UAW Region 9A Weekly Newsletter: August 21
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LOCAL UPDATES
Local 4100: Researchers Fight for Funding for the Future of Science
UAW Local 4100 members Paola Bianchimano and Andrew Little wrote an op-ed for The Chief Leader about how union members are fighting for the future of science—now with increasing support from local and state elected officials:
Thousands of researchers have chosen collective bargaining not only to improve our pay, benefits and rights, but as a way to invest in the future of science. Now that movement has a growing number of political allies.
The newly-elected leaders who have chosen to stand publicly with research workers understand something that too many university administrators have overlooked: defending science means defending scientists. It means recognizing that discoveries do not emerge from institutions alone. They emerge from people who deserve fair pay, parental leave, protection from discrimination and harassment and security regardless of where they were born.
The attacks on American science are not only coming from Washington. If New York's research institutions truly want to protect their scientific missions, they should stop treating their workers as costs to be managed, and start treating us as powerful allies in the fight to defend science itself. But in order for that to happen, they need to treat their workers fairly.
Read more in The Chief Leader.
COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM (CAP)
New York: Hudson Valley CAP Endorses Three Candidates for State Legislature
Region 9A’s Hudson Valley CAP Council voted to endorse three state legislators for reelection this year, adding to our New York City CAP Council’s endorsements.
These incumbent legislators have repeatedly earned UAW’s endorsement because they stand up for working people and our members. We look forward to continuing to fight alongside them in Albany next year!
Senate:
- Shelley Mayer, District 37
- Michelle Hinchey, District 41
Assembly:
- Sarahana Shrestha, District 103
Massachusetts: Phone Bank for UAW Member Tram Nguyen
Canvass: Saturday, August 22 | 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM | Lynn, MA
Phone bank: Wednesday, August 26| 5:30 - 7 PM | Online
Join fellow UAW members to phone bank and canvass for UAW Local 2320 member Tram Nguyen for U.S. Congress! Before being elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 2018, Rep. Nguyen joined UAW Local 2320 when she was a legal aid attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services.
She was endorsed by the Massachusetts CAP Council in November, and UAW members are excited to work to elect her to Congress based on her record fighting for issues affecting working people. Join us to canvass on Saturday and to phone bank on Wednesday before the primary election on September 1!
Massachusetts: Get Out the Vote for Local 5118 Member Evan MacKay for Cambridge
Canvass: Saturday, August 22 | 11 AM - 2 PM | Cambridge, MA
GOTV call: Sunday, August 23 | 7:30 PM | Virtual
UAW member Evan MacKay is running to represent the 25th Middlesex District in Cambridge. As a former president of the Harvard Graduate Students Union-UAW Local 5118, Evan has been deeply involved with union organizing and contract campaigns at Harvard since the local was certified in 2018.
From showing up for fellow union members on picket lines across the city to pushing for the UAW's political priorities in state and local government, they have been an advocate for social and economic justice both within and beyond the UAW.
Throughout the campaign, UAW members have been knocking doors and making calls —and now it’s time to get Evan across the finish line.
More in Massachusetts: Canvass with Labor for UAW-Endorsed Candidates
UAW, WFP, & AFT Canvass for John Drinkwater & Lorena Betts
Sunday, August 30 | 10 AM - 12:30 PM | Cafe Eclipse, Lowell, MA
WFP & MTA Canvass with Daniel Lander
Saturday, August 22 | 10 AM - 12 PM | Boston Public Library Allston Branch, Boston, MA
FROM REGION 9A
Join UAW Members for Labor Day 2026
Labor Day is our day! Join UAW members across Region 9A and tens of thousands of other workers as we come together on Labor Day. Here are some of the events UAW members are participating in across our region.
Western Mass Area Labor Federation Labor Day Cookout
Sunday, September 6 | 1 - 4:30 PM | Nonotuck Park, Easthampton, MA
Celebrate together with your union siblings this Labor Day weekend at the WMALF Labor Day Cookout! Expect food, family games, and opportunities to learn about the work unions and our allies are doing around Western Mass.
