UAW Region 9A Weekly Newsletter: June 12
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LOCAL & ORGANIZING UPDATES
Local 2322: Child Care Workers Strike to Win New Contract at Square One in Springfield!
On Thursday, Local 2322 members at Square One ratified a new contract after a powerful ten-day strike. The new contract includes a higher starting wage and provides an immediate 9% pay increase for employees, including teachers, van drivers and food service workers.
“The Square One teachers and staff union would like to thank all of those parents, union leaders, community members, and allies who supported our efforts during this contract campaign,” they wrote. “Your support has helped improve the lives of our members. We look forward to returning to work and continuing to serve the families of Square One.”
In the news:
- WWLP: Square One staff end 10-day strike with new contract (June 12)
- MassLive: Square One, union have tentative deal after nearly 2 weeks on strike (June 10)
Local 2325: Members Rally at New York City Hall for Legal Services Funding
ALAA-UAW Local 2325 members from Neighborhood Defender Service, Bronx Defenders, Center for Family Representation, Brooklyn Defender Services, Catholic Migration Services, and Legal Aid Society rallied Tuesday in front of City Hall to call on the City Council to adequately fund legal services this year.
Legal services workers are gearing up for their contract campaign as they face demands for givebacks from their employers in their contracts that expire July 1. They were joined by Councilmembers Harvey Epstein and Tiffany Cabán as well UAW member-candidates Darializa Avila Chevalier and Conrad Blackburn. Read more in AM NY, and follow @alaa2325 on Instagram for updates.
Local 2325: ALAA Black Caucus’s Juneteenth Party
Thursday, June 18 | 5:15 - 8 PM | Pier 57, New York, NY
ALAA-UAW Local 2325's Black Caucus is hosting a Juneteenth Party—it's going to be a celebration to remember! This is a free event, open to the community to enjoy music, games, food, and more.
We are partnering with Not Charity, Solidarity, a mutual aid/crowdfunding organization, to raise funds that will go directly to Black incarcerated folks. Other offerings will include a free yoga class, sound bowl meditation session, art sale, poetry readings, and community organization tabling. If you or your organization are interested in tabling at this event, please email hayleydcraig00@gmail.com.
RSVP is required, so let us know if you’re coming and spread the word to your friends and community. We can't wait to see you there!
Local 2110: Catapult Workers Collective Wins Union Election
The votes have been counted by the NLRB, and Local 2110 is thrilled to announce that workers at the Catapult Book Group won their union election! An overwhelming majority voted yes, becoming the latest group of workers in the publishing industry to earn union recognition.
Follow @catapultworkerscollective on Instagram for the latest updates as they head into bargaining.
COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM (CAP)
Puerto Rico: UAW Members Continue the Fight Against Freezing the Minimum Wage
On Thursday, UAW joined other unions and community organizations for a second rally to continue the fight back against the effort to effectively freeze the minimum wage in Puerto Rico.
The proposed House Bill 1115 would eliminate the Minimum Wage Evaluation Commission, composed of academics, experts, and representatives from different sectors who have the power to review the minimum wage every two years.
Vocero de Puerto Rico reported that one in three private sector workers earn the minimum wage, so any measure that limits future adjustments would directly impact thousands of workers and families. The salary increases approved in recent years have especially benefited women and young people, sectors that have historically faced higher levels of economic insecurity.
New York City, Let's Get Out the UAW Vote!
It's time to get out the vote for our UAW-endorsed candidates in New York City ahead of the primary elections on Tuesday, June 23.
We have the opportunity to elect a new generation of champions for the working class, including five UAW members—but only if we knock enough doors and ring enough phones to get New Yorkers to the polls.
Join us at the following events this week to build political power for NYC's workers!
Ridgewood GOTV Rally & Canvass for Claire Valdez for Congress & More!
Sunday, June 14 | 11 AM | Queens, NY
Join us on Sunday for a get out the vote rally in Ridgewood with Claire Valdez running for Congress and Aber Kawas, David Orkin, and Samantha Kattan running for State Assembly.
Reserve your ticket now for the 11 AM rally, and stay for the canvass launch at noon.
Morningside Heights & South Harlem GOTV Canvass for Darializa & Conrad
Saturday, June 13 & Sunday, June 14
Join us in Morningside Heights and South Harlem this weekend to canvass and talk to our neighbors in NY-13 and AD-70 about UAW members Darializa Avila Chevalier for Congress and Conrad Blackburn for Assembly.
