Philadelphia – By a decisive margin, Postdoctoral Scholars and Research Associates at the University of Pennsylvania have voted in favor of forming a union, RAPUP-UAW. The vote was 703 to 38, or 95% in favor, according to ballots tallied by the National Labor Relations Board Thursday evening.

“We are thrilled with tonight’s results, and ready to work with the university towards a more democratic workplace,” said Emily Perkins, Postdoctoral Fellow in Psychology. “We love our jobs, but the increasing threats to international scholars coupled with inadequate compensation made a union the obvious choice. We’re ready to speak in one voice for fair pay, better job security, and a more equitable university.”

Postdocs and Research Associates form the backbone of Penn’s research enterprise. Having already earned a PhD in their field, they perform groundbreaking research in laboratories and offices across campus. Their work attracts hundreds of millions of dollars in funding each year, and has helped establish Penn as one of the premier research universities in the world.

But despite these contributions, many struggle to make ends meet. Workers have very limited job security, no meaningful protections against harassment and discrimination, and spotty benefits that are not guaranteed. International workers are particularly vulnerable to pressure to work overtime without pay, hostile work environments, and sudden termination.

“Penn Postdocs and Research Associates deserve benefits and protections that reflect their role as highly skilled academic workers and scientific collaborators,” said Ray Jensen Jr., Assistant Director of UAW Region 9. “The vote results send a strong signal to Penn’s administration: it’s time to sit down at the bargaining table and negotiate the improvements and protections these workers deserve. The UAW looks forward to supporting them as they bargain their first contract.”

Postdocs and Research Associates at Penn join more than 120,000 UAW-represented academic workers across the United States, including 4,000 graduate workers at Penn who voted to form their union in 2024. This victory comes amidst an ongoing wave of workers voting to form unions at academic institutions across the country, including postdocs at Johns Hopkins, the National Institutes of Health, and Princeton University; graduate workers at the University of Vermont and University of New Hampshire; and non-tenure track faculty and researchers at Harvard.

NEW YORK— On Tuesday, legal services workers with the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys—UAW Local 2325 (ALAA)—rallied in solidarity with striking members to demand the funding, staffing, and support they need to continue delivering justice for low-income New Yorkers.

The rally launched a picket line of 400 workers and drew support from mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, underscoring his close ties to the UAW—the first union to endorse his campaign back in December. They were also joined by State Attorney General Letitia James, New York City Council Labor Chair Carmen De La Rosa, New York City Council Member Justin Brannan, State Assembly Member Claire Valdez, and others.

“ALAA members are striking for the resources they need to represent working class New Yorkers in our city’s courts,” said UAW Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla. “We cannot sustain the high levels of attrition, burnout, and turnover in our workplaces. This is a fight for justice for poor and working-class people all over New York City.

“We need the mayor to step up and utilize these record reserves that they’ve been bragging about to ensure that we actually ‘Trump-proof’ the city by keeping legal advocates and attorneys in their jobs,” said Mancilla.

“ALAA members are the people that keep New Yorkers in their homes. They are the people that keep families together,” said Mayoral Candidate and State Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani at today’s rally. “And it is incumbent upon every single one of us to stand with them so that they can continue to afford to do this work.

“Because for too long, we have asked people to engage in public service at the expense of themselves. Why are we struggling to attract new applications? Why are we struggling to retain the existing workforce? Because this is not work that is paying people enough to stay in this city.”

Every day, ALAA members provide free legal representation to tenants facing eviction, immigrants at risk of deportation, families navigating child welfare and custody cases, survivors of domestic violence, the unhoused, and people seeking access to health care, disability benefits, and other critical services.

“What individuals need now more than ever is someone on their side. And that is a legal aid attorney,” said Attorney General Letitia James at the rally earlier today. “Someone who will defend the rights of marginalized and vulnerable populations. Someone who will go against corporate landlords. Someone who will stand up; someone who will not be afraid.

“As a former legal aid attorney who can relate to ALAA members, I recognize that this city must pay them more so that they can pay their bills. I stand with ALAA in solidarity as they fight for decency and respect.”

