UAW Region 9A Weekly Newsletter: October 17

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LOCAL & ORGANIZING UPDATES

Four NYC Locals Join Union Roundtable with NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani

Today, UAW Region 9A members joined union members from across the New York City labor movement to meet with Zohran Mamdani about issues facing working New Yorkers across our city. Five UAW members shared their stories, including:

• Saif Ahmed of Local 259 led by talking about the challenges the affordability crisis is causing him and his coworkers as auto technicians in Queens.
• Lisa Ohta, president of ALAA Local 2325, emphasized how critical our public defender members will be to achieving Zohran’s public safety platform, and Zohran highlighted the essential role our members play in keeping New Yorkers safe.
• Brian Holbrook, a public defender and ALAA member at Brooklyn Defenders, shared how his coworkers are in a fight with a union-busting boss and look forward to having a mayor who agrees that union busters should not be leading critical organizations in this city.
• Luca Posa, a postdoctoral fellow at Weill Cornell, showcased how 70% of Local 4100 members are international and are close to going on strike in the coming weeks because Weill Cornell has been stalling bargaining—and Zohran pledged to stand with these members on the picket line.

UConn GEU Delivers Petition to President Calling for Transparency in Bargaining

Today, GEU-UAW Local 6950 representing graduate workers and postdocs at UConn delivered a petition to UConn President Radenka Maric’s office. The petition, signed by graduate employees across nearly every department and program, demands the right to publicly discuss ongoing contract negotiations and make an official statement concerning the fight for a fair contract for graduate employees at UConn.

In negotiations, the UConn administration has continued to propose a confidentiality rule that bars GEU-UAW from communicating about the content of negotiations with the broader UConn community. No other public university in our region, including UMaine, UVM, UMass, or UNH, has negotiated ground rules with their graduate employee unions that restrict what either party can share throughout negotiations. At a time when government transparency and First Amendment rights are under attack at the federal level, we believe it is more important than ever that UConn commit to transparency and open discussion, as it did during bargaining in 2015 and 2018.

GEU-UAW represents over 2,300 graduate workers, and this contract negotiation will have long-term effects for education and scientific research at UConn and for stakeholders across Connecticut. Follow GEU-UAW on Instagram for the latest updates.

Weill Cornell Postdocs Hold Public Meeting to Win a Fair Contract

On Thursday, postdoc leaders from across Weill Cornell School of Medicine met to determine their next steps for winning a fair contract. Members voiced their support for countering Weill Cornell’s arbitrary deadline with their own strike deadline to ensure the administration makes real progress at the bargaining table by the end of the month.

Joined by supporters including NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and fellow Local 4100 members from Mt. Sinai, these members made a powerful display of unity in the face of Weill Cornell’s intransigence.

ATS.NYFA-UAW Bring Back Good Faith Rally
Monday, October 20 | 11:40 AM | 25 Broadway, New York, NY

In June 2024, faculty and staff at New York Film Academy voted by an overwhelming majority to form their union, Association of Teachers & Staff at NYFA. Since their vote, a majority of faculty and staff have participated in ratifying bargaining goals, signed a letter urging NYFA President Michael Young to agree to a fair and transparent bargaining process, provided testimony to give voice at the bargaining table to workplace issues, and observed bargaining sessions even after long days at work.

And yet—NYFA is stalling. Managements shows up unprepared to the bargaining table and has even cancelled sessions with the bargaining committee. And now they’ve started breaking the law by outsourcing jobs from the union overseas and making devastating cuts to employees' health care.

RSVP to join supporters across the NYFA community on Monday to demand that NYFA administration do better by keeping their promise to bargain in good faith and agreeing to a contract that reflects the value of the immense contributions that faculty & staff make to NYFA.

HGSU Rally at Cambridge City Hall Against Harvard’s Union Busting
Monday, October 20 | 5 PM | Cambridge City Hall, Cambridge, MA

Join members of the Harvard Graduate Students Union and allies for a teach-in about Harvard’s union busting on the Cambridge City Hall steps prior to the City Council meeting. HGSU is asking Cambridge City Councilors to pass a solidarity resolution in support of our members

FROM REGION 9A

Join the Region 9A Veterans Council at the Annual Dinner Dance
Saturday, November 8 | 6 PM | Doubletree by Hilton, Bristol, CT

Join the UAW Region 9A Veterans Council at the 27th Annual Dinner Dance! The 2025 Dinner Dance will be held on Saturday, November 8, at the Doubletree by Hilton in Bristol, Connecticut.