In the wealthiest city, in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, working people shouldn't have to struggle for a dignified life. We must tax the rich and divest from the corporations profiteering from wars and exploitation to invest in our communities and our children.
Summer Launch for Evan MacKay for Massachusetts State Representative
Thursday, June 18 | 6 - 8 PM | Cambridge, MA
There are less than three months to go until the primary election on September 1! We’ve come so far since our snowy launch day in January. Now it’s time to celebrate and lock in for the home stretch.
Join our summer campaign launch on Thursday for food, activities, and local community leaders to talk about what’s possible if we have a government that truly works for the people.
Join Our Weekly Region-Wide Phone Banks for UAW-Endorsed Candidates
Wednesdays, 1-2 PM | Thursdays, 12-1 PM | Zoom
It’s time to get out the union vote! We’re hosting two member-to-member phone banks each week to spread the word about our UAW-endorsed candidates. On Wednesdays at 1 PM and Thursdays at noon, UAW members and allies are invited to join us on Zoom to make phone calls to fellow members who vote in critical districts.
Sign up to join us on Wednesdays and Thursdays! And if you can’t make it at that time, you can phone bank on your own at another time that works for you—email Aaron Eisenberg at aeisenberg@uaw.net.
Boston: Demand Nike Negotiate a Fair Contract with Asian Garment Workers!
Monday, June 15 | 12 PM | Nike, 200 Newbury Street, Boston, MA
Join our action to stand in solidarity with Nike Asian garment workers! Union garment workers from Asia and unions in the U.S. have a message for Nike: “Sign an enforceable agreement to raise wages and guarantee organizing rights for the workers who make its products.”
Many garment workers in South and Southeast Asia, most of whom are women, are earning less than $1 an hour, while Nike grows richer every year off of their labor. Garment worker unions across Asia have been organizing for living wages and labor rights and we’re here to support them.
Workers have been trying to get in touch with Nike board member Michelle Peluso since March of 2025. After repeated attempts to contact her by letter, social media and in person at the Revlon headquarters, we are growing increasingly concerned that she has not responded. Now, labor allies across the U.S. are coming together to investigate CEO Peluso's disappearance. Join the fight. Join the search.
Cosponsored by UAW Region 9A, the Greater Boston Labor Council, MNA, AFT MA, Mass Global Labor Justice Committee. For more information, contact russdavis@comcast.net.
FROM REGION 9A
Region 9A Women's Council Commends UAW Women Running for Office
This week, the UAW Region 9A Women’s Council held our quarterly meeting—thanks to MDA UAW Local 571 for hosting! We discussed our UAW Local 2322 child care workers’ strike at Square One in Massachusetts, our Puerto Rico members’ fight against freezing the minimum wage, and the upcoming UAW Women’s conference this August in Houston.
We also commended our three UAW sisters running for Congress in Region 9A this year: UAW Local 2110’s Claire Valdez and UAW 2325’s Darializa Avila Chevalier in New York and UAW Local 2320’s Tram Nguyen in Massachusetts. We can’t wait to see UAW women in Washington—let’s get out the vote! For more information and to get involved with the Region 9A Women’s Council, please email Amy Fehr at afehr@uaw.net.
Join the Region 9A Dik Days Scholarship Committee for the Juneteenth Parade!
Saturday, June 20 | 10 AM | Bloomfield, CT
Every year UAW Region 9A joins the Dik Days Scholarship Committee to march in the Bloomfield Juneteenth Freedom Day Parade. We will show our support for the local community, the legacy of Juneteenth, and honor our three scholarship winners.
Please arrive at the First Cathedral at 10 AM to line up for the parade. After the parade, we will be heading to a local restaurant for a celebration luncheon for the scholarship winners at 1:30 PM. Please RSVP to join us in June!
Save the Date: Region 9A Veterans Council Dinner Dance
Saturday, November 7 | New London, CT
The Region 9A Veterans Council would like to announce that this year’s Annual Dinner Dance will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at a new location in New London, Connecticut. Please save the date and share with your fellow members! More information will be forthcoming regarding room rates and dinner choices.
FROM THE INTERNATIONAL UAW
Happy Pride Month!
June is LGBTQIA2S+ Pride Month! The International UAW honors those who continue the fight for equality and stand for dignity and fairness in the workplace.
Union contracts are our strongest shield against discrimination. Let’s build a world where everyone thrives—solidarity makes change possible!
2026 UAW Constitutional Convention
June 15-18 | Detroit, MI
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.
Learn more about what happens at the Convention at uaw.org/convention.
