Yes! Academic worker unions have been formed by and are led by international students/scholars, who have been actively involved in union leadership, committees, work groups and other decision-making bodies. Our Local Union (UAW 4121) workforce is comprised of approximately 30-40% international students/scholars, and as such, the issues we face comprise many of our core demands: equity, anti-discrimination, job stability, adequate health care, and more. International students/scholars have regularly taken the lead in union advocacy, including contract bargaining, policy advocacy, and also direct action on issues that affect us (see for example our successful campaigns to counter the effects of the Trump Travel Ban, to strengthen protections against discrimination and harassment, to extend STEM OPT funding, and more). This is in addition to work we have done through our union to fight for rights of all immigrants and undocumented folks (see other examples on this page).

No. We are not aware of a single international student/scholar ever having problems with visa status as a result of union membership or activity. International students/scholars have the same rights as US citizens to join and participate in the union. If you have specific concerns, please contact us.

Since international students/scholars have the same legal rights as U.S. citizens, your signing of a membership form should not jeopardize or delay your application for legal permanent residence. Union authorization cards that get submitted to PERC (the state Public Employment Relations Commission, who verifies and counts the cards) are confidential, and not released by PERC to the University of Washington or other government agencies. Moreover, thousands of Postdocs have signed union authorization cards in large unionization drives at the University of California and elsewhere since 2008, without any reported instance of delay or rejection of applications as a result of signing a card or otherwise participating in the unionization effort. If you have any questions about your particular situation, please send an email to intl-workgroup@uaw4121.org for additional resources.

Since international students/scholars rely on the University for sponsorship of their visa, and cannot work for any other employer while studying and working in the U.S., we can be more susceptible to unfair treatment. We also are impacted by government or university policies that limit our rights. You can read stories describing real-life situations at UW here:

• “Postdocs Matter and Must be United (my position was suddenly eliminated with no warning)”
• “Pregnancy Discrimination in Science (and why we need unions)”
• “How Some Postdocs are Charged Discriminatory Health Care Premiums”

Our collective bargaining agreements and the solidarity of our union community create much stronger, legally binding rights and protections to help us address these issues.  Here are some examples:

• Protection against arbitrary dismissal (the university can only discipline or dismiss you for “just cause” – a set of legally defined rights that include due process and protection against disparate treatment);
• The right to appeal University decisions to third party arbitration (to create accountability and discourage discriminatory treatment);
• The right to be represented and advised by a peer union member who is trained in enforcing the collective bargaining agreement (so that you don’t have to manage difficult situations alone or rely on the employer for guidance);
• The right to demand transparency if your supervisor takes action against you (for example you can demand access to your PI’s budget information if you’re told that your funding will be cut);
• Due process rights specific to visa holders in the case of termination (to ensure that your due process rights will be upheld even if your visa requires you to travel during a disciplinary proceeding);
• Minimum appointment lengths (generally one year for both ASEs and Postdocs);
• Greater stability and transparency in health care benefits – as well as a network of peers and work groups who can help guide and interpret health insurance plans for people from outside the U.S.;

Strong, well-organized networks (including our workgroup!) of academic workers throughout the University of Washington system, ready and willing to mobilize in solidarity actions.  You can see examples here and here.  Another good example of University of California union members mobilizing to protect one of their colleagues is here.

As a union comprised of so many international students/scholars, UAW is arguably one of the most important voices for our issues of any organization in the country. For years UAW has fought hard to ensure that the contributions of international and immigrant employees are elevated and that the terms and conditions of their employment are improved. Recently UAW helped lead the fight to ensure that the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program was expanded after a lawsuit that threatened to reduce it. And recently the UAW helped lead the fight against the Executive Orders issued by President Trump which targeted international students and scholars. The International Solidarity Group of UAW Local 4121 contributed to the successful lawsuit by filing declarations (February and March, 2017) with the Washington State Attorney General, which resulted in a Temporary Restraining Order, and recently the union facilitated the return of a member who had been unable to return to UW from overseas. The UAW and other unions recently filed Amicus Brief with the U.S. Supreme Court fighting the Trump Administration’s discriminatory Muslim ban. The UAW’s commitment to international students and scholars stems from the leadership of international students and scholars themselves.

No law prohibits you from being paid without an SSN (Social Security Number). You are encouraged to obtain an SSN as soon as possible. Most international students and scholars in nonimmigrant status are eligible to be employed in the United States, and are therefore eligible to apply for an SSN if they are actually employed in the United States.

Yes.

There are no U.S. immigration laws that would prohibit the university from employing anyone who is not physically in the U.S. The U.S. laws about employment authorization apply only when someone is inside the U.S. However, there may be laws in the employees’ respective home countries that prohibit or restrict such employment. Please check with a licensed attorney for advice about each country on a case-by-case basis.

The terms of our collective bargaining agreement apply equally to citizen and non-citizen ASEs, including eligibility for a tuition waiver (see this article for details). Contact us at intl-workgroup@uaw4121.org if you’re receiving unclear or incorrect information so that we can help you advocate.

No. Under our collective bargaining agreement health insurance is guaranteed for any graduate employee – including international graduate students – who hold appointments with 50% or greater FTE (Full-Time Equivalent). The Graduate Appointee Insurance Program (GAIP) is a $0 premium health insurance our union has bargained for eligible ASEs, meaning you do not have to pay monthly for this health insurance program. International students who are not eligible for employer-paid insurance like GAIP may also apply to waive the requirement to pay a fee for the UW International Student Health Insurance Plan (ISHIP). This is done by submitting a waiver request through the How to Apply to Waive ISHIP section of the ISHIP Waiver page. Waiver requests are due by the third Friday of each quarter, but students may submit a waiver request at any time after registering for quarterly classes.

Only individuals who are eligible to register to vote in the U.S. are eligible to contribute financially to this program. However international students/scholars may (and often do) get involved in other aspects of the political process.