Underfunded for decades, these legal services workers are demanding fair wages, adequate resources, and staffing to reduce burnout and high turnover—issues that directly impact the quality of representation their clients receive. Common demands across the sector focus on lifting wages and guaranteeing workload protections that ensure working class New Yorkers get the best, most experienced advocates and that these union members can afford to stay in jobs they love.

“I’m so proud of how much we’ve already achieved. But our fight is not over.” said UAW Local 2325 President Lisa Ohta. “The city needs to invest in our communities now more than ever. We need housing advocates, immigration defense advocates, and public defenders to ‘Trump-proof’ our city.

“This means funding our work so that we can stay in jobs we love and continue serving our communities.”

As the cost of living rises and the city’s legal services funding lags, they are taking action to ensure all New Yorkers—especially working-class communities targeted by the Trump Administration’s harmful policies—have real access to justice.

Senate Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill is a gut punch to working people. Behind a smokescreen of small, short-term gains, this bill inflicts deep, lasting harm. It’s a gift to billionaires and corporations—and a betrayal of the working class.

In our union, we talk about four core issues that matter most to working families — a livable wage, affordable health care, retirement security, and time to live a full life outside of work. This bill fails on every count. It means millions of families will lose health care. It means millions of kids will be hungrier because of the biggest cut in history to food assistance. It means millions of people are not able to afford to live, let alone live well.

Instead of lifting people up, this legislation shoves them down. The bill slashes Medicaid—ripping health care away from the most vulnerable and making it more expensive for us all—so the rich can get even richer. Clean energy investments that have given blue-collar communities a shot at real economic renewal? They’re on the chopping block.

This legislation shifts the balance of power even further in favor of the billionaire class. It weakens workers’ bargaining power, hollows out social protections, and doubles down on a system that exploits labor and rewards wealth.

We’ve been told to accept less, sacrifice more, and be grateful for crumbs, while CEOs cash in. It’s an outright class war on workers.

The UAW welcomes bold ideas that actually help working-class people—no matter which political party they come from. But this bill has far too few. It delivers pain to workers while rewarding the billionaire class. Anyone who claims to stand with workers should see this bill for what it is—a disaster.

This is a moment of clarity – and we will make sure UAW members and families know exactly which corporate-backed politicians supported this bill.  Working-class people are fed up with a political system that does not meet our basic needs. Republicans in the House of Representatives who want to break from their party’s anti-worker status quo have a clear choice: side with the billionaires—or stand with workers. Vote no on final passage. Show us whose side you’re really on.

GLENDALE, KY – The UAW is calling on the National Labor Relations Board to investigate Ford and BlueOval SK (BOSK) for violating federal labor law before it sets the date for an election to ensure a fair and democratic vote — one free from illegal employer intimidation, retaliation, and coercion.

A supermajority of workers at BOSK — the electric vehicle battery joint venture between Ford and SK On — filed for a union election with the UAW in January, demanding safer working conditions, the affordable health care they were originally promised, and a voice on the job. But since then, BOSK and Ford have launched a scorched-earth anti-union campaign designed to scare workers and chill support.

Instead of respecting the legal process or workers’ right to choose, BOSK has illegally fired and retaliated against vocal union supporters, unlawfully forced workers into closed-door meetings, and threatened to shut down the plant. The company has bought up anti-union ads, distributed anti-union swag, and brought in high-priced consultants to expose workers to non-stop anti-union campaigning.

“Ford knows better. For over 80 years, Ford workers have had a union and a voice. But at BOSK, they’re doing everything they can to stop these workers from having the same thing,” said Laura Dickerson, UAW Vice President and Director of the Ford Department. “You can’t have a fair vote when the company is flooding the plant with fear and propaganda.”

Workers say the company’s actions have poisoned the atmosphere around the election — especially in a workplace already plagued by serious safety concerns. A recent Louisville Courier-Journal investigation revealed that BOSK workers have faced toxic chemical exposure, broken bones, and faulty safety equipment.

“BOSK wants to act like there are no safety issues here. But the chemicals we work with are dangerous.  We want the ability to speak up and make things safer in a contract. That’s what a union is about,” said Rob Collett, a Production Associate.

