On Friday (4/25) we met again with UW in negotiations. This meeting was wholly focused on health insurance, and the question of which benefits the parties could agree were part of the current GAIP under the collective bargaining agreement.  You can read the full bargaining summary here.

While we continue to make slow progress there are numerous issues outstanding.  This week ASEs will be meeting on a departmental or hiring unit basis to discuss negotiations and preparations, timing and other consideration for a possible strike.  If you would like to help set up a meeting in your department please let us know.

Union Grievance Over UW’s Direction to Post Grades

We’ve also become aware that many instructional ASEs have received communication from their supervisors that they are to post grades on Catalyst and turn in their work before May 1st in anticipation of a possible strike on that day.

In response we are filing a union grievance and issuing a demand to bargain to UW as we believe this is a unilateral change and possible grounds for an unfair labor practice.

If you are directed to do this you should comply (to avoid being charged with insubordination) but inform your supervisor that you understand there is a dispute over whether this is consistent with the collective bargaining agreement and the University’s obligation to bargain over these work assignments.  Then please notify us if you receive any further responses so we can build those into our grievance as well. 

Thank you again for your continued solidarity!  All questions, concerns and comments are very welcome.

UAW 4121 Bargaining Committee

Matt Bellinger
Jennifer Brookes
Lei Cheng
Katie Derthick
Kristen Dew
Bradley Dickerson
Toni Ferro
Kristen Garofali
Alli Germain
Robin Gold
Phil Harding
Bob Hodges
Kristin Lindenmuth
Dylan Mayer
Elizabeth Mills
David Parsons
Elizabeth Scarbrough
Viral Shah
Alexander Stone