UPTE endorses labor champions for public office who commit to fighting alongside us to reset UC’s priorities

Our union has grown exponentially over the past two years, clawing and scraping to build and reclaim worker power in our workplaces one victory at a time. As we prepare to capitalize on our collective strength in the workplace, and to leverage that power for a new contract, we must also endeavor to “organize” and mobilize our communities to apply maximum pressure on UC. 

This year, our union is beginning to identify and endorse “UPTE Champions” to represent our interests and fight for our members in public offices across the state. 

UPTE has certified endorsements in local and state races for the 2024 election following months of candidate interviews from our member panels statewide. The candidates who earned our endorsement demonstrated a commitment to our values, articulated a vision of working collaboratively to hold UC accountable, and have pledged to utilize their office to pursue bold legislative solutions to support working families and union households. 

For a complete listing of UPTE’s endorsed candidates, please visit upte.org/endorsements to view information on the candidates and to learn about how we can mobilize our union to engage in the civic process. 

“For too long UC has operated under the perception of impunity, investing significant resources to lobby the State Legislature for their own means. It’s time that we change this dynamic, and elect champions that have the conviction to fight for our members, to push back against UC, and to codify transformational policies that support our work and enhance our lives,” said Amy Fletcher, a Staff Research Associate 4 at UC Davis who is also UPTE’s Chapter Chair and statewide Treasurer. “It’s time for us to ‘organize’ local and state governments to support our workers, our students, and our communities and reset UCs priorities.”