Other workers described being told to work without proper gear and warned not to talk about forming a union.

“These BOSK workers are brave as hell,” said UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith. “They stood up and organized because they want what everyone deserves — a safe job and a voice at work. Battery jobs are growing fast here in Kentucky, but they should be good, safe union jobs — not jobs where workers get hurt and silenced. We need a fair shot to vote without the company trying to rig the outcome. Elected leaders can’t look the other way while this industry grows — they need to have workers’ backs. Who are we? U-A-W!”

Workers and the UAW are calling on the NLRB to hold the company accountable until the Board can begin investigating the company’s actions and restore the conditions for a free and fair vote.

“We are excited to vote yes! We have been waiting for this for a long time. However, we are asking the NLRB to ensure a fair playing field,” said Emily Drueke, Quality Department.

The campaign at BOSK is part of a growing wave of worker organizing in the EV battery industry, including major wins at Ultium Cells in Ohio and Tennessee. Workers across the South are standing up — and demanding what they’ve earned: a union and a voice on the job.

“The working class is done with business as usual. We were proud to be the first union to endorse Zohran because it’s time for a political movement that puts the working class first. Our members spoke out and turned out in a big way — and we’re just getting started. Congratulations to Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla on an exceptional field operation. Congratulations to Zohran for building a movement, and congratulations to the working-class New Yorkers for showing the world that when we unite and stand up nobody can stand in our way!” UAW President Shawn Fain

Video statement can be found here.

“The days of taking labor’s vote for granted are over. It’s time for labor to think about a bigger vision that lifts up and includes all working-class people. UAW members stepped up to fight for an affordable New York–and went to the mat for Zohran–because he made it clear whose side he’s on: workers.” UAW Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla

Background
In December 2024, UAW Region 9A became the first union to endorse Zohran Mamdani for mayor, recognizing that his campaign squarely confronted New York’s cost-of-living crisis. His platform—to build affordable housing, freeze rents, make buses fast and free, and provide universal childcare—echoed UAW’s demands to make life affordable for working-class New Yorkers, most of whom are renters and commuters. On May 30, UAW Region 9A reaffirmed its support, urging NYC UAW households to rank Mamdani first—making it the only major union to do so.

NEW YORK—Today, ahead of Tuesday’s primary election for New York City mayor, the UAW released a new video narrated by President Shawn Fain in an enthusiastic endorsement of Zohran Mamdani. The video, which is being targeted to the 40,000 UAW members and their households that live in New York City, directly calls out Andrew Cuomo as “another hack politician.”

“We don’t need another hack politician like Cuomo—someone who smiles for the cameras and then sells us out behind closed doors,” narrates UAW President Shawn Fain. “What we need is a national movement that unites the working class to take on the oligarchs and rebuild our democracy.

“And that is exactly the kind of movement that Zohran Mamdani is leading.”

The video is available for use by the media here

In December 2024, UAW Region 9A became the first labor union to endorse Zohran Mamdani for mayor, recognizing that his campaign, focused on the cost-of-living crisis, would resonate with New Yorkers. Moreover, Mamdani’s commitment to build affordable housing, freeze the rent, make buses fast and free, and institute universal childcare echoed the UAW’s demands to make life more affordable for working-class New Yorkers, the majority of whom are renters and commuters.

That’s why on May 30, UAW Region 9A called on its New York City UAW households to rank Mamdani first on the ballot.

“Zohran isn’t owned by Wall Street,” says Fain in the video’s voiceover. “He’s a fighter for free transit, housing for all, universal childcare, and a $30 an hour minimum wage. He believes in democracy—not just in city elections, but on the job, in our apartment buildings, and in our neighborhoods.”

The full transcript of the UAW’s new video for Zohran Mamdani narrated by President Shawn Fain is available below: 

In New York City, the UAW takes on some of the richest employers in the country.  

Employers like Mercedes Benz, Columbia University, NYU, and Sony. 

So we know a thing or two about how bosses act. 

They view the workplace like a dictatorship.  

The corporate class expects to be treated like kings.  

They mock our rights.  

They want us silent. Obedient. Disposable. 

