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About the Building a Movement (BAM) Labor Internship

The Building a Movement Labor (BAM) Internship is a paid internship program that connects undergraduate students at the University of Washington with the local labor movement, through partnerships with community organizations engaged with this work on a variety of levels. Students who are invested in labor and social justice advocacy are given the opportunity to explore how organizations work to make systemic and community-level changes for the benefit of working people, and make meaningful contributions to that process.

BAM offers students a broader understanding of what work in the labor movement can look like through firsthand experience, especially students who are considering pursuing labor as a career. Students will build connections and relationships with folks working in labor, learn about the history of labor organizing, develop meaningful professional and leadership skills, and ultimately create and engage in spaces that discuss how our efforts can collectively contribute to the broader labor movement and the systemic liberation of all working (and non-working) peoples. 

If you are interested in hosting or becoming a BAM intern, you can find more information on the BAM Norms & Expectations Handbook. (Updated October 2025)

 

Why Should Your Organization Participate?

*We have concluded recruiting host organizations for SPRING 2026 and are no longer accepting submissions to the Host Organization Interest Form. If your organization would like to participate during the 2026-2027 academic year, please email BAM Coordinator, Soohyung Hur at hursh@uw.edu. (Updated 12/21/2025)

  • Have UW students aid them in their daily operations and programs/campaigns
  • Publicize their resources to students and other community groups 
  • Interface with other community organizations, including the Bridges Center
  • Have students complete projects that help to further the goals of the organization
  • Learn and engage with other organizations and the work they are doing
  • Receive feedback from students about their experiences. Share and process ideas together about continuing to connect with communities and other organizations and pushing our social movements forward together
  • Placement: Some community partners may have the capacity to provide intensive supervision, others may desire students that can work mostly independently
  • Educate and provide experience to a future cohort of organizers, activists and workers

Please complete the following form if your organization would like to host a student intern during SPRING 2026 (March 30-June 5): 

2026 Building A Movement (BAM) Labor Internship Host Organization Interest Form

 

How to Apply for the BAM Internship 

The BAM application for Spring 2026 will open on Jan 5, 2026 (Monday). Applications will be DUE February 9 (Monday) 11:59pm PT.

Application Instructions

Before applying, we highly recommend familiarizing yourself with the organizations who have previously offered positions through the BAM Labor Internship. Position responsibilities, requirements, work hours, and location vary by host organization and are stated in Section 2 of the application. Participating organizations in BAM Spring 2026 are:

  • PROTEC17: is an independent labor union of 10,000+ dedicated public employees working in public health, transit, and other critical services across Washington and Oregon. We work at the City of Seattle, King County, Washington State, and more than a dozen other employers. At PROTEC17, we are a member-powered union inspiring action, advancing equity, and building community. Together, we envision a world free of social, racial, and economic injustice, where all people thrive, living happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives. 
  • Legacy of Equality, Leadership and Organizing (LELO): LELO was founded in 1973 by a multi-racial group of African Americans, Mexican farmworkers and Asian American and Alaskan Native workers fighting discrimination in the agricultural fields, construction trades and the Alaska salmon canneries. Since then LELO continues its work giving voice to mainly workers of color, immigrants and women in their workplaces and communities. Currently, LELO has a food sovereignty program, relicensing programs and is playing a key role in Standing for Democracy (WA) building an anti-fascist front against the Trump administration and Project 2025's attempts to dismantle our democracy and reestablish the US as the key imperialist country in the world.
  • United Auto Workers (UAW) 4121: UAW 4121 is the union representing 8,500 academic workers (Postdocs, Research Scientists/Engineers and Academic Student Employees) at all three campuses of the University of Washington. We seek to empower academic workers to improve working conditions locally, and to build community and political power to fight for workers’ rights and support for higher education and research at the state and federal level.
  • Washington Labor Education and Research Center (WA LERC): The mission of the Labor Center is to deliver high-quality education and training programs for the dynamic and diverse working women and men of Washington State by using best practices of adult education. The curriculum builds the skills, confidence, and knowledge needed for working people to become leaders in efforts to improve their work lives and communities and to promote a just economy through collective action. Though based at South Seattle College, the Labor Center is a statewide organization and a unique program within higher education. The Center organizes large public events such as conferences, serves as a resource for faculty, students, and staff, produces the Washington State Workers’ Rights Manual, teaches classes, provides contract training to unions and other workers' organizations, and has a book, film, and training materials library available for public use.
  • United Farm Workers (UFW): The United Farm Workers is a union that organizes contract agreements to protect thousands of vegetable, berry, winery, tomato, and dairy workers in California, Oregon, and Washington state. The UFW has been working on a campaign for a union contract at Windmill Farms that produces the majority of mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest for about 4 years. The UFW's core values to carry out our mission and vision are: integrity, si se puede attitude, dignity, and innovation. 
  • International Association of Machinists (IAM) District 751: We are a labor union representing over 33,000 members in Washington at various employers, with Boeing, being the largest portion of our membership. The Machinist's Institute is the training arm of IAM 751. With state registered apprenticeship programs, we are training the community to become the next generation of aerospace workers. Representational activities include collective bargaining, contract enforcement, educating members, and empowering them to be engaged in their union.
  • Communities for Our Colleges (C4C), a project of Alliance for a Just Society: C4C is a multiracial student-centered campaign in Washington State that works to improve the state’s community colleges by engaging students, faculty, staff, and the community to advocate for improved funding, access, and racial equity.
  • UNITE HERE Local 8: UNITE HERE Local 8 is a labor union that represents about 7,000 workers in the hospitality industries of Washington State & Oregon: hotels, restaurants, food service, airport concessions. Our membership is diverse - we are predominantly women and people of color, and we hail from all corners of the planet. We fight for and win living wages, job security, a voice on the job, dignity & respect in the workplace, affordable family health insurance and retirement benefits paid for by the employer. Together, we are building a movement to enable people of all backgrounds to achieve greater equality and opportunity.
  • Massage Parlor Organizing Project (MPOP): Massage Parlor Organizing Project (MPOP) is a grassroots formation of Asian/Asian American community members organizing to provide support for migrant Asian massage parlor workers and sex workers in the Seattle Chinatown/International District (CID) and greater Seattle area. MPOP’s mission is to build power with workers through raising consciousness around migration and working conditions and developing leadership skills. Additionally, we create conditions for community safety by establishing long-term relationships and care networks, connecting workers to resources, facilitating language justice and access, and advocating for legislative change to address racialized systemic barriers.
  • SEIU Healthcare 1199NW: We are a union that has been around for over 40 years. We represent over 36,000 workers from many sectors of healthcare. SEIU Healthcare 1199NW's mission is to win quality healthcare and good jobs for all in Washington and Montana, which is achieved through a values-driven approach that includes unity, respect, empowerment, and social and economic justice. Our values are demonstrated by fighting for better wages, benefits, and staffing, and by advocating for racial justice, immigrant justice, and civil rights for all members and our communities.
  • Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) Seattle Chapter: Founded in 1992, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), AFL-CIO, is the first and only national organization of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers, most of whom are union members, and our allies advancing worker, immigrant and civil rights. Since its founding, APALA has played a unique role in addressing the workplace issues of the AAPI union members and in serving as the bridge between the broader labor movement and the AAPI community. The Seattle chapter is one of the 35 chapters across the country and over the last few years has grown to be the largest chapter of our organization.
  • Queer the Land: Queer The Land is a collaborative project grounded in the self-determination of queer, transgender, and Two-Spirit Black/ indigenous/ people of color (QT2BIPOC) and the vision of collectively owning our land and labor. Queer the Land is seeking to establish a cooperative network anchored by a community center and transitional and semi-permanent housing that meets the needs of working-class QT2BIPOC in the greater Seattle area.
  • WeTrain Washington: WeTrain Washington is a 501(c)(3) apprenticeship and training nonprofit affiliated with UFCW 3000, the state's largest local union with 32,000 grocery store, 15,000 healthcare and 8,000 other members. WeTrain's mission is to provide high quality programs and services to essential workers, employers, and community members with the goal of promoting job quality, economic security, workforce equity and career pathways in the retail grocery industry. 
  • Working Washington: Working Washington is building worker power and winning the fight against wealthy corporations. We’re a statewide organizing home for the multiracial workers movement growing across all sectors. Through education and legal services, we raise wages, labor standards, and respect for all of us. Our strategic narratives shift the debate about what workers deserve, building our political power to win a democracy rooted in economic and racial justice.
  • La Resistencia: [open to UW Tacoma students ONLY] La Resistencia is an immigrant led organization fighting to shut down the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, WA. We work to end all immigration detention in deportation in WA.
  • Tacoma for All: [open to UW Tacoma students ONLY] Tacoma for All is a democratic social movement organizing tenants and workers into a powerful force for housing justice. We are most known for our 2023 “Landlord Fairness Code & Tenant Bill of Rights” ballot initiative campaign, winning Tacoma the strongest tenant protections in Washington state. We've most recently launched Tacoma For All Community Outreach, our city's first funded and staffed organization dedicated to educating, agitating and organizing tenants region-wide to build majority tenant unions and take on the most egregious landlords. 

