson: Cambridge City Council Votes to Urge Harvard to End Faculty Time Caps (April 14)
“Across the nation, higher education workers and students are organizing and fighting on behalf of themselves and the most vulnerable among them. When they go on strike, they come out the other side having fought for and won a better university. From NYU to Rutgers to the University of California, unions that have gone on strike have won greater support and dignity for their members while strengthening their universities’ commitments to the teaching and research they were established to do.”
- The Crimson: Op-Ed: Why We’re Voting Yes in Our Strike Authorization Vote (April 14)
“The Graduate Employees of Northeastern University union, or GENU-UAW, voted March 26 to conduct a strike authorization vote at a general membership meeting, according to an April 1 update on its website… Following a years-long push and a surge in organizing, GENU-UAW overwhelmingly won its union certification in September 2023. But after 28 months and 25 negotiation sessions with the university, it has yet to ratify its first-ever contract.”
- The Huntington News: Northeastern graduate workers union to hold strike authorization vote (April 13)
COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM (CAP)
NYC Area CAP Council Announces Third Round of 2026 Endorsements
With our third round of endorsements in this 2026 cycle, UAW Region 9A has re-endorsed three candidates and endorsed five new candidates for the first time.
The previously endorsed UAW candidates who received the UAW endorsement again this cycle are:
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. House District 14
- Jabari Brisport, State Senate District 25
- Emily Gallagher, New York State Assembly District 50
We have also endorsed UAW member Darializa Chevalier in her run for Congress to represent U.S. House District 13. Chevalier is a UAW Local 2325 member at Neighborhood Defenders in Harlem.
In the State Assembly we have added three new candidates to our endorsed slate with:
- Brian Romero, New York State Assembly District 34
- Samantha Kattan, New York State Assembly District 37
- Illapa Sairutapac, New York State Assembly District 65
The Democratic primaries will be held on June 23, 2026. Additionally, in the special election on April 28 for City Council District 3, UAW Region 9A has endorsed Lindsey Boylan.
These endorsement decisions were made through a member-led process and made by member-leaders of our region's New York City Area CAP Council. Members can see all of UAW Region 9A’s 2026 endorsements so far at region9a.uaw.org/cap.
Join the Maine AFL-CIO to Canvass for UAW Member Troy Jackson for Governor
The Maine AFL-CIO is coordinating regular canvasses across the state for Troy Jackson, a UAW member and UAW-endorsed candidate for Governor. Troy was first elected to the Maine Senate in 2008, and in 2018 he was chosen to be president of the state Senate. He is also a fifth-generation logger and a passionate advocate for the rights of working people.
Join us at a future canvass to get your own UAW for Troy Jackson for Governor signs!
UAW Canvass Launch for Claire Valdez for Congress in NYC
Sunday, April 19 | 12 - 3 PM | New York, NY
Save the date and sign up to join fellow UAW members to canvass for our very own Claire Valdez for Congress! Claire, a former shop chair in UAW Local 2110, is running to represent New York’s 7th Congressional District spanning North Brooklyn and Western Queens.
Following endorsements from the UAW and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Sen. Bernie Sanders also announced his endorsement of Claire this week. “Claire Valdez is a union organizer who worked minimum-wage fast food jobs and understands firsthand how this economy fails working people,” he said. “In my view, Congress needs more voices who come from America’s working class.”
In the meantime, Labor for Claire is also hosting a canvass launch on Saturday, April 11—sign up to join fellow union members to knock doors in Greenpoint!
UAW and Working Families Party Joint Canvass for Conrad Blackburn
Saturday, April 25 | 1 - 4 PM | Morningside Park, New York, NY
Join the mighty UAW and Working Families Party for a canvass for one of our own, UAW member and endorsed candidate Conrad Blackburn. We will be knocking doors in Harlem and talking about bringing power back to the people. Please wear your UAW and WFP gear. All are welcome. No canvassing experience necessary. Training provided before sending folks to the doors, with a social to follow the canvass.