The reception will begin at 6 PM, and dinner will begin at 7 PM. Tickets are $65 per person, and tables are $650 for 10 seats. Please contact Tina Ross at trodriguez@uaw.net to purchase tickets.

Region 9A Joins Region 9 for Training at Local 677 Mack Trucks in Allentown, PA
Saturday, November 15 | 7 AM - 4 PM | New York, NY to Allentown, PA

UAW Local 677 (Mack Trucks) is inviting Region 9A members for a joint education session at their local in Allentown, Pennsylvania. UAW members at Mack trucks have been at the forefront of the free trade crisis in recent years, going on strike in their most recent contract negotiations in 2023 to defend their jobs.

Join the Local 677 Education Committee to share and build together as we discuss UAW 101 and the UAW's core values as well as our joint labor struggles as a working class. Transportation from NYC will leave at 7 AM and depart from Allentown at 4 PM.

Region 9A Represents at Biennial Massachusetts AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention

Last week, the MA AFL-CIO hosted its Biennial Constitutional Convention at the 100% union-built MGM Springfield. UAW participated in a powerful immigration plenary session with the national AFL-CIO, AFGE, and AFT Massachusetts, and the convention body passed a resolution recommitting to fight for immigrant justice.

UAW President Shawn Fain to Keynote Maine AFL-CIO Convention
October 23-24 | Bangor, ME

UAW President Shawn Fain will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Maine AFL-CIO Biennial Convention taking place October 23 and 24 in Bangor. He will also be visiting Local 3999 at Bath Iron Workers and meeting members of NOLSW Local 2320 and the UMaine Graduate Workers Union.

The convention will include discussions on how to handle AI in bargaining, what should Labor prioritize, how to meet this moment, our Labor 2026 work, breakout workshops, a keynote address from Pres. Fain and lots more. If you are interested in attending as a convention delegate or guest, please contact Vail Kohnert-Yount at vkohnertyount@uaw.net. 

COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM (CAP)

Labor for Democracy: No Kings Rally
Saturday, October 18 | Nationwide

Next Saturday, union members will join with Labor for Democracy and other allies to fight for freedom of speech, union rights, and the right to protest. At over 2,100 events in all 50 states, in DC and internationally, working people will gather together to demand #NoKings and #NoBillionaires making decisions for our workplaces, families and communities.

• In New York City, the Central Labor Council is hosting a labor march to join up with the main event.
• In Boston, organized labor will be meeting at the Embrace Monument in Boston Common at 11:30 AM.
• In Hartford, SEIU is also leading a labor march from Connecticut for All’s Democracy School to the rally downtown.

There are hundreds more rallies happening across our region—join in San Juan, Portland, Burlington, or find the one nearest you.

Maine CAP Council Endorses Graham Platner for U.S. Senate

UAW Region 9A local leaders in Maine voted to endorse Graham Platner to represent Mainers in the U.S. Senate. In September, Graham rallied with the University of Maine Graduate Workers Union in their fight for a fair first contract, and following this endorsement UAW members will join Graham on the campaign trail.

As a U.S. military veteran, oyster farmer, and proud lifelong Mainer, Graham Platner is a true fighter for the working class. His campaign is grounded in rebuilding the American dream for working people who can no longer afford a good life. His service and his background give him the leadership needed to fight for policies that put the needs of workers first and demand bold solutions to our economic and political crises.

“I think he’s the real deal,” said Trent Vellela, president of the UAW’s Maine CAP Council from Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association (BMDA-UAW Local 3999 ). “Graham directly addresses the hard issues in a straightforward and relatable way. He is clear about his principles and his plan to achieve positive outcomes for the working people of Maine. We’re excited to endorse Graham Platner for Senate and look forward to seeing him in DC.”

