UCWAZ Candidate Forum: Higher Education and Labor
In September 2024, our union's Legislative and Political Action Committee (LPAC) gathered four UCWAZ members running for office in Arizona for a candid conversation about higher education and labor.
The forum-style conversation allowed each candidate to discuss their journeys with the higher education landscape in Arizona, running for political office, and how these experiences have informed their campaigns. Candidates affirmed their commitment to repealing anti-union right-to-work laws, supporting higher wages for employees, and making education more accessible and affordable to Arizonans. Each candidate noted the importance of education for the future of Arizona and called on union members to build political power across the state and nation.
There's, you know, issues of labor rights that span public and private institutions, and I do think that there's been a real resurgence in labor, and I hope that you know we can carry it across the finish line, too. Even the playing field, in terms of labor between public and private institutions.
Kirsten Engel, Democratic candidate for Arizona's 6th US Congressional District
The Candidates
 Democratic candidate for Arizona's 6th US Congressional District. She is Charles E. Ares Professor of Law at the James E. Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona. As a former member of the Arizona Senate, she has a record of fighting to restore funding for public schools, protect students, and defend state natural resources. Kirsten is endorsed by CWA Arizona. Kirsten's Campaign
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 Democratic Candidate for Arizona Senate, Legislative District 8. Former vice-mayor of Tempe, she is Senior Global Futures Scientist in the Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation. Lauren has a long record as a climate leader and advocate for equitable economic innovation. She is endorsed by CWA Arizona. Lauren's Campaign
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 Green Candidate for Arizona House, Legislative District 14. He is an Assistant Research Scientist in the Center for Mechanisms of Evolution in Biodesign at Arizona State University.
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 Democratic Candidate running for re-election Arizona Senate, Legislative District 18. She has a record as faculty at James E. Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona. She has been a leader in the legislature advocating for renewable energy, funding public schools, and protecting reproductive and human rights. Priya is endorsed by CWA Arizona. |
Repealing "right-to-work" is a no-brainer to me. I'm a member of United Campus Workers - as all of us on this call are - and I think things are at a growing period. I'm optimistic in the next few years we'll have quite a bit of power and a decent chunk of the workforce. Being able to have that much leverage is super important.
Scott Menor, Green Candidate for Arizona House, Legislative District 14
Read Our Press Release
Following the event, we published a press release containing information about our event and about the candidates' campaigns. You can read the press release below.
Candidate Forum Press ReleaseJoin Us At Our Next Event
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Looking for other ways to get politically engaged? Check out our compilation of Arizona voting guides* at the link below.
*This does not reflect an official endorsement from UCWAZ, CWA Local 7065.
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