Good Jobs and Inclusive Growth: The Fight for A People’s Policy and New York City
Saturday, May 2 | 8:30 AM - 6:30 PM | 63 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
The Zohran Mamdani administration has reinvigorated the demand for a city centered on affordability, focusing on a broad swathe of platforms aimed at achieving affordable housing, accessible public transit, food security, and universal childcare.
This conference invites participants to interrogate the scope, role, and nature of what public resources can provide, especially considering what a people-oriented policy framework can do for the city economically. Read the complete program, with panels featuring former UAW Local 7902 member Cea Weaver and Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla.
We ask how an engagement with public resources that goes beyond a traditional, conventional and narrow conceptualization of what is achievable allows for an understanding that centers equity, sustainability, and collective well-being for New York City and its residents. The convening will bring an academic and technical lens to debates, offering empirical and theoretical support for a policy platform rooted in heterodox and progressive economic traditions.
The conference is free with registration. Presented by the Economics Department at The New School for Social Research, with support from Catalyst, The Center for New York City Affairs, UAW Local 7902, and UAW Region 9A.
CFU-UAW Member Leader Speaks to Union Now Rally on Lessons Learned from Strike
NYU Contract Faculty United-UAW member Elisabeth Fay addressed the crowd at Sunday’s Union Now rally featuring AFA-CWA president Sara Nelson, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
"We didn’t wait for a friendlier Board or fairer laws,” she told the crowd. We fought and set new standards for full-time faculty at private universities nationwide." Watch her full remarks.
UAW Joins NYC Labor Coalition to Push Back Against Protest Buffer Zone Bill
UAW Region 9A joined a coalition of labor and community groups, including some of Mayor Mamdani's strongest allies, in urging the mayor to veto a New York City Council measure that would establish so-called "buffer zones" for protests near all schools and educational institutions across the five boroughs.
“The carve-out articulated in this bill is an affront to the entire concept of what it means to be a workers' city,” the letter stated. “For these reasons, we not only call on you to veto Intro 175-B, but also commit to stand with you when you do.” Read the full letter.
FROM REGION 9A
UAW & EWOC Unite and Win at Work Training
Saturday, April 25 | 1 PM | Kensington Branch Library, Brooklyn, NY
Everyone deserves a union. To realize that vision, we’ve got to keep organizing. We do that in our communities: in our buildings, our neighborhoods and our workplaces. We need to organize our families, friends, neighbors and coworkers into action with us, because there is power in numbers. And when we win improvements at work, or stop the landlord from raising the rent—we raise living standards and expectations for all New Yorkers.
UAW Region 9A is excited to partner with the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC) to offer our members this introductory organizing workshop, so that we can share and learn the skills you need to build our campaigns and win. EWOC’s mission is to support any non-unionized worker, in any industry, anywhere in the country to organize their workplace. Over the years, workers they’ve trained organized nearly 700 actions and won over 250 demands on pay, safety, scheduling, and more. They’ve helped workers organize unions in NYC, including at Nitehawk Cinema which is now part of UAW Local 2179.
Join UAW Members for May Day 2026, Getting Ready for May Day 2028
May Day is our day! Join UAW members across Region 9A and tens of thousands of other workers as we come together on International Workers' Day on May 1.
Here are some of the events UAW members are organizing and participating in across Region 9A, to be
- Hartford & New Haven, CT
- New York City, NY
- Jay (near Augusta), ME
- Boston, MA
- Holyoke, MA
In the meantime, you can learn about the history of May Day, and read more from UAW President Shawn Fain about our union's plans for May Day 2028.
Region 9A Labor History Event at NYU’s Tamiment Library
Thursday, May 14 | 5:30 - 7:15 PM | New York, NY
Many of the UAW locals in NYC have a proud history dating back to the 1930s when industrial unionism built a strong presence combining militant tactics, anti-racist politics, and wall-to-wall organizing. This history is not lost to us but still preserved in the archives of these locals and their leaders through photographs, documents, correspondence and more—much of which can be found in NYU's Tamiment Library, which holds rich collections relating to labor and social history, the history of the Left, the place of workers in American society, and the evolution of labor law.
