Tomi Jinhuang Chung
for head steward

Salaam UAW sisters, brothers, and siblings! 

My name is Tomi Jinhuang Chung (she/her) and I am running to be a Head Steward with the RnFDU (www.uclarnf.org/) slate because I am passionate about fighting for the rights of all academic workers. I am a queer woman of color, a survivor, a caregiver, and a first-generation student. I know how important it is for us to unite and fight for our demands,—it’s personal not only to me but to all of us. Addressing the crises of our time (climate change, rent burden, police violence, war profiteering) goes hand-in-hand with leveraging our strength as a union. You deserve accountable, steadfast leaders who will transparently communicate with you and fight for your needs. 

My first organizing experience was in high school, where I waged campaigns with system-impacted trans and queer youth of color to fight the school-to-prison pipeline in South Central LA. I’ve carried that vigor and drive with me throughout my life, in undergrad-grad solidarity organizing, tenant organizing, worker organizing, feminist organizing, and organizing for Palestinian liberation. 

Now, I hope to step into a Head Steward position in our union and hit the ground running to fight for all of us, especially the most vulnerable. As a disabled student and a caregiver, I know how crucial it is for us to have the resources, time, and protections necessary to take care of ourselves and our families. I will fight to protect workers and their loved ones. I will fight so that all our union siblings can live: 7% of graduate students are homeless and 25% have experienced homelessness during their time at UCLA. I am fighting for a future where all of us are safe from homelessness, incarceration, and harassment and have abundant food, shelter, healthcare, and support to fulfill our dreams.

Despite our record-breaking strike and contract agreement, workers are still rent burdened, exploited, and hurt. The UC has only sowed inequality amongst us and splintered our union; they have disproportionately disadvantaged workers who are international, undocumented, disabled, queer, undergraduates, and parents. Rank-and-file unionists have played a historic role in advancing our union radically and democratically. Our slate seeks to continue that ongoing work. 

We are committed to union-to-union solidarity, genuine rank-and-file worker empowerment, transparent and open bargaining, strategic militancy, and internationalism. We believe in fully embodying the power of our union and expanding it to protect more vulnerable workers. We will not settle for less than we are owed and we will not rest until we win.