Greater Boston Labor Council’s Second Annual Labor Day Parade
Monday, September 7 | 10 AM kickoff | Downtown Boston, MA
Join Boston’s 2nd Annual Labor Day Parade! This Labor Day, the Greater Boston Labor Council is marching for fairness, justice, and workers rights with Boston’s 2026 Labor Day Parade – and YOU are invited to march with us. The Parade will start at Boston Common and end at Copley Square with a BBQ lunch and inspiring speaking and entertainment program.
New Hampshire AFL-CIO Labor Day Breakfast
Monday, September 7 | 9 AM | DoubleTree Hotel, Manchester, NH
As the New Hampshire AFL-CIO’s largest annual gathering, the Labor Day Breakfast brings together union members, labor leaders, elected officials, community partners, and allies from across the state to celebrate everything working people have accomplished and prepare for the fights ahead.
NYC Central Labor Council Labor Day Rally & March
Tuesday, September 8 | 4:30 PM | Liberty Street, between Church & Broadway
This September marks the return of NYC’s Labor Day mobilization. In 2025, 100,000 marchers gathered on Fifth Avenue to show the might of the NYC labor movement. While this year looks different, we will still join together in solidarity and in support of our fellow workers.
Three Roads Music & Book Tour
Wednesday, September 16 | 6:30 PM | SEIU 32BJ, 26 West Street, Boston, MA 02111
Join Boston area unions to celebrate the release of Three Roads: Labor, Music, Ecology, the powerful autobiography of longtime labor leader and Labor Network for Sustainability Founder Joe Uehlein. This special event for the national book and music tour will bring together movement leaders, organizers, and music lovers for an evening of stories and songs from a lifetime spent fighting for workers, the environment, and a better world. Blending live music with reflections from the frontlines of labor and climate activism, Uehlein will share how the “three roads” of labor, music, and ecology have shaped his journey and the movements he helped build. Come celebrate the launch and join us for a powerful evening of music and solidarity!
FROM THE INTERNATIONAL UAW
UAW & Other Unions Sue DHS Challenging Visa Rule Affecting International Workers
Earlier this week, the International UAW and UAW Local 2322 joined other unions in filing a complaint in federal court challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s final rule ending the Duration of Status (D/S) framework for international student workers and others.
The new rule, announced last month and set to take effect on September 15, imposes fixed time limits on study visas, with international student workers required to file with the government for an extension of stay if their studies exceed four years. It also restricts individuals’ ability to change educational objectives, transfer institutions, or pursue additional programs of study.
The complaint argues that the final rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act because DHS failed to adequately assess its costs and benefits, meaningfully respond to public comments, consider less burdensome alternatives, or justify the rule based on its stated objectives.
These changes will create significant uncertainty and administrative burdens for international student workers and the institutions that support them. They will also interfere with academic decision-making, disrupt student workers’ educational and professional plans, and undermine the ability of U.S. colleges and universities to attract and retain global talent.
“International students and scholars shouldn’t have to navigate an immigration system designed to disrupt their education, research, and lives,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “The UAW is joining this legal action to challenge this discriminatory and short-sighted rule and proudly stands with international workers and scholars fighting for the stability and protections they deserve.”
In the news:
- Bloomberg Law: Unions, College Groups Challenge Limits on Foreign Students (August 18)
- The News Guild: Guild joins suit challenging visas affecting foreign journalists and others (August 18)
- Forbes: University Groups File Immigration Lawsuit To Block Student Rule (August 18)
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.
Upcoming UAW International Officer Elections in 2026
This fall, UAW members will vote by mail in the 2026 UAW International Officer Election for International President, International Secretary-Treasurer, three International Vice Presidents, and nine Regional Director positions. The latest issue of Solidarity Magazine features information about all candidates. More information about the upcoming elections is available at uawmonitor.com/elections, and you can watch recordings of all the candidate forums on YouTube.
Ballots will begin to be mailed on or about August 21, 2026, and must be received by October 5, 2026 in order to be counted. All UAW members in good standing as of September 30, 2026, are eligible to vote in the 2026 election, including members who are part-time workers, reinstated members, and retired members.
