Every significant win we’ve made in our union’s history has been a direct result of mass member action. The more Academic Student Employees (ASEs) and Postdocs across campus who participate in our union, the more power we have to make changes to improve our working and learning conditions, and the university as a whole. There are a number of important ways you can help strengthen your union and build our collective power:
| Join your union | More members means more power, both in and out of bargaining. Only members are able to participate in our collective decisions and processes, including participating in bargaining sessions, voting on contract demands and final language, participating in membership meetings, and more. If you are not yet a member, sign up today! |
| Join a working group | Through working groups, members develop ongoing campaigns focused on specific issues, such as international scholars, improving equity and anti-racism at UW, environmental justice, housing justice, and more. All members are welcome to join! |
| Join an organizing committee | The ASE and Postdoc Organizing Committees (OCs) each meet weekly to strategize and coordinate member-to-member organizing across UW. In addition to the UW-wide OCs, many departments/areas have OCs that meet regularly and coordinate with the ASE OC and Postdoc OC. |
| Get involved in political action | The UAW 4121 Political Workgroup is a group of local members interested in channeling our members’ collective power in elections and other political arenas. Members who are eligible to vote in the US are also encouraged to participate in our voluntary political fund, VCAP. |
| Participate in membership meetings | Membership meetings are held at least monthly during the academic year, and are a great place to keep up to date on union campaigns, connect with members from other departments, and get plugged in to ongoing work. All members are encouraged to attend! |
| Join the UAW 4121 Slack | Both ASE and Postdoc units have Slack instances that are open to all members. Slack is a great way to stay up-to-date between membership meetings, ask questions, and coordinate with other members around ongoing campaigns. To join, fill out this short form. After your membership is verified, you’ll receive an email invitation. |
If you have questions or want to get more involved organizing in your department, email uaw4121@uaw4121.org. You can also find information for your closest department representative on the leadership page.