They expect workers to sit down and shut up. 

That’s not just how they run their workplaces. It’s how they want to run our country. 

That’s exactly how Andrew Cuomo ran New York when he was Governor. 

He bullied and harassed workers. 

He protected billionaires. 

He cut Medicaid in the middle of a pandemic. 

And when striking UAW members needed his support on the picket line, he was nowhere to be found. 

Those days are over. 

Because across New York City and all over our country, the working class is rising up.

We aren’t being obedient. We’re being fearless. 

We are demanding higher wages. 

Healthcare for all. 

A secure retirement. 

A home we can afford. 

Because here is the secret truth that the billionaire class doesn’t want us to know: WE are the majority. 

And when we unite and stand up, nobody can stand in our way. 

Zohran isn’t owned by Wall Street. 

He’s a fighter for free transit, housing for all, universal childcare, and a $30 an hour minimum wage. 

He believes in democracy – not just in city elections, but on the job, in our apartment buildings, and in our neighborhoods. 

This campaign isn’t just about just winning an election. It’s about taking back our power. 

From the bosses. 

From the landlords. 

From the billionaires who think they own our future. 

We’ve had enough of the Cuomos of the world. 

Enough corruption. 

Enough broken promises. 

It’s time to organize. 

It’s time to fight. 

The UAW is proud to be the first union to endorse Zohran Mamdani. 

Now, it’s time to elect Zohran —and build a New York for the many, not the few. 

Because when the working class stands up, no one can stop us.

DETROIT, MI — The UAW International Executive Board has elected Region 1A Director Laura Dickerson to serve as Vice President and Director of the Ford Department, succeeding Vice President Chuck Browning, who will retire at the end of this month.

In accordance with Article 10, Section 17 of the UAW Constitution, the vacancy was filled by a majority vote of the International Executive Board. Dickerson was elected to serve in this critical role and will be sworn in when Browning officially vacates the position at the end of the month.

Dickerson currently serves as Director of UAW Region 1A and brings nearly three decades of union experience to her new role. She becomes the first African-American woman to serve as UAW Vice President, continuing a trailblazing legacy of leadership.

“Chuck Browning has set the bar for what it means to fight for working-class people,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “He’s been one of the toughest and most effective negotiators this union has ever seen. When the bosses dug in, Chuck pushed harder. During the Stand Up Strike, he led the charge to kill tiers at Ford, win back COLA, and make the company pay up. He knew our power—and he used it. We’re going to miss his fire at the table, but we know Laura Dickerson brings that same fighting spirit. She’s tough, she’s battle-tested, and she’s grounded in the membership. The Ford Department is in good hands.”

Reflecting on his retirement, Browning said: “It’s been the honor of my life to serve the UAW membership. I cannot express strongly enough the respect and appreciation I have for our members and for those I’ve served with. I have all the confidence in the world that Laura will lead the UAW National Ford Department with strength and integrity. She will do it with the same fire and same heart that has earned her the admiration and support from those that she has served.”

Dickerson pledged to build on the department’s legacy: “I’m proud to take the baton from Chuck and lead the Ford Department at a time when UAW members are demanding more—and winning. We’re not doing business as usual anymore. We’re doing things differently, and it’s working. Our members stood up, took on the Big Three, and showed the world what union power looks like. I’m ready to build on that member-led momentum, fight for even stronger contracts, and make sure every worker has the dignity, respect, and voice they deserve. This union raised me, and I’ll keep fighting every day to raise standards for the entire working class.”

Dickerson was re-elected Director of UAW Region 1A by its membership in December 2022, after first being elected in 2021 to complete the term of Chuck Browning. She was the first African-American woman in UAW history to be elected to the International Executive Board. She was elected as a Regional Director.

A UAW member since 1997 with Local 600, Dickerson has served in elected roles at nearly every level of the union—chairperson, bargaining team member, national negotiator with Ford, staff council vice president, and more.

Chuck Browning has served as UAW Vice President and Director of the Ford Department since July 2021, following his election by the International Executive Board. His decades of leadership have spanned the National Ford Department, Region 1A, and the UAW President’s office, where he served as both Administrative and Top Administrative Assistant. He began his career at the Mazda plant in Flat Rock in 1987 as a member of Local 3000, eventually becoming Plant Chairperson. He will continue bargaining at Volkswagen.

