Julie Kushner

Julie Kushner was elected as the first woman director of UAW Region 9A at the 35th Constitutional Convention in June 2010.

Julie Kushner’s journey with the UAW began in 1977, when she became a member of UAW Local 2110, which represents technical and office professionals in the New York metropolitan area. Over the years, she became known for her leadership in successful organizing drives and collective bargaining negotiations at prominent institutions like Columbia University, New York University, and The New School University.

In 2006, she was appointed Assistant Director of UAW Region 9A, which serves over 50,000 active and retired members across New England, New York, and Puerto Rico. Her most notable accomplishments came from her role as chief negotiator for the bargaining committee representing 2,500 table games dealers at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Kushner led negotiations that resulted in a historic contract with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, the casino’s owner. This contract, negotiated under tribal law, was a significant achievement for the union and one of Connecticut’s largest labor victories in recent history.

Additionally, Kushner played a key role in the AFL-CIO Stamford Organizing Project, where she helped organize taxi drivers, childcare workers, and municipal employees in Stamford.

After retiring from the UAW, Kushner co-chaired the Connecticut Working Families Party. In 2018, she won the State Senate’s 24th district seat, endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters, labor unions, and The News-Times. She defeated incumbent Michael A. McLachlan, was sworn in on January 9, 2019, and later won reelection in 2020 against Susan Chapman.