Join us at the Tamiment Library to explore some of our Region’s labor history through the archives left by the NYC UAW locals and local leaders that came before us from the 1930s to present day! We will be guided by NYU Librarian Susan McElrath. Some of the archives we hope to take a look at include records covering ALAA - UAW Local 2325, LSSA - UAW Local 2320, UAW Local 259, UAW Local 2110 campaigns at NYU GSOC, MoMA, and more, District 65, and other UAW historical records. Registration is required in advance.
Enroll in Labor Studies at CUNY with Fellow UAW Members This Fall
Sign up by May 1 | August 28 - December 1 | New York, NY
For the past few semesters, UAW Region 9A has been partnering with the City University of New York School of Labor & Urban Studies to offer courses. We are excited to offer placement in a variety of labor studies courses this fall, including U.S. Labor History, New Directions in Collective Bargaining, Power & Strategy, and Perspectives in the Labor Movement.
Integrated into the course will be both UAW members and members from other unions and the labor movement. We are offering both undergraduate and graduate versions of the class on different nights for the fall 2026 semester. We ask that only members who want to enroll fill out the form to sign up. Please contact UAW Region 9A Education Rep Alexi Shalom at ashalom@uaw.net with any questions.
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
¡Por primera vez, la Constitución de la UAW está disponible en español!
¡Por primera vez en muchos años, la Constitución de la UAW está disponible en español! Este paso importante fue impulsado debido a la abogacía directa de los miles de unionados hispanohablantes de la UAW y el compromiso de la directiva de la Internacional UAW a construir una unión en la cual toda la matrícula, independientemente del idioma que hable, puede participar en nuestra organización.
“Una parte importante de construir una unión democrática significa que agrupamos gente de la clase trabajadora de toda raza, religión y origen y que aseguramos la participación equitativa de todos,” dijo Brandon Mancilla, Director de la Región 9A. "Con este paso, los seis mil unionados de la UAW tanto en Puerto Rico como los miles más en los Estados Unidos tendrán acceso a la Constitución de la UAW en su lengua materna.”
For the first time in many years, the UAW Constitution is now available in Spanish! This important step was taken due to the direct advocacy of our thousands of Spanish-speaking UAW members and the commitment of the elected leadership of the UAW to build a union where all members, regardless of language spoken, can fully participate in our organization.
“Part of building a democratic union means that we unite working class people of every race, religion, and background and ensure the equal participation of all," said Brandon Mancilla, Director of UAW Region 9A. "With this step, our 6,000 UAW members in Puerto Rico and thousands more in the mainland United States will now have access to the UAW Constitution in their native language.”
In the News: Bernie Sanders & Shawn Fain Warn That AI, Like NAFTA, Could Kill Jobs
Sen. Bernie Sanders joined UAW President Shawn Fain and other labor leaders Thursday to warn of the risks artificial intelligence poses for American workers, a topic they said policymakers are not paying enough attention to.
President Fain compared the emergence of AI to the implementation of NAFTA in the 1990s. "We've lived through the experience of millions of people, millions of jobs being destroyed on false promises of shared prosperity. It was called NAFTA," Fain said. Read more in the Detroit News.
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. Learn more and register to attend.
Save the Date: 2026 UAW Constitutional Convention
June 15-18 | Detroit, MI | Elect delegates by May 16
The 2026 UAW Constitutional Convention (ConCon) is on June 15-18, 2026, in Detroit! ConCon is at the heart of our democratic processes as a union. It will bring together over 1,000 UAW delegates from across the country to debate and pass resolutions on our priorities for the upcoming years, consider amendments to the UAW Constitution, and nominate candidates for the International Executive Board elections.
Each Local will be apportioned a certain number of delegates to represent you at the Convention. Delegates must be democratically elected. Refer to the UAW Constitution, Local Union Election Guide, and your Local Union Bylaws for full election process requirements. The deadline for delegate elections this year is May 16, 2026.
