In this update:
- Bargaining update
- Academic Credits and Workers’ Right to Strike
- Strike Assistance Update
- More Labor Movement Solidarity
Though UC might be trying to convince itself that workers are getting tired on day 3 of the strike, the evidence on the ground is precisely the opposite. Turnout was massive once again today, and across the state workers found impactful and creative ways to make their presence felt. At 5 AM this morning, UC Berkeley workers picketed a campus construction site and in an act of solidarity, the union construction workers honored the picket line. And at UCLA, unionized construction and delivery workers also refused to cross the picket line!
Bargaining Update
UC bargained today with Student Researchers and came to the table with proposals on Parking and Transit, Appointment Notification, and Paid Time Off. In a major step forward the University proposed guaranteeing a discount for the purchase of e-bikes, advanced notifications for appointments, and expanded the group of Student Researchers who are eligible to receive paid time off. However, their inadequate transit proposal offered only a $30 pre-tax matching program, nowhere near enough to cover our commuting costs.
The University also proposed an insultingly weak economic package, with monthly raises as low as $132. See the chart below for the full breakdown of their offer.
Academic Credits and Graduate Workers’ Right to Strike
Many departments across the UC system have been spreading misinformation that striking Teaching Assistants and Student Researchers could be subject to grade docking in placeholder courses that graduate workers must take as an SR or TA as a result of strike activity. These courses are directly tied to employment. Employees have a legally protected right to strike, and any attempt by the University to retaliate against workers for striking through academic penalties is illegal. In courses that are unrelated to employment, workers can be required to continue making academic progress during the strike, but that is not the case with these credits. The Union has already filed one Unfair Labor Practice Charge at UC San Diego over this issue, and will continue to take legal action as necessary to protect Academic Workers’ right to strike.
If you are a graduate worker and you are asked by your supervisor to report on your strike activity for this purpose, you may respond that you are on strike and the work they are asking you to do is the work for which you are on strike.
Strike Assistance
The number of UAW members signing up for strike assistance has been enormous, showing powerful support for Academic Workers strike over Unfair Labor Practices. For this strike, UAW International is piloting a new direct deposit system rather than paper checks. The deadline to enroll to receive strike assistance distributed on the 8th day of the strike is today: if you have attempted to enroll and not yet received the link to do so, do not worry. UAW International and the Local Unions are working diligently through the backlog of enrollees to ensure everyone is enrolled as soon as possible, and you will receive strike assistance for all the time you have been on strike. You can search your email & spam folder for an email from apache@my.uaw.org with the subject “Strike – Registration” to see if your enrollment info is hiding there.
Striking UAW members are eligible for $400 a week in strike assistance. In order to qualify, UAW members must also complete 5 shifts of picket duty a week. Sign up for your campus picket lines here. If you are unable to complete all your shifts for the week and need an exemption, fill out this form here. The week before Thanksgiving strike assistance is doubled, so members on strike who complete picket duties and are enrolled in strike assistance will receive $800 for the week of Nov. 14. For the week of Nov. 21, since UC will be closed the 24th and 25th, required picket shift duties will be reduced to 3.
More Solidarity from the Labor Movement
On Monday, the California Labor Federation sanctioned our strike and today we issued a joint press release in which we called for all speakers and elected officials to respect picket lines and cancel all events scheduled to take place on campus!
“We have issued a statewide strike sanction, and we expect allies to respect the strike sanction and picket line by canceling any speaking engagements, meetings or events on UC campuses until fair contracts are settled,” said Lorena González Fletcher, head of the California Labor Federation.
You can read the press release here.
See you on the picket line!
UAW 5810 Academic Researcher Bargaining Team
UAW 2865 Academic Student Employee Bargaining Team
UAW 5810 Postdoc Bargaining Team
SRU-UAW Student Researcher Bargaining Team