Ballots Are Out: Time to Vote!

Please remember to vote in the 2018 state and federal elections!  This year we have a major opportunity to help pass historic legislation by voting YES on I-1631, a first step toward protecting our health, investing in an equitable clean energy economy, and holding big polluters accountable. It will be a very close race with millions of dollars pouring in from Big Oil to reject this initiative, so let us know if you can help educate voters about why this Initiative must pass!

In addition, our union has made endorsements for progressive candidates across the state who will fight for issues important to us.  For example, in the 3rd, 5th and 8th Congressional Districts we’re helping to defeat candidates who have worked against our interests, including: taxing our tuition waivers as income, opposing nationalized health care and comprehensive immigration reform, and (in the case of the 5th and 8th Congressional Districts) strongly opposed the right of ASEs to collectively bargain when they were state legislators.  Please reach out to family and friends in these districts if they’re not registered to vote themselves!

To help make these recommendations, UAW 4121 members identified important issues – investment in education, worker protections, housing affordability, transportation, race and equity, and climate justice – assembled questionnaires, and reviewed candidate responses and their records.  The result is a strong slate that, if elected, will fight for issues most important to us. Check out a complete list of UAW’s recommendations here. Any questions or comments? Email uaw4121@uaw4121.org.

Looking ahead to the November 6th general elections, the deadline to register to vote in person is October 29.  General election ballots will be mailed out on October 19, and ballot drop boxes close promptly at 8pm on November 6.

Restore Fair Visa Approval for

Chinese International Students/Scholars:

Call Your Rep!

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal is circulating a Dear Colleagues letter demanding that Secretary Pompeo restore the validity period of Chinese international students’ entry visas from 12 months back to 60 months.  See our membership email from June 27th explaining what transpired.  If you live in a different Congressional District, click here to find out.  Please call your Representatives and urge them to sign on to Jayapal’s Restore Fairness for Chinese International Students letter by Friday, October 26th!

New Union Security Language Ratified

The results are in from our ratification vote, and we now have new Union Security language in our contract that reflects the impacts of the Janus Supreme Court decision. The final results were 98.58% accept.

Columbia Postdocs

Great news! Postdocs at Columbia voted union yes! They have delivered a letter to the University President urging him to respect their 68% mandate for collective bargaining and to bargain with Columbia graduate workers now!

In Solidarity,

Theresa Aliwarga
Douglas Avella-Castro
Dianne Baumann
Andrea Canini
Anthony Castanza
Monica Cortes Viharo
Meg Drouhard
Kristen Garofali
Katya Kolesova
Dylan Mayer
Mandy McCourt
Kristin McCowan
Elizabeth Mills
David Parsons
Shua Sanchez
Maddie Smith
Sam Sumpter
Arash Tarkhan
Judy Twedt