How are we addressing other impacts of Trump’s Administration that do not require modification of the collective bargaining agreement?
Any UAW Local 4121 member who is experiencing problems should always contact your steward or committee member and the Contract Enforcement Work Group at contractenforcement@uaw4121.org immediately for advice about how the current contractual protections can be used to address your situation.
In addition, UAW Local 4121 work groups have taken action in the following ways to address other impacts of the Trump Administration Executive Orders, including:
Campus Climate and Anti-Oppression
The Hate Watch, Racial Justice and Contract Enforcement Work Groups have addressed the increasingly hostile campus climate by filing multiple individual and union grievances, issuing demands to the University, and taking direct action with other campus groups to demand improvements that do not require a modification of the collective bargaining agreement. These demands include:
- Streamline reporting options so campus members who face urgent unsafe circumstances do not have to go from one office to the next seeking help.
- Triage current campus resources so that UW response staff is able to handle threat-assessment questions and propose solutions quickly
- Include a representative from UAW on the UW’s Bias Incident Advisory Committee
- Guarantee that reports of threats to safety made to UW offices remain anonymous
- Develop clear protocol around issues of cybersecurity and cyberbullying at UW, including but not limited to
- Pre- and post-doxxing protocol
- Easily accessible online information about best practices for maintaining one’s personal cybersecurity and who to contact if it is at risk (including training prior to teaching for all instructors)
Housing Justice
The Housing Justice Work Group is developing a plan to ensure that international students/scholars have support in the event that they experience discrimination based on immigration status or religion.
Transgender Rights
The Trans Equity Work Group will meet soon to address the anti-trans bills that have emerged in the state legislature and as a potential Washington State ballot initiative, and the change by the Trump administration to the federal employee non-discrimination protections.
Climate Funding
The Climate Justice Work Group is reviewing proposed cuts to funding agencies like the EPA and NOAA and developing plans to advocate for additional funds. In addition, working with the Martin Luther King County Labor Council, UAW 4121 members are developing coalition work plans with members of other unions to push for worker and environment friendly initiatives, and are gearing up for actions on April 22 (Science March) and May 1st (Day of Resistance).
ASE Positions/ TA Cuts
The Bargaining Committee has filed a request for information about University resources to anticipate the possibility of a drop in ASE positions, and are preparing a demand to deliver to the University administration in Spring quarter to fight for no cuts to ASE positions. The TA Cuts Work Group was active in responding to last year’s cuts.
Other??
If you know of any additional needs to be addressed, contact us at uaw4121@uaw4121.org.
How do I get more involved in these campaigns?
Member involvement drives every aspect of this process! It’s critical for members not only to attend meetings, but also to conduct conversations with other UAW 4121 members. If you’d like to get involved, please contact any of the work groups directly, or you can write to uaw4121@uaw4121.org.
When will bargaining take place?
Once meeting dates with the University’s committee are confirmed, we will post them so any member can attend bargaining sessions. We hope to meet with the University in the first few weeks of Spring Quarter.
Does this mean that the entire collective bargaining agreement will be renegotiated now, instead of early 2018?
No. We will be bargaining only over the impacts of the Presidential Executive Orders and the change in UW policies.