In February 2025, a 13 member bargaining team was elected to represent SSAP-UAW in collective bargaining. The elected team then used the responses from bargaining surveys to draft initial bargaining demands (IBDS), which are a comprehensive summary of priority issues SSAPs want to make progress on through collective bargaining. These IBDs were ratified (voted on) by over 2,000 SSAPs, or 40% of eligible workers in the bargaining unit, in April 2025. These demands are presented to the University ahead of bargaining, and the elected bargaining team is using the IBDs to draft initial proposals and begin to bargain with representatives of UC starting on July 9th, 2025. 

Since February, one of the at-large bargaining team representatives decided to take on a role as a staff organizer with SSAP-UAW to continue supporting our union full time. In doing so, she is leaving her SSAP position and giving up her role as a bargaining team representative. Two other bargaining team representatives, one at UCSC and one at UCSB, are also giving up their positions due to changing jobs and life circumstances.

To fill three vacant positions on the bargaining team, SSAP-UAW will hold an election from 9 AM on Monday, June 23 to 5 PM on Wednesday, June 25. Prior to this election, SSAPs will nominate coworkers for three positions: one representative from UC Santa Cruz, one representative from UC Santa Barbara, and one at-large representative. The nomination period is from 9 AM Monday, June 16 to 5 PM Wednesday June 18; those nominated will be notified by Thursday, June 19, and then have until 5 PM Sunday, June 22 to accept their nomination.

The contract will be negotiated by the bargaining team of SSAPs elected by all SSAPs. They will work closely with negotiators and lawyers from UAW who will advise them during the process.

SSAPs will nominate coworkers to be candidates for the bargaining team using this form. Nominations are open from 9 AM Monday, June 16 to 5 PM Wednesday June 18. All SSAPs who are nominated will be notified by email by Thursday, June 19, and then have until 5 PM Sunday, June 22 to accept their nomination. 

Then all SSAPs will vote on candidates who have accepted the nomination. All SSAPs will vote for the one at-large representative. SSAPs at UC Santa Barbara will additionally vote on a representative for their campus (voting on a total of two positions), and SSAPs at UC Santa Cruz will additionally vote on a representative for their campus (voting on a total of two positions).

An invitation to a secret and secure ballot will be sent to all SSAPs from a secure online voting platform, Simply Voting (vote@simplyvoting.com), at 9:00 AM PST on Monday, June 23rd, 2025. The email will contain a link to the voting website and a log-in specific to your email. Do not forward your email to anyone else. 

If you cannot find your ballot, you may request one by filling out this form.

All candidates and their candidate statements will be posted in a document on the SSAP-UAW website and linked here once the election begins on Monday, June 23. Candidate statements for the candidates you will be voting for will be emailed to all eligible voters. Additionally, you can click the link next to the name of candidates who appear on your ballot to read their candidate statement there.

All SSAPs at UC are eligible to vote. UC has provided email addresses for all SSAPs who were employed in April 2025 and this list will be used to send out ballots. Additionally, every SSAP who has been hired since April 2025 who has signed a union authorization card providing their UC email address and job title will get an email with a ballot. Any SSAP who does not receive a ballot may request one by filling out this form. The SSAP Elections Team will verify your identity and ensure that you are added to the list of ballot recipients. You may fill this form out before or during the election (if during the election, do so before 10 AM PST on Wednesday, June 25th—the final day of the election).

The highest vote-getter running for each of the two campus-specific bargaining team seats will be elected. Additionally, the highest vote-getter running for the bargaining team at-large seat will be elected.

After the close of the election, vote tallies will be announced by email to SSAPs on June 26, 2025.

The first bargaining session between the SSAP-UAW bargaining team and the UC is July 9th.

There is no set timeline for this process. At any point in this process, the two sides could reach an agreement. For reference, the Academic Researchers who unionized with UAW in 2019 were able to win their first union contract in just 6 months. The Student Researchers who unionized with UAW in 2021 were able to win their first union contract in 12 months. The more SSAPs are able to demonstrate unity and power through collective action, the sooner we can win concessions from the University that SSAPs want to ratify in a contract.

Yes! In addition to the bargaining surveys that SSAPs filled out from January to April 2025, and the initial bargaining demands that were voted on in April 2025, there will be other forums to discuss priorities and progress in bargaining. These may include Town Halls, one on one conversations, focus groups on particular issues, and participation in the Contract Action Team.

Bargaining team members are elected to serve as representatives until the first contract is ratified by SSAPs. 

The SSAP-UAW Bargaining Team negotiates a Tentative Agreement for a new contract, then presents the agreement to all SSAPs for a ratification vote. A contract can only be approved by majority vote!

How can I ask a question about the election?

Email elections-ssap@uc-uaw.org

How can I request a ballot?

Any SSAP may request a ballot by filling out this form.

What is Simply Voting?

Simply Voting is a web-based online voting system that will allow SSAP-UAW to run an accessible and secure election.

Is Simply Voting secure?

You can view Simply Voting’s security and reliability measures here.

Is my vote private?

Yes. The administrative side of the election interface shows who is voting but does not reveal how individuals vote.

Email elections-ssap@uc-uaw.org

Any SSAP may request a ballot by filling out this form.

Simply Voting is a web-based online voting system that will allow SSAP-UAW to run an accessible and secure election.

You can view Simply Voting’s security and reliability measures here.

Yes. The administrative side of the election interface shows who is voting but does not reveal how individuals vote.