Solidarity, Political Action, and Community Engagement: LEO SPACE

Did you know that in order to get raises across all three campuses and negotiate other strong contract improvements, LEO members worked closely with UM Regents? Regents are elected by Michigan voters and responsible for the well-being of all aspects of UM as a state institution. As a part of the One University Coalition, LEO members, students, and others have also been meeting with MI state legislators and UM Regents to demand that they support all UM students, faculty, and staff by increasing resources to the Flint and Dearborn campuses. And did you know that because Michigan is now a “Right to Work” state, it is as important as ever that we strengthen our union via member organizing, activism, and solidarity? Working with our elected officials, and advocating for policies and proposals that help working families, labor, and education in Michigan, is key to any success that LEO is to make going forward. And those successes include improving our own contract, continuing to advocate for increased resources on all campuses, forming coalitions with other labor groups such as UM Nurses and IBEW to strengthen our collective union voice, and working to change policies and practices at the state level.

The LEO SPACE Committee works to connect our members with our communities via solidarity efforts and political mobilization, and is invested in collaborating with allies including students, other unions, and community organizations. 

As a politically active union, in the past few years LEO members have made phone calls, done door-to-door canvassing, and supported community actions. We helped to get Jordan Acker and fellow LEO member Paul Brown elected to the UM Board of Regents, and have advocated for ballot proposals aimed at increasing voting power and access. 

SPACE also continues to be invested in the 1U campaign. Some of our members bring their involvement in community groups to SPACE such as working with organizations distributing water in Flint, and being involved with the MI Washtenaw Co. Poor People’s campaign and WeRoc. Some are contributing to efforts such as activism around President Schlissel’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality, fighting for economic equality and affordable housing, working on the U-M Carceral State Project, and more.

One important project already in process is to get more voters in Michigan registered and requesting absentee ballots. “All eligible and registered voters in Michigan may now request an absent voter ballot without providing a reason” and you can get more info here. You might also consider joining with SPACE to share this info with other LEO members and our local communities.

SPACE also wants to know more about LEO members’ political engagement. Check your email to find our survey about what’s important to you, and fill it out today!

SPACE is a team of LEOs from all campuses and a variety of disciplines, and we’d love for you to join us. We try to rotate meetings between the campuses, and we have ongoing projects outside of formal meeting times. If you are interested in any aspect of what SPACE does, whether or not you think you can attend a meeting, you are invited to join our email listserve to keep up on happenings. Please email jill.darling@gmail.com or Alex@leounion.org.