Strike Planning Committees

UW works because we do – and the Union functions the same way. We can only organize effectively for student workers if the Administration knows that we have each others’ back, and if we have enough commitment to ensure that a strike, action or simply day-to-day business is successful. We work because all of us participate!

If you’re interested in helping out with something – or in getting help with something – please get in touch with the people listed below (click below to jump to the section). If you have an idea not listed here, please join us on Slack and let us know, or email uaw4121@uaw4121.org!

Strike & Hardship Funds

COMMUNICATIONS

Posting on Social Media

If you’re interested in getting involved, want to suggest something to be posted, or have feedback about social media (Facebook, Twitter), you should talk to:
Alycia Gilbert
Slack Channel: socialmedia
Email: amgilb@uw.edu

Designing, printing and distributing leaflets

Leaflets and other materials are vital to our campaign – they’re part of what lets us get the word out to faculty, students and each other about what’s going on and why. If you’re interested in designing or distributing leaflets, need to find out if one is designed and available for work at your end, have to get 3,000 copies of something or have any feedback on materials you’ve seen, you should talk to:
TJ Walker
Slack Channel: comms
Email: tjwalker37@gmail.com

Working with the press

On strike days (and certainly before it) there can be a lot of media attention. It’s important that we make sure this attention is good, and that we’ve got a consistent set of talking points – having the media on our side puts that much pressure on the administration. If you’ve been contacted by a media person and want to make sure you’re articulating things in alignment with our demands and concerns, if you’re interested in getting more embedded in helping develop talking points, or if you’d like to help write and distribute op-eds, please talk to:
Sam Sumpter
Slack Channel: comms
Email: sump6714@gmail.com
Phone: 208-631-6745

Updating the website

Our website is a lot of people’s first point of call for info about the union, the negotiations and the strike. Perhaps you’ve noticed something missing; perhaps it’s something in this contact sheet! If you’ve got questions or suggestions, you should talk to:
Sam Sumpter
Slack Channel: comms
Email: sump6714@gmail.com
Phone: 208-631-6745

Getting on Slack

Much of the online Union back-and-forth happens on Slack, since it lets us have a system where we can talk at scale with time delays (and given that we’re both working and studying, time delays are totally a thing we should build in!) If you’re an ASE, you want to get more involved, and you’re not on the Slack, please fill out this short form.

ORGANIZING, MOBILIZATION & OUTREACH

Talking with other ASEs

One-to-one contact with members by others in their department is critical for our strength as a union — whether it’s getting ready for a strike or anything else we do. In particular, many people are new to being in a union or have questions about going on strike that department leaders are vital for discussing and working through. If you’d like to be connected with a leader in your department, would like support organizing in your department, or would like to help organize people in other departments, please email uaw4121@uaw4121.org.

Engaging in direct action

Campaigning isn’t just bargaining and strikes – it’s also direct action; leafleting, protesting and civil disobedience that keeps the pressure up on the administration and keeps ASEs engaged between bigger events.
Slack Channel: directaction

Working with other unions

Solidarity doesn’t just mean us uniting internally, it also means uniting with other groups. During the 1-day strike, other unions like the Teamsters refused to cross our picket line. This can be very powerful – if we don’t work, grading doesn’t get done. If we and the Teamsters don’t work, grading doesn’t get done and neither do deliveries! If you’d like to help work with other unions — whether it’s what they can do to help us, or what we can do to help them in their fights — you should talk to:
Hannah Robinson
Slack Channel: solidarity-committee
Email: hannah_hopkins@protonmail.com

Talking to undergrads and faculty

Undergrad and faculty opinions and understanding is important: the more they support us, the more pressure will be directed at the administration. They can even join us on the picket lines, and have! But for any of that, they need to know what’s going on and why, and that can be a tough thing to explain (particularly if it’s your advisor and you’re worried it’ll blow back on you). For more information about how you can talk with your students or your advisor/PI, check out these pages:
Talking to Your Students About the June Strike
Talking to Your Advisor/PI About the Contract Campaign

STRIKE PREP LOGISTICS

Picket captains

Kyle Kubler
Email: kfkubler@gmail.com
Slack Channel: strikeprep
Next meeting: Mon 5/28, 5pm, Sylvan Grove

Care/accessibility

Paige Sechrest
Email: sechrest@uw.edu
Slack Channel: carebears

Runners

Dan Bentson
Email: bentsond@uw.edu
Slack Channel: strikeprep

Security/peacekeepers

Slack Channel: strikeprep

Chant leaders/speakers

Shua Sanchez
Email: jjsanchez2012@gmail.com
Slack Channel: strikeprep

Medics