United Academics of Philadelphia-CWA Members Ratify First Contract

Last week, members of United Academics of Philadelphia-CWA (UAP-CWA) ratified their first contract. The unit is represented by NewsGuild-CWA Local 38010. The members are organizers for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 9608, some of whom travel extensively for work, which takes a toll.

The AFT voluntarily recognized the union in July 2023 and engaged in good faith bargaining to reach a contract agreement. The contract includes a $2500 ratification bonus, a remote work stipend, 20 weeks of paid parental leave, and a stipend for continuing education.

Workers hope this contract will serve as an example of the type of contract language that all union organizers deserve.

“This contract has phenomenal provisions for our members, including those 20 weeks of parental leave and 100%-covered health insurance. I would expect nothing less from a union employer that I’m pleased to see practices what it preaches,” said Diane Mastrull, president of The NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia. “Now our members have the peace of mind and security to go out and organize so that more people can realize the benefits of being part of a union.”

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.