Raul Ubaldo, Local 509

Member Spotlight is a segment of the Region 6 Newsletter that profiles members from different Region 6 Locals and organizing campaigns each month. Get to know your fellow UAW members from across many industries and states!

Hi UAW Region 6! My name is Raul Ubaldo, and I’m from Local 509. I work at Monogram Aerospace in Commerce, CA. There are over 200 workers at Monogram, and we’ll be negotiating our next contract starting in June! I’ve been working at Monogram for over a decade, where I’m a part of a team that handles the receiving & shipping processes for producing specialized fasteners (e.g. nuts and bolts) used in aircraft assembly. My work bookends the production process – after receiving raw materials such as titanium, we sample them for quality control purposes before sending them to the production line. After the fasteners are cut, shaped, and checked for quality, we ship them out to be used in aircraft assembly. 

I witnessed the power of a union firsthand shortly after I got involved in Local 509 as a committeeperson when my employer tried to illegally fire temporary workers. We filed a grievance and won – my coworkers got their jobs back as well as the back pay they were owed. Since then, I’ve loved serving as a committeeperson and connecting with my coworkers to make sure our worksite is safe. Outside of work, I enjoy taking long walks on the beach (shoutout to Manhattan beach!) as well as DJ-ing events around the Los Angeles area. 

I’ve been inspired by all of the conversations I’ve had with Region 6 siblings over the last year, and I’ve never been as energized or excited by our collective power than at this moment. I want to keep learning about everyone’s struggles & fights regardless of sector and geography, and look forward to meeting you all!