At the 2022 UAW Constitutional Convention, members amended the union’s constitution and bylaws, voting overwhelmingly to adopt a “one member, one vote” system for choosing union leadership and updating the rules for leadership selection. Under the UAW Constitution, vacancies for the five officer positions (president, secretary-treasurer, and three vice presidents) are filled by a vote of the International Executive Board. Vacancies for regional directors are filled at special regional conventions by previously elected delegates to the Constitutional Convention. Per the Consent decree, the Monitor will vet Laura Dickerson prior to being sworn in.

Warren, MI – After nearly two years of organizing, determination, and hard-fought negotiations, UAW Region 1 is proud to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached for approximately 700 Game Presenters (Dealers) at Evolution, one of the largest online gaming platforms in the nation. Evolution services major clients such as BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, and others.

This moment is historic — this is the first-ever online gaming contract in the United States.

From the very beginning, this fight was driven by the strength of the membership and the unwavering leadership of UAW Local 7777 President Terri Sykes, who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with these brave workers every step of the way. Their solidarity, combined with the power of the UAW, made the impossible possible.

Since 2022, UAW organizers and Evolution workers faced significant challenges, including multiple legal delays and two separate election processes, one of which was overturned. Through every obstacle, the workers remained united and determined to secure their seat at the bargaining table.

“This is history in the making,” stated LaShawn English, Director of UAW Region 1. “Under the leadership of Local 7777 President Terri Sykes, we were successful in reaching this contract — the first of its kind in online gaming. These workers refused to back down. This victory sets a national precedent that will echo across this growing industry.”

The tentative agreement includes:

  • Substantial wage improvements
  • Stronger job protections
  • Improved working conditions
  • A voice on the job through collective bargaining

A ratification vote will be scheduled in the coming weeks, allowing members to review and vote on the agreement.

Director English added, “This fight proves that the labor movement is expanding into new industries, and no employer — no matter how new, no matter how large — is beyond the reach of workers who demand dignity, respect, and fairness.”

UAW Region 1 will continue to lead the way in securing strong contracts and protecting workers across all sectors.

Spring Hill, TN – In a historic move signaling a shift in the American auto industry, General Motors announced a $4 billion reinvestment across three U.S. plants—including a major investment in its Spring Hill facility in Tennessee. The move brings thousands of good union jobs back to the South and underscores the rising power of autoworkers in a region long written off by corporate America.

“This is a big deal for Spring Hill,” said UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith. “For decades, corporations offshored jobs and left blue-collar communities behind. But now, because of worker organizing and fair-trade policies like auto tariffs, GM is finally putting money back where it belongs—in union plants, with American workers.”

The UAW has long called for an end to the unfair trade practices that allowed automakers to offshore U.S. jobs, slash wages, and shutter dozens of once-thriving plants. More than 2 million vehicles a year have disappeared from American production lines over the last decade, while factories across Mexico and low-wage regions flourished under an exploitative trade system.

“Southern workers have always had the skill, the pride, and the fight—it’s just the companies that needed to end their race to the bottom,” said UAW Local 1853 President John Rutherford. “This investment in Spring Hill will mean more people with access to great wages and benefits and the protections of a union contract.”

Spring Hill is already home to a growing UAW membership, and workers there played a key role in last year’s Stand Up Strike, which won historic gains in wages and job security.

“Spring Hill has always delivered,” said UAW Local 1853 Chairman Jason Spain. “Now we’re getting the chance to use our extra capacity to build even more. The Blazer’s coming to Spring Hill, and we’re fired up to get to work.”

The UAW continues to call for a broader industrial strategy that includes strong trade protections, enforceable labor standards across borders, and an end to Wall Street-driven profit hoarding. The union’s demands include:

  • Tariffs on imported vehicles and parts to prevent job offshoring.
  • A renegotiated USMCA with a North American minimum wage and enforceable labor rights.
  • Reshoring of the parts supply chain and domestic manufacturing investment.
  • A ban on stock buybacks and greater reinvestment in American workers.

