4 The Staff Union at the University of Virginia (SUUVA)

Derived from the Labor Action Group (LAG), the Staff Union at the University of Virginia (SUUVA-CWA) was founded in 2002 and agitated to improve working conditions and raise staff wages. During its six years of operations, SUUVA waged numerous campaigns and worked to bring greater awareness to the struggles of workers at UVA, especially discrimination in the workplace.

The union eventually disbanded in the wake of the University’s firing of a UVA employee of seventeen years who had been an active member of SUUVA and the local NAACP chapter. Because many believed the firing to be retaliatory, SUUVA members felt that the episode had “a chilling effect” on organizing at UVA—evident in the union’s dwindling numbers, which ultimately led to CWA’s withdrawal of support in 2008.

Muddy Floor report

$8 shirt, button, flier, pamphlet

Burress article

Hospital 9 flier

LAG victory, Cville living wage, staff union design

Membership card

Organizing Times

Achievements to date

Trifold “strong voice” brochure