SOLIDARITY REQUESTS
Join Connecticut’s New Pride at Work Chapter
We are excited to announce that we are establishing a Pride At Work chapter in Connecticut! Pride At Work is an AFL-CIO constituency group that brings together LGBTQIA+ union members and allies to strengthen solidarity, advocate for equality, and build power in our workplaces. All are welcome! Whether you are an LGBTQIA+ union member, an ally, or a nonunion worker interested in learning more about the labor movement, we encourage you to get involved.
Please fill out the form to indicate your interest in joining the chapter. Any information you share will remain confidential and will only be accessible to the chapter organizers. Additionally, the National Pride At Work is hosting a 101 virtual training on Sunday, August 23, at 7 PM. The session will cover the organization's history, structure, resources, campaigns, and how to join or start a chapter. Click here to register for the training.
The Threat of Tech Surveillance: How Flock and Palantir Hurt Our Future
Friday, August 21 | 6 - 7 PM | Online
High-tech surveillance is rapidly expanding in communities across the country. From automated license plate reader systems like Flock cameras to data integration platforms like Palantir, these technologies are transforming how information is collected, shared, and analyzed. Trump's billionaire buddies are benefiting from the expansion of the tech and AI surveillance complex, and we have the power to stop this. Community and labor are coming together to fight! Join Connecticut for All for a webinar to learn how these surveillance systems work, the role Palantir plays in analyzing data from multiple sources, and why we are raising concerns about privacy, civil liberties, government accountability, and the disproportionate impact these technologies can have on immigrant and working-class communities. Together, we'll explore what this means for our communities and how we can build awareness and take action.
Higher Ed Labor United Raise Hell for Pell National Town Hall
Tuesday, September 1 | 7 PM ET | Online
The Raise Hell For Pell campaign is about protecting the program now and winning a new affordable and accessible higher education system for the future. Join us to help open the doors of higher education for the next generation.
SEIU 32BJ Fall Semester Kickoff Rally at Tufts University
Thursday, September 3 | 3:30 PM | 175 Packard Ave, Medford, MA
From spring semester until now, 100 members of 32BJ SEIU in Tufts' facilities department have been bargaining for a fair union contract. The university has not answered calls from campus allies, community groups, and elected officials to agree to the fair contract that these workers and their families deserve. Come show these administrators the deep community, labor, and student support for Tufts' facilities department workers!
Labor Notes Secrets of a Successful Organizer Hudson Valley Training
Sunday, September 13 | 10 AM - 6 PM | Poughkeepsie, NY
The bosses and billionaires are still attacking worker rights, the public good, and the well-being of our communities. Are you ready to fight back where you work, and in your community? Strengthen your organizing skills with Labor Notes' step-by-step guide to building power on the job. Join us for an in-person "Secrets of a Successful Organizer" training this September in Hudson Valley, New York!
Fighting for the Future of Higher Education: Labor Organizing, Bargaining, & Policy Advocacy in the Age of EdTech and AI
October 23 - 24 | Chicago, IL
Higher Ed Labor United and our partners in UIC United Faculty AFT Local 6456 are hosting a day-long deep dive into Higher Education, EdTech, and AI. This workshop is aimed at: understanding and producing contract language that protects workers; strategizing together to create a national organizing model against the technoligarchy; creating legislative frameworks locals can take to their state legislatures and Congress; and deepening workers’ understanding of the issue.
Union Hiring Hall
- Connecticut AFL-CIO | Legislative Director | Rocky Hill, CT
- International UAW | Temporary Graphic Designer | Remote
UPCOMING EVENTS
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 | Register by August 17 | Onaway, MI
UAW Standing Committees & Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Institute
October 4-9 | Register by August 24 | Onaway, MI
UAW Health & Safety Conference
October 11-16 | Register by August 31 | Onaway, MI
UAW Education Committees Institute
October 18-26 | Register by September 14 | Onaway, MI
Region 9A Veterans Council Dinner Dance
Saturday, November 7 | New London, CT