In the news:

• Good Day Maine on CBS 13: UAW Endorses Platner for Senate (Oct. 16)
• The Chuck Toddcast: UAW has already endorsed Platner over Mills (Oct. 16)
• WMTW 8: Maine's 2026 Senate race picks up with endorsements and fundraising (Oct. 15)
• Politico: Maine’s Platner now has the support of 3 labor unions (Oct. 15)
• Common Dreams: ‘He’s the Real Deal’: UAW Endorses Graham Platner in Maine Senate Race (Oct. 15)

NYC is Not for Sale Rally with Zohran Mamdani, Bernie Sanders, & AOC
Sunday, October 26 | 5 PM | Forest Hills Stadium, Queens, NY

Join fellow UAW members on Sunday for a rally with Zohran Mamdani, Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and other special guests. In the last week before election day, we're coming together to say: New York is Not For Sale. Register here to ensure you receive a ticket.

Massachusetts DRIVE Advocacy Day
Thursday, October 30 | 12:30 – 4:00 PM | State House, Boston, MA

Join UAW Region 9A and the Massachusetts Teachers Association for an advocacy day in support of DRIVE (H.4375 An Act to preserve and advance Massachusetts’ competitiveness in discovery, research, and innovation for a vibrant economy).

DRIVE is a $400 million investment, which includes $200 million from Fair Share Amendment funds specifically earmarked to backfill federal cuts made to public colleges and universities. The UAW appreciates the DRIVE initiative as an investment in union jobs, innovative research, and our collective future.

Massachusetts: Testify in Support of PFML for Grad Workers
Tuesday, November 4 | Massachusetts State House, Boston, MA

Student workers in Massachusetts are currently denied access to the state’s unemployment and paid family and medical leave benefits. Our union is part of a statewide coalition to end this exclusion and win these benefits for our student workers across MA. On Tuesday, November 4, there will be a hearing on our bill at the Massachusetts State House in Boston. 

We need people who have personal experiences needing paid parental leave, medical leave, or unemployment to come out and testify! More affected people testifying means a higher chance we win these essential protections. Testifying is super easy—you spend a maximum of 3 minutes talking about your experience and why you support the bill. Although in-person testimony at the state house in Boston is the most effective, you can also testify on Zoom if you cannot make it in person. We can help you prep your testimony.

Unfortunately we won't know the exact hearing time until 10 days beforehand, but we want to get a jump on the organizing by putting together a list of everyone who would be interested. We will contact everyone on the list when the time is set with further instructions and logistics. Fill out this form if you are interested in testifying, even if you are unsure of whether you can definitely make it. If interested in getting more involved, join us at our next planning meeting on Monday, October 20, at 4 PM by emailing Dorothy Manevich at dorothy.manevich@gmail.com.

Region 9A CAP in the News

“UAW Region 9A is endorsing the ballot question that would reform the way legislative stipends are awarded on Beacon Hill. ‘The UAW is proud to represent millions of Americans nationally and in states across the country, and we can see that the Massachusetts legislature's level of dysfunction and poor governance is an outlier,’ Dan Rourke, chair of UAW Region 9A MA CAP Council, said. ‘We're endorsing the stipend reform ballot question because ending loyalty pay is one of the many reforms necessary to achieve the responsive, representative legislature that the Commonwealth deserves.’”

• Politico: New This Morning: Ballot Battles (Oct. 17)

FROM THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

UAW Survey: Shape Our Collective Vision for the Future of Science

All UAW members are invited to shape a collective vision for a future of science in the United States that’s by and for working people—take a few minutes to share your thoughts!

For decades, public investment in science and research has delivered major wins for working people. It’s helped save lives, power our homes, make our workplaces safer, and much more. We’ve seen a 70% drop in childhood cancer deaths, the development of nearly every new life-saving medication, and breakthroughs in clean energy, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. Public research supports over 400,000 jobs each year—not just in labs and universities, but in the plants and communities where those innovations are built.

But now, that progress is in danger. The Trump administration is slashing funding for research and putting the interests of billionaires ahead of working families. These cuts mean fewer good jobs, fewer options for family members struggling with heart disease or addiction, and less innovation in major industries.