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
Massachusetts Jobs with Justice Community Aligned Response Essentials (CARE)
The CARE Initiative (Community Aligned Response Essentials) is a statewide, community care and mutual aid effort supporting workplaces, workers, and neighbors across Massachusetts in knowing their rights. CARE supports people in preparing for the possibility of government agents arriving in their workplace or gathering spaces.
CARE centers the essentials that keep our communities aligned: shared preparation, clear information, and mutual support so people feel more confident and less isolated in moments that can be confusing or intimidating—especially in the places where we work, shop, gather, organize, and connect.
Sign up to receive updates on the CARE Initiative as it launches and expands; information about orientations, educational resources, and learning opportunities; and opportunities to get involved as a volunteer, partner organization, or participating workplace.
No War, No ICE, Free Palestine: May Day Strong Mass Call
Monday, April 20 | 7 PM ET | Online
Join a mass call with May Day Strong, Action Center on Race & the Economy (ACRE), Rising Majority, and Organized Power in Numbers on Monday, April 20 to learn how to incorporate anti-war demands into your May Day plans. On this call you’ll hear from long-time anti-war organizers, Palestinian activists, labor organizers, and other speakers who will get us prepared for May Day with concrete tools, messages, and demands.
Connecticut AFL-CIO Workers Memorial Day
Tuesday, April 28 | 12 PM | Bushnell Park, Hartford, CT
On April 28, the unions of the AFL-CIO will observe Workers Memorial Day to remember those who have suffered and died on the job, and to renew the fight for safe jobs. Elevating workplace safety and health issues is more important than ever. At a time of deep division, the desire for a safe and healthy workplace is something that unites people, and is important for our organizing, bargaining and advocacy. This is an urgent moment to hold the line against attacks on worker health and safety. Each day, more than 380 workers are killed and more than 8,600 suffer injury and illness because of dangerous working conditions that are preventable. Join us on April 28 to hold the line for safe jobs!
Western Maine Labor Council May Day 2026 Mural Rededication
Friday, May 1 | 5 - 8 PM | WMLC Local 14 Solidarity Center, Jay, ME
The historic mural on the Local 14 hall has been restored and reinstalled. Join us for a celebration of today and a little history. The fight then is the fight today—people and communities before profit and greed. Sponsored by the Western Maine Labor Council and the WMLC Local 14 Solidarity Center.
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.
Maine AFL-CIO Summer Institute 2026
August 5-6 | Orono, ME
We have an exciting program in the works for this year's Labor Summer Institute on August 5-6, 2026 at the University of Maine in Orono! Labor Summer Institute is a two-day event for union members to learn and share skills and information important to building our labor movement. The Summer Institute is held at the University of Maine with the Bureau of Labor Education & Scontras Labor Center. Stay tuned for more details on registration and hotel rates. FMI: Sarah, sarah@maineaflcio.org or 207-356-7322.
Apply to the UCLA Strategic Labor Research Conference
August 7-9 | Los Angeles, CA | Apply by May 15
We are now accepting applications for the 2026 Strategic Labor Research Conference. The application portal will be open until May 15 and accepted applicants will be notified by June 5. Hosted by the UCLA Department of Labor Studies, the UCLA Strategic Labor Research Conference is an annual event that includes over 25 workshops and plenary sessions on applied skills and discussions about strategic campaigns designed for new and experienced labor and allied researchers. Dynamic keynote speakers and a variety of exciting training sessions will help strengthen and add new skills to your research repertoires. Come join labor movement researchers in discussions about the future of research and organizing!
Union Hiring Hall
- New York State Nurses Association | Area Director | 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
UPCOMING EVENTS
UAW Member Mobilization Institute
Postponed to future date | Onaway, MI
UAW Higher Education Council Virtual Meeting
May 8-9 | Virtual
Region 9A Labor History Event at NYU’s Tamiment Library
Thursday, May 14 | 5:30 - 7:15 PM | New York, NY
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
UAW Veterans Conference
August 9-14 | Onaway, MI