UAW Region 9A

Its 39 local unions primarily represent government, higher education, and nonprofit employees, rather than the automotive and industrial workers traditionally associated with the UAW.  ² It is politically active, with close ties to more radical and far-left constituencies within the Democratic Party.  ^{3  4  5}

Member Demographics

Despite its “United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America” name, most UAW 9A members do not work in the automotive, aerospace, or agricultural implement industries. ² Only three of the region’s 39 local unions are primarily made up of workers at automotive companies, with another six largely representing more traditional UAW industrial workplaces, such as shipbuilders, liquor distillers, and aviation or firearms manufacturers. ²

The majority of UAW 9A’s locals represent government, higher education, and nonprofit employees, as well as workers in professions such as child care providers, casino workers, attorneys, and service workers in government-funded legal services programs. ² These include locals representing graduate students, non-tenure-track faculty, researchers, and other academic workers at the University of Connecticut, University of Maine, Harvard University, Boston University, Wellesley College, University of New Hampshire, New York University, The New School, and Columbia University.  ²

Political Activism

UAW Region 9A is politically active through its Community Action Plan Council (Cap Council), endorsing candidates and engaging its members in get-out-the-vote and canvassing efforts. ^{6  7}

In 2025, the Region 9A Cap Council reported $328,727 in revenue from assessments on member union locals, $314,821 in expenses, and $274,038 in assets.  ⁸ It spent $213,671 on political activities and lobbying. ⁸

UAW 9A was the first labor union to endorse self-described democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani (D) in the Democratic primary for New York City Mayor. ⁴ It endorsed Graham Platner in the 2026 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Maine. ⁹

In January 2026, UAW 9A was a listed sponsor of an “ICE Out for Good” anti-immigration law enforcement protest in New York City that was also sponsored by the New York City Democratic Socialists of America, New York Working Families Party, Communist Party USA, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and other labor unions.  ⁵

Pro-Palestinian Activism

UAW Region 9A engages in pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel activism on its own and as part of the United Auto Workers’ national membership in the National Labor Network for Ceasefire.  ¹⁰

In May 2024, UAW 9A publicly supported pro-Palestinian protests and encampments on college campuses, some of which were organized or otherwise supported by its member union locals at those universities. ^{3  11}

In March 2026, Region 9A director Brandon Mancilla moderated a panel discussion of international pro-Palestinian labor activists hosted by socialist magazine In These Times. ¹⁰

Leadership

Brandon Mancilla is the director of UAW Region 9A, which makes him a member of the UAW’s International Executive Board. ¹² He was the founder and first president of the Harvard Graduate Students Union, UAW Local 5118, while he was a graduate student at the university. He is also a former staff member of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (now Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys), UAW Local 2325.  ¹²

Mancilla was elected UAW 9A director in 2022, and was the first regional director elected by vote of the union rank-and-file after the national United Auto Workers agreed to a consent decree as part of settling federal corruption charges against it and its leadership. ^{13  14}

As of June 2026, UAW 9A’s assistant director was Vail Kohnert-Yount, a co-founder of the Harvard Graduate Students Union with Mancilla and a member of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320. ¹⁵

Local Unions

UAW Region 9A’s constituent unions are: ¹⁶

• UAW Local 259
• UAW Local 376
• UAW Local 379
• UAW Local 405
• Marine Draftsmen’s Association, UAW Local 1850
• UAW Local 1596
• Association of Employees of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, UAW Local 1850
• Technical, Office and Professional (TOP) Union, UAW Local 2110
• UAW Local 2121
• UAW Local 2179
• UAW Local 2312
• National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320
• UAW Local 2322
• UAW Local 2324
• Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys, UAW Local 2325
• UAW Local 2337
• UAW Local 2341
• UAW Local 2368
• UAW Local 2373
• UAW Local 2377
• Unión Comedores Escolares, UAW Local 2396
• UAW Local 2415
• UAW Local 2555
• Student Workers of Columbia, UAW Local 2710
• UAW Local 3003
• Wellesley Organized Academic Workers, UAW Local 3270
• UAW Local 3942
• Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association, UAW Local 3999
• UAW Local 4004
• Columbia Postdoctoral Workers, UAW Local 4100
• Harvard Graduate Students Union – UAW, Local 5118
• University of Connecticut Graduate Employee & Postdoc Union, UAW Local 6950
• University of Maine Graduate Workers Union, UAW Local 7650
• UAW Local 7770
• ACT-UAW LOCAL 7902 (New York University and The New School)
• Harvard Academic Workers
• Harvard Undergraduate Workers Union
• NYU Researchers United
• University of New Hampshire Graduate Employees United