What's going on, and why we're not backing down

People made the fight for public research national

When research funding came under attack, workers did not wait for someone else to solve it. UAW members and allies organized rallies, phone banks, congressional visits, town halls, teach-ins, science events, and coordinated days of action. On April 8, 2025, tens of thousands of people took part in 37 Kill the Cuts actions across the country. Here at Local 2750, Fellows rallied outside HHS, spoke at Stand Up for Science, organized for Kill the Cuts, held science-funding town halls, and brought the case for NIH funding directly to lawmakers. Our local actions become harder to ignore when workers at universities and research institutions around the country are moving at the same time. 18

Legal action is one tool we can use together

Lawsuits are not where union power starts. They are one way organized workers can defend research, jobs, and rights when an institution or government agency breaks the law. Thousands of members pooling resources means workers can help sustain cases that would be impossible for one Fellow to take on alone, while members keep organizing publicly and politically outside the courtroom.

• Terminated NIH grants: UAW was a plaintiff in the federal challenge to NIH directives that canceled research based on disfavored topics. In June 2025, a federal judge ordered hundreds of terminated NIH grants restored. 14
• Thousands of stalled NIH applications: A later agreement covered roughly 5,400 NIH applications that had been frozen, denied, or withdrawn. By January 2026, NIH had issued decisions on about 700 of them and nearly 90% were approved. 15
• Harvard research funding: UAW and AAUP were plaintiffs in the first lawsuit challenging the administration's cancellation of billions in Harvard grants. A federal judge later ruled the $2.2 billion cancellation unconstitutional. 16
• NIH indirect costs: UAW backed the states' challenge to the proposed 15% indirect-cost cap and later filed an appellate brief describing the threat to research jobs, labs, clinical trials, and public health. The policy remains blocked. 04 17

We can make sure international workers do not face these fights alone

For researchers on visas, a workplace problem can quickly become an immigration problem too. Acting together lets members share the cost and risk of responding. We can maintain legal resources, spread reliable information quickly, organize coworkers around someone who is being targeted, challenge harmful policies, and bring public pressure when an individual worker would otherwise be isolated. 11

• Direct support: UAW maintains an immigration legal hotline, know-your-rights resources, attorney-led webinars, and referrals for members facing immigration emergencies.
• H-1B fee challenge: International UAW and UAW Local 4811 joined a federal lawsuit challenging the administration's $100,000 H-1B employer fee, a policy with direct consequences for postdocs, researchers, nurses, and other workers. 19
• The “Gold Card” program: UAW joined a federal lawsuit challenging the administration's $1 million Gold Card program. That case is ongoing. 11
• Visa status and protected speech: UAW members and allies have organized around SEVIS revocations and other immigration actions while legal challenges moved forward. UAW's Higher Education Department reports that the administration reversed SEVIS revocations after lawsuits and nationwide action by UAW members and others. 11