In submitting the on-line application, a student will provide the following materials:

  1. A resume, highlighting skills such as language abilities, personal, and academic interests that speak to your interest in this position.

  2. College transcript. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.

  3. Up to date contact information, including e-mail and phone number.

  4. Written responses  (no more than 400 words) to the following questions:

    1. Why are you most interested in working with a particular position? What do you hope to gain from this experience? Further information about positions and additional host-specific questions are available in the BAM Labor Internship application itself.

    2. Tell us about what drew you to the BAM Labor Internship. Why are you interested in labor organizing and labor studies?

    3. How does this internship fit into your broader career, academic, and personal goals?

    4. List any significant time commitments you expect to have throughout Spring 2024. If selected for the internship position you indicated interest in, how will you balance this commitment with your other commitments?

    5. For the positions that you have applied for, do you have any concerns about accessing the technology or software required? If so, please describe below. The Bridges Center is committed to helping students navigate technological issues so that the internship remains accessible.

    6. If possible, would you like to earn academic credit for the BAM Labor Internship position? Please note, students have an 18 credit limit per quarter - if you would like to add academic credit to this internship and you are already signed up for 18 credits in the upcoming quarter, you may incur additional tuition fees from the UW.

    7. If there are any special considerations or additional information you feel necessary to your application, please include it here.

  5. Supplementary questions, variable depending on the host organization

Questions?

Contact Soohyung Hur, Graduate Staff Assistant for the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies at hursh@uw.edu. You can also learn more about the BAM internship on the BAM Norms & Expectations Handbook.

 

Internship Eligibility

The BAM Labor Internship is open to current undergraduates of any year and in any field of study at the University of Washington who have a vested interest in working people’s issues and/or labor organizing. Students from any one of the UW's three campuses (Bothell, Seattle, Tacoma) are eligible to participate. 

We encourage students of all backgrounds and identities to apply, and are committed to supporting undocumented students at the UW. We are additionally committed to working with partner organizations that reflect and serve a variety of communities in the Greater Seattle Area, and hope to connect students with organizations that best align with their personal and academic interests and investments.

 

What Will the Internship Look Like? 

The internship is both a paid opportunity as well as a source of academic credit. We hope to work with partner organizations to determine the weekly number of hours that students will be expected to work remotely, that allows for integration into daily operations, community building and capacity to run individual projects that further the organization’s goals. Students will be compensated at a pay rate of $25 per hour, including a weekly meeting with other BAM interns and mentors. Hours range from 3-19.5 hours per week (including weekly meetings) depending on the host organization, as noted in Section 2 of the application.

In their accompanying coursework, students will be expected to reflect on their experiences with their mentors and peers, and how their work with partner organizations aligns with their own academic and personal interests and goals. For more information, please refer to the BAM Norms & Expectations Handbook.

(Updated October 2025)

 

What Kind of Work Will Students Perform with Host Organizations?

  • Students learn the day-to-day operations of the organization, along with their values and theories of change, and can help to push forward campaigns or long-term projects. The relationships they build with their host organizations can be long lasting and extend beyond the time frame of the internship program.
  • Intern responsibilities vary depending on the host organization. Specific responsibilities as well as requirements are stated in Section 2 of the application. Interns have hosted Know Your Rights trainings, created websites, ran social media campaigns, talked to union members about their workplace, and conducted oral history.
  • Depending on the organization, work may be remote, hybrid, or in-person.

 

Why Should Students Participate?

  • Develop and demonstrate important professional and leadership skills
  • Have an opportunity to connect with the labor movement 
  • Build knowledge on the types of opportunities that are available for folks interested in pursuing a career in labor, and potentially seek to continue working for a community partner after their internship ends
  • Gain firsthand experience around what organizing in labor and social justice movements involves, and a broader sense of the history of labor organizing
  • Learn about and engage with organizing efforts across the Greater Seattle Area and create virtual spaces to discuss how all these efforts can and do align with the broader labor movement. 
  • Earn a stipend/wages for their work