AY2026 UA Staff Unionization Efforts

Staff Union Election Update - CAUSE-UAW Officially Formed

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Dear UA Community,

Eligible UA staff employees voted over the last two weeks on whether to form an employee union. Voting concluded yesterday, and the votes were counted today. Votes in favor of unionization prevailed 1,106-610 with 1,716 eligible voters (about 75% of those eligible) casting ballots. Barring objections or other challenges, the outcome will be certified on Wednesday, April 8.

UA respects the outcome of this election and the right of staff to organize. We will continue to make decisions that are in the best long-term financial interest of the University and our mission, and look forward to negotiating in good faith and in accordance with Alaska labor law.  

In the short term, here is what employees need to know about what happens next:

For CAUSE-Represented Employees:

  • Employees eligible to vote in the election are now officially represented by CAUSE, and the union is their exclusive representative for wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment.
  • Those employees are no longer eligible to participate in the Staff Council or the Staff Alliance, and officers currently serving in those bodies who are now covered by the bargaining unit will need to resign from their positions.
  • The University will respect the "dynamic status quo" during this transition period and bargaining. 
    • This means that existing wages, hours, and working conditions will remain in place while a first contract is negotiated and agreed upon. It does not mean the University will stop making operational and fiscal decisions; management retains its authority to run the institution.
  • Represented staff employees' wages will remain at current rates until a collective bargaining agreement is reached. 
    • Alaska Labor Law and UA Policy require that a contract be in place for members of a collective bargaining unit to receive a raise. Since there is no contract yet in place for CAUSE, employees now represented by that bargaining unit are not eligible for the requested 3% across-the-board salary increase for FY27.

For staff employees who remain nonrepresented (nonunion)

  • Nonrepresented staff employees remain eligible for the 3% increase as requested by the University. 
  • Staff Councils and Staff Alliance will have an opportunity to reconstitute to best represent the remaining non-represented employees. University leaders will work with governance bodies and the Board to revise policy as needed over the coming months.

What Comes Next

When CAUSE is ready to begin negotiating an initial contract, UA will work that into the bargaining schedule alongside existing negotiations with our other union-represented groups. Understand, initial contracts take, on average, more than 400 days to negotiate. Neither party is obligated to agree, but both parties are obligated to bargain in good faith. UA will approach bargaining within the constraints of its budget, which is determined by state and federal funding and tuition.

Ultimately, UA remains fully committed to its mission of serving students and communities across Alaska. This transition does not change that. We will continue to make operational and fiscal decisions in the long-term best interests of the University. Employee recruitment and retention are and will continue to be high priorities for the UA system.

Thanks for all you do for our students and our state.

Sincerely,

Nickole Conley
Chief Human Resources Officer
University of Alaska