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For Folk’s Sake: Museum Workers Picket Gala Over Poverty Wages in NYC

Workers at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City joined three dozen UAW Local 2110 organizers to picket the museum’s annual gala at the Mandarin Oriental in Columbus Circle on Wednesday night, May 6, demanding higher wages and better benefits.

Union members marched in front of the Upper West Side luxury hotel for two hours, holding signs that read, “For Folk’s Sake” and “Self Taught, Not Self Funded” while chanting, “What’s disgusting? Union busting! What’s outrageous? Poverty wages!”

Workers have been bargaining with museum executives for higher minimum wages and benefits since shortly after they voted to join the UAW Local 2110 in June 2024.

Frontline workers at the Columbus Avenue institution, who greet visitors, run the gift shop, and maintain the building, currently earn $19 per hour or $58,686 per year, about $12,000 below the living wage in New York City as calculated by MIT. Maintenance workers earn a similar rate at nearby art museums, including MoMA PS1, whose staff demonstrated for higher wages two years ago. (The American Folk Art museum’s CEO Jason Busch earned $321,882 in compensation during the 2024 fiscal year, according to the museum’s tax filings.)

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93% Ready to Strike: Square One Workers Demand Fair Pay Now

After 13 months of bargaining, Square One members voted by a supermajority to authorize a strike (93%). The primary issues are fair and equitable wages for members. Teachers working conditions are students learning conditions!

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Space Staff Take Off with UAW/TOP Union in Portland

Staff at Space in Portland, Maine are joining the UAW/TOP that represents workers at cultural organizations, the staff and management announced Friday.

Space staff members will join the United Auto Workers Local 2110 Technical, Office, and Professional Union, in Region 9A which includes represented workers in museums, cultural institutions, publishing and education. Twenty-one full and part-time employees of the nonprofit organization will be represented, including administrative and event staff, according to a release from Space.

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Making Space, Building Power: Xantheia “Z” Carter Leads the Way

Xantheia “Z” Carter is recognized for her tireless service and her role in making the UAW a more inclusive, powerful force for change. Z serves as the National Advisory Chair for both the Women’s Department and TOP. She also serves as UAW Local 1811 Chairperson-Exempt, UAW Local 1811 Financial Secretary, and a Client Development Representative (Labor). Z does not just hold a seat at the table; she ensures there is room for every sister to rise alongside her.

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On the Frontlines for Justice: Chief Steward Yvettia Smith

A vital member of UAW Region 1A, Local Union 6000, Yvettia Smith is a State of Michigan employee and serves as Chief Steward. In a local that represents thousands of state workers across diverse departments, Yvettia’s role is essential. She stands as the first line of defense for workers’ rights, ensuring that contracts are upheld and that the women and men who keep Michigan running are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.

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Justice in Action: Jenn DeLongis Leads with Purpose

Jenn DeLongis is a member of The Philadelphia Public Defenders in Region 9, local 5502. She serves as a Trustee on the local Executive Board and works as an Assistant Public Defender, bringing compassion, strength, and unwavering dedication to the work.
This Women’s History month, we celebrate her commitment, her voice, and the powerful impact she makes in both the courtroom and our union.
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Building Stronger Stewards and Members: UAW Grievance Training in Action

Under the direction of UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith, UAW Region 8 Education Representative David “Shaggy” Firkins facilitated an intensive two-day grievance training and was accompanied by UAW Region 8 Servicing Representative Tom Williams.
UAW members from Locals 2926, 3058, and a representative from Local 862 Nurses unit participated in the training focused on Grievance Handling and Understanding Grievances on 4/14 and 4/15/2026.
The training brought together stewards and members committed to strengthening their ability to effectively represent their brothers and sisters on the shop floor. The sessions provided both foundational knowledge and practical tools necessary to identify, investigate, and process grievances with confidence and accuracy.
Participants engaged in detailed discussions on:
  •    Identifying contract violations
  •    Understanding the grievance procedure
  •    Proper documentation and investigation techniques
  •    Building strong, fact-based cases
  •    Communicating effectively with management
The true strength of the training was the stewards in attendance. Their engagement, willingness to learn, and commitment to standing up for their fellow members demonstrated exactly what solidarity looks like in action. From asking tough questions to working through real-life scenarios, these stewards showed they are ready to take on the responsibility of enforcing the contract and protecting workers’ rights on the shop floor.
Having representation from multiple locals—including UAW Locals 2926 and 3058, along with participation from Local 862 Nurses unit helped foster collaboration and the sharing of experiences across different shops and industries.
This training reflects the ongoing commitment of the UAW to equip its members with the knowledge and tools necessary to protect the contract and stand in solidarity on the job.
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Nitehawk Workers Still Waiting: Contract Talks Stall Two Years After Unionizing

Since unionizing in 2024, employees at Nitehawk Cinema’s Prospect Park branch have been bargaining for a first contract that would improve working conditions, hourly pay, and healthcare benefits; concerns that management has yet to address.

On March 13, Nitehawk workers and employees gathered in front of the theater’s Prospect Park location to demand attention to the contract, which workers argue has been at a standstill for almost two years due to stalling and bad-faith negotiating on the part of the owners.

Nitehawk Prospect Park is represented by Local 2179 of the United Auto Workers, which also represents workers at Alamo Drafthouse and Cinema Village. These local cinemas have been part of the surge in unionizing over similar workplace concerns in local movie theaters within the past couple of years.

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From Hospital Floors to the Ballot: Enrique Casiano’s Fight for Workers’ Power

Enrique Casiano is a local registered nurse, union leader, and organizer. As a Chairperson for UAW 95, Enrique helped to lead the 2025 Mercy Health East Clinic Strike. Enrique also recently ran for Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District with the aim of improving the power of labor by strengthening unions and guaranteeing healthcare as a right.

Power in Practice: UAW Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock and the Legacy of Black Women’s Leadership

 

Black Women’s stories are rooted in authentic lived experiences, real stories of leadership, organizing, and collective power.

This month, we are amplifying the stories and voices of bold, black leaders within the UAW labor movement, both past and present. Starting with International UAW Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock.

Born for a life of service, as demonstrated by her entire UAW career, her need to make a difference and represent the constituency has always been at the forefront of her drive to serve. Her journey began at the (then-Chrysler) Detroit Axle Plant (Local 961) in 1994, where she served on multiple committees before being elected Treasurer, and then Financial Secretary. She served as a member of the Bargaining Committee, and as a three-time elected Committeeperson, with the third term serving as Shop Chair. She was an elected delegate to the Constitutional Convention for the Marysville Axle Plant. As a Health & Safety Representative, she fought hard for the membership, filing OSHA charges that placed the company into the Severe Violators Enforcement Program.

As an experienced financial officer and a fierce protector of the interests of UAW members, she ran for the office of International UAW Secretary-Treasurer. In 2022, she made history when the membership elected her to the office of UAW Secretary-Treasurer in the first direct election for the International Executive Board. Her assignments include directing the: Accounting, Auditing, Auto/Labor Leader Insurance and Internal Audit, Benefits/Pensions, Facilities, IT, Investments, Membership, Purchasing, Strike Assistance, Travel and Events, Union Building Corp, Women’s, and the Technical, Office, and Professional (TOP) Departments.

#BlackHistoryMonth #UAWWomen

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