The UAW leaders say this investment by GM is a step in the right direction—but there’s much more work to do. To truly end the race to the bottom, we need enforceable protections for workers both in the U.S. and abroad. That means real rights on the job, the freedom to assemble and organize, and strong unions across borders. Trade policy without labor rights is just corporate welfare—and we won’t settle for that.

General Motors announced yesterday it will invest $4 billion over the next two years across three U.S. plants in Michigan, Kansas, and Tennessee—bringing thousands of good union jobs back to the U.S.

This announcement marks a turning point in the long fight to reverse the damage caused by NAFTA and decades of so-called “free trade.” As auto tariffs help drive the return of production to the U.S., we’re beginning to undo the harm inflicted on blue-collar communities by policies that offshored jobs and gutted local economies.

By raising wages at GM globally, this shift signals the beginning of the end of the race to the bottom—where workers are forced to compete across borders over how little they can survive on, while corporations rake in billions.

“GM’s decision to invest billions in American plants and prioritize U.S. workers is exactly why we spoke up in favor of these auto tariffs,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “The writing is on the wall: the race to the bottom is over. We have excess manufacturing capacity at our existing plants, and auto companies can easily bring good union jobs back to the U.S. They can prove the naysayers wrong by investing in our communities and putting workers before corporate greed. GM is showing that it can be done.”

The UAW has long called for an end to the unfair trade practices that allowed automakers to offshore U.S. jobs, slash wages, and shutter dozens of once-thriving plants. More than 2 million vehicles a year have disappeared from American production lines over the last decade, while factories across Mexico and low-wage regions flourished under an exploitative trade system.

“The UAW has always stood up for job security—and we are seeing results. In just the past two months, GM has announced five major investments in American auto plants. That’s no coincidence. Skilled UAW members in Michigan, Kansas, Tennessee, and beyond are the reason GM turns a profit,” said UAW Vice President Mike Booth. “It’s great to see the company reinvest in the union workforce that makes it all possible. Our members show their American Spirit and pride in building the world-class vehicles and components that keep this industry strong—right here at home.”

As the auto industry shifts its supply chains and capital investment back to the U.S., the UAW continues to push for a robust industrial policy:

  • Strong tariffs on imported vehicles and parts to stop the offshoring of jobs.
  • Renegotiation of USMCA, including enforceable labor standards and a North American minimum wage.
  • Reshoring of the auto parts supply chain to ensure American manufacturing up and down the supply chain.
  • Federal support to protect and create good auto jobs, not corporate giveaways.
  • An end to stock buybacks and profit hoarding, so auto companies reinvest in jobs, wages, and U.S. manufacturing instead of enriching executives and Wall Street’s investor class.

Today’s announcement is a clear sign that with the right trade policies and worker-led organizing, the U.S. can rebuild its auto industry to work for working-class Americans—not just Wall Street. The announcement comes on top of GM’s nearly $1 billion investment in Tonawanda Propulsion and its $579 million investment at Flint Engine Operations. The Flint commitment was secured in the union’s 2023 national contract through the membership’s historic Stand Up Strike.

“We’ll work with anyone—Democrat, Republican, or independent—who’s serious about ending the ‘free trade’ disaster and building an economy that respects working-class people,” said Fain. “But let’s be clear: tariffs without worker power just mean bigger paydays for the boss. Tariffs increase profits—but only unions increase wages. Tariffs can protect an industry. Only unions can protect workers.”

This investment is a step in the right direction—but there’s much more work to do. To truly end the race to the bottom, we need enforceable protections for workers both in the U.S. and abroad. That means real rights on the job, the freedom to assemble and organize, and strong unions across borders. Trade policy without labor rights is just corporate welfare—and we won’t settle for that.

Ending offshoring and rebuilding the auto industry also means policies that help the entire working class: a strong National Labor Relations Board, secure retirements through Social Security, guaranteed health care through Medicare and Medicaid, and dignity on and off the job. This is how we ensure today’s gains become tomorrow’s standard—not just for autoworkers, but for all working-class people.