UAW members have been pushing back because we all feel the impact of these cuts. Together we have organized, lobbied, and taken legal action to defend critical research and protect our jobs. But just fighting to keep what we have isn’t enough. More and more often the benefits of public research—everything from green tech to AI to new medicines—are scooped up by big corporations, who make record profits while working people struggle to get by. And UAW members in research and higher education who make these innovations possible have to fight in each contract for fair pay, stable careers, and respect on the job.

UAW members are fighting back against this broken system and coming together to shape a new, worker-led vision for American science. You can help shape the vision for the future of science and research by sharing your thoughts in this survey.

Whether you’re a researcher in a lab sharing your experience, or if you work in other fields but have a loved one who has needed cancer treatment, or the parent of a kid who dreams of a future in science, your input matters. This conversation will continue in our locals and ultimately guide our union’s political agenda in the coming years. By joining in, you can help build a future where public research works for the public good, and where our tax dollars lead to more union jobs, stronger communities, and a fairer economy for everyone.

FROM THE INTERNATIONAL UAW

Tell USTR: Put Workers First in the USMCA Review 

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is asking for comments ahead of the 2026 review of the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). Let’s flood them with comments and make it crystal clear: no more corporate giveaways, no more empty promises. It’s time for a trade deal that protects our jobs, our families, and our communities.  And if USMCA isn’t negotiated into a trade deal that’s good for workers everywhere, then the U.S. should cancel the agreement.

Working-class people have paid the price for so-called “free trade” for 30 years.  Now, we have a shot to say loud and clear to policymakers: we need a trade deal that works for working people, not for Wall Street and greedy CEOs. NAFTA—and the so-called “NAFTA 2.0,” the USMCA—sold us out. These trade deals shipped millions of good union jobs out of this country. They let corporations run to the lowest bidder, exploit workers abroad, and then turn around and sell the product back here while our plants closed and our towns were gutted.

Enough is enough. The UAW is demanding a new worker-first trade deal that:

• Prioritizes job security: companies need to make it here if they want to sell it here.
• Strengthens enforceable labor rights for all workers. We can’t let corporations pit us against each other.
• Guarantees equal pay for equal work across borders. Corporations should not be able to use trade to cause a race to the bottom.

UAW Joins CWA & AFT in Lawsuit Against Surveillance of Protected Free Speech

On Thursday,  the UAW, CWA, and AFT filed a lawsuit against the Departments of State and Homeland Security for their viewpoint-based surveillance and suppression of protected expression online. The complaint asks a federal court to stop this unconstitutional surveillance program, which has silenced and frightened both citizens and noncitizens, and hampered the ability of the unions to associate with their members and potential members. The unions are represented by counsel from Muslim Advocates, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic. 

SOLIDARITY REQUESTS

Join the Kickstarter Workers Union on the Picket Line
Thursday, October 23 | 12 PM | Oliver Street, Boston, MA

Kickstarter United is the union of designers, support specialists, product managers, engineers, and more who power Kickstarter. They are currently on strike and have been for 13 days. They are demanding a fair contract so that they can get back to work. After months of minimal movement at the bargaining table, management failed to codify a livable wage for all, or to codify the four-day work week that they have successfully operated under the last 3.5 years.

To keep the pressure on management, they are hosting a rally and picket in Boston next week on Thursday, October 23, from 12:00-1:00 PM on Oliver St. in the Financial District and are requesting support from UAW members in Boston! Sign up for updates at kickstarterunited.org.

Join the Higher Ed Labor United Coalition’s Upcoming Meetings

The UAW is part of Higher Education Labor United, a national organization founded in 2021 to unite workers throughout U.S. higher education. HELU brings together unions that represent staff, student workers, adjunct, contingent, and tenured faculty, postdocs, university health system workers, and others to create and pursue a unified vision for higher education and to add our strength to a reinvigorated U.S. labor movement. Higher ed members are invited to join HELU’s upcoming meetings:

• October 29: Skeleton Crews at Academic Medical Centers: The Dangerous Results of Bare-Bones Funding
• November 5: Library Workers Organizing Meeting & Strategy Session

Free Screening of American Agitators
Monday, October 27 | 6:30 PM | Columbia University, New York, NY

The Columbia University Labor Lab and Columbia World Projects Center for Political Economy invites all to a screening of American Agitators, which captures the remarkable story of organizing for social change in the U.S. through the work Fred Ross Sr. and many others such as iconic organizers Dolores Huerta and Fred Ross Jr. as well as current ones, all of whom have devoted their lives to the pursuit of justice and equality.

