UAW Region 9A Weekly Newsletter: June 19
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MESSAGE FROM REGION 9A DIRECTOR BRANDON MANCILLA
Dear fellow members,
This week, nearly a thousand delegates from every region of the UAW came together in Detroit for our union’s 39th Constitutional Convention. At this convention, member delegates from each local union have the opportunity to amend our Constitution, pass resolutions, and nominate candidates to run for officer positions on the International Executive Board. Thank you to all of our convention delegates for your service to strengthen our union, and especially those who represented our region in special roles.
I am deeply honored that I was elected by acclamation, as there were no other nominees, to serve another four-year term as your Region 9A Director. It has been the honor of my life to serve our membership and build working class power alongside all of you. We are building a democratic, united, and inclusive region—because we have committed to fighting for record contracts, organizing the unorganized, and developing working class political power. Over the next four years, we will continue the fight for economic and social justice from Maine to Puerto Rico.
As a reminder, direct elections via mail ballot for contested positions on the International Executive Board will begin in August of this year, so please take this opportunity to update your contact information with the UAW to ensure you receive a ballot this fall at myinfo.uaw.org.
At this convention, our delegates voted on a number of important issues. I want to highlight a few that are core to our work as Region 9A members:
- Funding our war chest. Delegates voted to grow our strike fund to $1.3 billion by keeping our dues at their current rate. Delegates also voted to increase strike pay to $550 per week and invest $100 million in new organizing to build density. The billionaires have their war chest to break labor—now, UAW members will have ours to take on the boss.
- Protecting retirees. Delegates voted to expand the definition of retiree status to ensure that our retired members are eligible to vote in UAW elections.
- Improving communications. Delegates voted to establish the Local Union Communication Association (LUCA) as a standing committee and ensure the UAW Constitution will always be published in Spanish and English.
- Divesting for social justice. Delegates voted to divest the UAW’s funds from Israeli bonds in solidarity with the Palestinian trade union movement, and in line with our union’s historic stances against apartheid and for peace.
We could not have achieved these goals without our members organizing at our locals, and our delegates did an exceptional job in Detroit advocating for our issues. We learned from each other, gained an appreciation for each others’ locals and workplaces, and decided to put forward a fighting vision for our union’s future
As our region’s Constitutional Committee representative, Mike DiGiuseppe from Local 259, said, May Day 2028 is coming up, but every sector and every local has their own May Day equivalent deadline coming up. This convention made it clear that the UAW is ready. So let’s get to it.
In solidarity,
Brandon Mancilla
HAPPY JUNETEENTH!
Tomorrow: Join Region 9A Dik Days Scholarship Committee at 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 RSVP to join us!
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. Brother Days was a rigorous trade unionist, political activist and community advocate.
As a labor educator, Dik worked endlessly to educate union and non-union workers, their families and young adults on labor history, the contributions of organized labor in the workplace and the rights of workers. He was a member of the UAW for over 40 years, a charter member of the National Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, and a six term member of the Bloomfield Town Council. Brother Days had an impact on many lives and helped those he touched to better understand their role in the Union and the communities in which we serve.
COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM (CAP)
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. Find your polling place and make a plan to vote on Tuesday!
FROM REGION 9A
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!
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
Women in the Workforce: A Discussion on Pay Equity and the Gender Wage Gap
Thursday, June 25 | 5 - 7 PM | Massachusetts Bar Association, 20 West St., Boston, MA
Join Emerge Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Bar Association for an engaging panel discussion that will explore the persistent challenges and opportunities surrounding pay equity in today's workforce. Featuring Massachusetts State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and Emily Kibbe, Legislative Coordinator for the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, the program will examine the gender wage gap, economic empowerment, workplace equity, and the policies shaping opportunities for women across Massachusetts and beyond. The discussion will be moderated by Jessica Bradley Rushing, Interim Director of Emerge Massachusetts. You can register for the event here.
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
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