November 10, 2022
Attend the Mass Meeting on Nov. 17th!
Next week (Thursday 11/17 at 12:00pm in HSB D-209, Turner Auditorium with Zoom option), we are holding an important Mass Meeting along with our UW Postdoc colleagues who are also currently in bargaining to discuss strategies for supporting each other and winning strong contracts and the compensation we deserve. Please attend (in person is highly encouraged, as is mask wearing!) to hear important updates, discuss why UW Admin is still holding up our pay increases and strategize together to decide a path forward.
RSVP to attend here.
Exciting Week for Academic Organizing Movement
Academic Student Employees at Washington State University have won their union, WSU-CASE, after filing in May. They overcame many hurdles to certification and now will prepare to bargain with WSU Admin. WSU had been the only major public research institution on the continental U.S. west coast without a union for student employees.
And, at the University of California, over 36,000 UAW Academic Workers recently participated in their strike authorization vote, and voted a resounding 97.5% to authorize their bargaining teams to call a strike should circumstances justify. They could strike as early as Monday, Nov. 14th. They are rising up to demand a livable wage and safe, quality working conditions. It’s inspiring to be part of this movement that is striving to raise the bar for academic workers everywhere. Learn more here: https://www.fairucnow.org/
One more thing…
Recently, you may have received an email or mailer from someone from a group called the Freedom Foundation (Opt Out Today) offering to help you “opt out” of being a member of the union, and “keep 100% of your dues payments in your pocket.” This outside group is known for spreading misinformation about unions. Case in point: none of us are dues-paying members of the union yet and under UAW policy, we won’t pay dues until after our contract has been negotiated and approved in a democratic vote. At that time each individual Researcher will choose whether or not to become a member of the union and pay dues (see our FAQ about this). To be clear, despite suggestions to the contrary in the Freedom Foundation email, no one in our unit will pay union dues without their express prior consent. Email contact@uwresearchersunited.
In solidarity,
UWRU/UAW Bargaining Committee
Thaddeus Armstrong
Leila Blair
Nick Bolten
Jai Broome
Erin Carll
Shelly Carpenter
Bonnie Chang
Morgan Crotta
Iván Cruz
Abby Gambrill
Jay Mas Gilvydis
Cyrus Judge Goodman
Anya Kalata
Julia Kobelt
Katherine Lasdin
Ellen MacLachlan
Deborah Nemens
Katie Osterhage
Van Redila
Annelise Smith
Galen Stewart
Kambiz Tavabi
Jacob Tietsort
Stacey Wedlake
Ryan Will
Tricia Wu
Joshua Yee