UAW Celebrates Legal Wins for Immigrant Workers
In a victory for workers, a federal judge struck down Trump’s attempt to impose a $100,000 fee on new H1-B visas. Many UAW members at universities are on H-1B visas, and this rule could have prevented many researchers, teachers, nurses and more from coming to the U.S.
The UAW opposed this action, including by joining a lawsuit with other plaintiffs to overturn the fee. Our case is still pending, but we’re thrilled to see this ruling in a case brought by 20 Democratic attorneys general.
A federal court has also struck down a series of Trump administration immigration policies that impacted visa renewals and processing, halted asylum processing, and targeted people based on their nationality.
The UAW was proud to help challenge these discriminatory policies in court. Every worker deserves dignity, fairness, and equal treatment under the law. When one part of our community is targeted, we all have a responsibility to stand together.
Save the Date: UAW Women’s & TOP Conference
August 9 - 14 | Houston, TX
UAW members are bringing the heat, the power, and the purpose to Houston, Texas from August 9-14, 2026 at the Marriott Marquis Houston!
This year, we are fusing the incredible strength of our Women’s Committees with the vital expertise of our Technical, Office, and Professional (TOP) members. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable week packed with high-energy workshops, major leadership building, and the kind of sisterhood and solidarity that fuels the labor movement.
Registration Now Open: UAW Civil & Human Rights Conference
August 23 - 28 | Onaway, MI
The dates for the 40th Annual UAW Civil and Human Rights Conference are August 23-28 at the Walter and May Reuther Family Education Center. The theme for this year is “Our Legacy, Our Fight, Our Generation’s Defining Moment: Celebrating Our 40th Civil and Human Rights Conference.” See the call letter for more information.
Registration Now Open: UAW Standing Committees & EAP Institute
October 4 - 9 | Onaway, MI
Building and strengthening local union Standing Committees and Employee Assistance Programs will be the focus of this week-long training to be held at the Walter and May Reuther UAW Family Education Center in Onaway, MI.
The Standing Committees Institute explores the direct link between strong local union standing committees and the collective power of our union, equipping standing committee members, other interested members, and local leaders to build and bolster their committees.
The EAP track provides EAP representatives, local leaders, and other interested members with the training, resource connections, and fellowship needed to negotiate and build a new local program or strengthen and support an existing one.
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
Connecticut AFL-CIO Health & Safety Committee Documentary Screening
Wednesday, June 17 | 6 PM | Zoom or AFSCME Council 4, New Britain, CT
The Connecticut AFL-CIO Health & Safety Committee, in partnership with ConnectiCOSH, is excited to invite you to a special screening of the powerful documentary Without Shade, Without Rest. This moving film examines the fight for heat protections for outdoor workers in Florida in the wake of the hottest year on record, where rising temperatures collide with new political restrictions. Join us for an evening of reflection, discussion, and community. We will have dinner so please feel free to come early to grab some food and talk with your fellow union siblings. Following the screening, there will be an opportunity to share thoughts and engage in conversation about the issues highlighted in the film. Discussion will focus on what heat protections exist for workers in Connecticut and what more needs to be done. If you can't make it in person, we are also offering a Zoom option so you can watch the documentary and join the discussion remotely.
May is Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month!
The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) was established in 1992 when 500 AANHPI labor activists from across the United States gathered for its first convention in Washington, DC. APALA is a constituency group of the AFL-CIO and the nation’s first national organization of AANHPI workers.
APALA is committed to developing a comprehensive strategy to organize Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders into unions, and to promote the participation and leadership of Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders within the labor movement.
Support the work of APALA during AANHPI Heritage Month!
Become a member & join the Massachusetts or New York chapters.
- Donate to the APALA Archives Project to help us preserve our history.
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.
Union Hiring Hall
- Ranking Member Bernie Sanders’ office of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee | Paid Internships (Fall 2026) | Washington, DC
- Laborers' Local 79 | Senior Strategic Researcher | 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
39th Constitutional Convention
June 15-18 | Detroit, MI
Family Scholarship at Black Lake
July 12-16 | Onaway, MI
UAW Women’s & TOP Conference
August 9 - 14 | Houston, TX
UAW Veterans Conference
August 9-14 | Onaway, MI
UAW Civil & Human Rights Conference
August 23 - 28 | Onaway, MI
UAW Bargaining & Contract Enforcement Bootcamp
September 20 - 25 | Onaway, MI
UAW Member Mobilization Institute
September 27 - October 2 | Onaway, MI
UAW Standing Committees & Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Institute
October 4 - 9 | Onaway, MI