Generations of organizers and activists, many of whom are featured in American Agitators, stand on the shoulders of Ross and his innovative organizing tactics. Evidence of Ross’ impact is illustrated in the case examples the film explores: in Atlanta, where Fight For 15 organizers demand an increased minimum wage and the unionization of workers across the Southern states; in Las Vegas where hotel workers organize for fair wages and to get out the vote; in Oakland, where teachers, families and community members forged a fair contract with the Oakland school district. The documentary demonstrates the efficacy of member-led movements built through patience and by listening.

Massachusetts Labor Guild Workshop: Unemployment Insurance (Ul) Benefits
Thursday, November 6 | 6:00 - 8:00 PM | Online

Unemployment insurance (Ul) is a critical safety net during periods of joblessness. This vital program allows workers and their families to meet their basic living expenses when they're out of work, while stabilizing the economy during recessions. This workshop provides you with the expertise you need to understand the Ul system and secure the Ul benefits to which you and members of your union are legally entitled. It will guide you through the Ul system from eligibility criteria to the appeals process. It will also discuss challenges with DUA's new online system, how union members should address new questions in the online benefit portal to remain exempt from the work search requirement, and how part-time work during a benefit claim may affect eligibility.

Massachusetts Labor Guild Workshop: Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)
Thursday, November 13 | 6:00 - 8:00 PM | Online

As of 2021, Massachusetts has fully implemented its Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program, providing workers wage replacement benefits when they have to remain out of work because of their own serious health condition, to care for a family member, or to bond with a newborn or newly-adopted child. By enabling workers to afford to take time away from work under these circumstances, these critical benefits improve health outcomes for workers and the public as a whole, while also improving early childhood development outcomes for children. This workshop will provide an overview of the benefits and protections available to workers under the PFML law, tips regarding the application and appeals process, and a discussion of unresolved barriers to accessing these benefits to look out for as you seek to access these benefits for yourself, your family, or other members of your union.

Call for Proposals for the 2026 Boston Labor Conference at UMass Boston
March 28, 2026 | Submit proposals by November 21

With an eye towards surviving and defeating Trumpism while forging a broad-based movement, the tenth annual Boston Labor Conference examines the array of attacks faced by working people since the start of 2025 while also exploring the various ways in which they have fought back. In addition to sweeping analyses that attempt to make sense of Trump’s second term on a broad level, we welcome proposals for papers/presentations that offer historical perspectives and critical analysis across a range of areas related to the ongoing attack and defense of: democracy and government, a more just economy, immigrants, labor unions, public education, healthcare, LBGTQ+ communities, the media, the legal system, the environment, basic personal freedoms, and so on.

To submit a proposal to give a presentation at the Boston Labor Conference on March 28, 2026, please send a (a) very short CV (or just tell us about yourself) and (b) one-page abstract of the proposed paper/presentation by November 21st to laborresourcecenter@umb.edu and steve.striffler@umb.edu.

Union Hiring Hall

• UAW International Union | Financial Researcher | Detroit, MI
• UAW International Union | Senior Organizer | Flexible, travel required
• New Yorkers United for Child Care | Organizer | Manhattan & Bronx, NY
• U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders | Paid Internship | Washington, DC
• Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union | Organizer | Newark or New Brunswick, NJ
• Maine AFL-CIO | Campaigns Director | Augusta, ME
• MassCOSH | Deputy Director | Boston, MA

UPCOMING EVENTS

UAW Skilled Trades Conference
October 20-24 | Detroit, MI

Coalition of Labor Union Women Conference
November 9-11 | San Diego, CA

UAW 101 & Core Values Education Training
November 15 | Allentown, PA