Rally at the Regents Meeting
For months, UC has delayed union grievances and failed to provide raises and rights to thousands of workers. This Wednesday, hundreds of academic workers from across Southern California, plus allies from UNITE HERE Local 11, AFSCME 3299 and UAW Local 509, rallied outside UCLA’s Luskin Center to demand that the Regents pay us fairly, grant the rights we fought for, and drop the charges against workers at San Diego.
UAW-UC Academic Workers at the Regents Rally.
Inside the Luskin Center, UAW members from UCLA, UCSD, and UC Irvine spoke directly to the Regents to show them that they were not intimidated by the threat of expulsion and arrest. When the Regents closed public comment, workers forced them to provide more time for speakers to make their voices heard.
UC is running out of time in their attempt to circumvent our contracts. Earlier this month, the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) issued a complaint stating that, on its face, UC’s actions at UCSD look like unlawful retaliation. UC management will now have to account for itself in a November PERB hearing. In the intervening time, academic workers will continue to take action to demand that all charges are dropped and the contracts are implemented. Workers are close to a victory—but we need to keep the pressure on.
Autoworker Strike
As of last week, UAW autoworkers all over the US are on call to go on strike. On Friday morning (9/22 at 7am PST), the second wave of plants, potentially including UAW locals in California, will be called to Stand Up and join the strike. If this happens, they’ll be walking off the job two hours later, at 9am PST.
When academic workers went on strike last Fall, our siblings across the UAW supported us on the picket line, and now it’s time for us to support them. Workers across California are forming “flying squadrons” to be ready to head over to a striking auto plant as soon as they Stand Up!
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When you sign up for a flying squadron, be prepared to receive a call/text/email Friday and/or Saturday morning at 7am with logistical details for where to go. Carpools will be worked out in advance. Please stay in touch with your carpool buddies, and plan to stay on the picket line for at least a few hours.
In Southern California, there are three potential picket sites within a 15-minute drive of each other. Academic workers should receive their picket location on the morning of their shift.
In solidarity,
Anny Viloria Winnett
Head Steward, UAW 2865 LA
Department of Community Health Sciences, UCLA
Ally Cara
Head Steward, UAW 5810 LA
Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, UCLA