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UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith Statement on Texas Redistricting Power Play

The following statement was issued by UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith:

Greg Abbott and Texas Republicans want to use this “Special Session” to rig the rules, pick their voters, and protect the billionaires they serve. What they aren’t doing is working on flood infrastructure and warning systems that could save Texans’ lives. They aren’t working on improving worker protections and laws that will help Texans have a stronger retirement and better healthcare.

They want to redraw Texas’ voting maps behind closed doors so they can choose their voters instead of the other way around. Their endgame is clear. They want to pass even bigger tax breaks for the wealthy by slashing vital services like Medicaid and Medicare. Enough is enough. Stop feeding the corporate greed machine and start looking out for Texas workers and their families.

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Dozens of NY Elected Officials Sign Letters in Support of Striking UAW Legal Services

Full letter to CAMBA leadership led by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. 

Full letter to Goddard leadership led by Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. 

 

NEW YORK— Approximately 1,850 of the 2,000 legal services workers represented by the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys—UAW Local 2325 (ALAA)—reached tentative agreements last week following powerful strike actions and sustained public pressure. Remaining on strike are ALAA members at CAMBA Legal Services, Goddard Riverside Law Project, and Urban Justice Center while legal workers at organizations including the Legal Aid Society, New York Legal Assistance Group, Bronx Defenders, Office of the Appellate Defender, and the Center for Appellate Litigation are working as they vote on tentative agreements.  

This week, New York politicians representing neighborhoods where the remaining striking organizations serve vulnerable community members signed two letters of support, one addressed to CAMBA and the other to Goddard Riverside, respectively. 

The letter to CAMBA addresses the organization’s President and CEO Valerie Barton-Richardson and Chief Legal Officer and Executive Director Elizabeth Miller, with the executive senior staff, senior vice presidents, and board all copied. It was led by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and includes 26 elected officials such as NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Jabari Brisport, City Counselors Carmen De La Rosa, Rita Joseph, and Crystal Hudson, and more.

The Goddard letter, addressed to Roderick L. Jones, President of Goddard Riverside, is signed by the elected representatives who refer cases to Goddard and, in some cases, have worked with Goddard for decades. The letter was led by Democratic Nominee for Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, currently a State Senator, and includes every single Manhattan west side elected representative.

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.

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.

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.

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UAW Statement on U.S. Trade Agreement with Japan

The UAW is deeply angered by the Trump administration’s announced trade deal with Japan. What we’ve seen so far makes one thing clear: American workers are once again being left behind.

For decades, Japanese automakers have exploited open access to the U.S. market while failing to do right by American workers. Now, instead of addressing the problem, this deal gives them another break—at the expense of the very companies and workers that built the American auto industry into the global standard for good jobs and world-class products.

The UAW has pushed for well-crafted tariffs as a tool to level the playing field, bring back good jobs, and drive investment in American manufacturing. We know tariffs can work—but the execution here falls far short. Shifting timelines and moving goalposts have undermined business confidence and delayed investment. So far, only GM has stepped up with serious reshoring efforts.

Rather than building on that momentum—rewarding companies investing in union jobs—this deal hands a win to transnational automakers that rely on low-road labor practices: substandard wages, excessive temps, and union-busting.

Now, those same companies stand to benefit from lower tariffs, while unionized automakers—who could quickly create tens of thousands of good jobs using existing capacity—are left with fewer incentives to do so. Once again, American workers are being forced to suffer the consequences.

A better deal would have held Japanese automakers to the same standards U.S. workers have fought for at GM, Ford, and Stellantis: living wages, quality health care, secure retirements, job stability, and the freedom to form unions without intimidation.

If this becomes the blueprint for trade with Europe or South Korea, it will be a major missed opportunity. After decades of failed trade policy, American workers don’t need another deal that pushes them down for demanding a better life.

We need trade deals that raise standards—not reward the race to the bottom. This deal does the opposite.

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Penn Postdocs and Research Associates Win Their Union

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.

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NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani and AG Letitia James Rally with Striking UAW Legal Workers to Demand Resources Needed to Represent Vulnerable New Yorkers

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.

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UAW Statement on the Republicans’ Anti-Worker Budget Reconciliation Bill

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.

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BOSK Workers Call on NLRB to Step In: “We Deserve a Fair Shot at a Union Vote”

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.

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UAW Statement on New York Mayoral Primary Race

“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.

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UAW President Shawn Fain on NYC Mayor’s Race: “We don’t need another hack politician like Cuomo”

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.

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UAW Hails Decision of Federal Judge to Restore Terminated NIH Grants

Detroit, MI – Leaders of the UAW reacted today to Judge William Young’s ruling to reverse the cancellation of hundreds of National Institutes of Health grants the agency had recently cut based on claims that they support certain topics including “gender ideology” or “diversity, equity and inclusion”. The UAW, which was a plaintiff in one case, represents more than 120,000 academic workers at higher education institutions across the country, many of whose work and careers were directly impacted by the terminated grants.

“These politically motivated attacks jeopardized medical and scientific progress and threatened the jobs of researchers studying climate change, renewable energy, cancer, viral pandemics, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s,” said Brandon Mancilla, Director of UAW Region 9A, which includes New York, Massachusetts and the Northeast. “This decision is poised to restore hundreds of millions of dollars in previously allocated research funding, reanimating labs and workers focused on some of the most pressing health questions we face. We are grateful that this work can now get back on track.”

“Judge Young was right to call these cuts exactly what they are: illegal and discriminatory,” said Mike Miller, Director of UAW Region 6, which covers California, Washington and much of the western U.S. “The research UAW workers perform is essential to the development of technologies and treatments to enhance public health – and we are hopeful that that work is now able to proceed.”

“Not only did these attempted cuts impede lifesaving care for millions of Americans, but delays in treatment are projected to cost the public billions of dollars,” said Tim Smith, Director of UAW Region 8, which includes the National Institutes of Health and much of the mid-Atlantic seaboard. “We thank Judge Young for his decision, and are hopeful that we can now move forward with the research and innovation so many Americans depend on.”

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