We have encouraging news. Thanks to all the outreach done by UAW 4121 members in recent weeks, 27 Washington State Legislators (from both the Senate and the House, both Democrat and Republican) have decided to publicly show support for our contract campaign by signing on to a letter sent to the University administration this morning. In it they say,
“In short, we encourage you to find ways of stopping the declining overall compensation of Academic Student Employees through the collective bargaining process, including waiving mandatory fees. Our community is well-served by these employees, who keep UW accessible to Washington families and help develop innovative solutions to some of our most pressing problems. Achieving a fair contract immediately will not only benefit Academic Student Employees, but also UW and the state as a whole in both the long and the short term.” [See the complete text of the letter here.]
Like the resolutions recently passed by the Associated Students of the University of Washington and the Graduate and Professional Student Senate, this statement of support asserts that our work is essential to maintaining quality and access to higher education in this difficult economic climate. Lawmakers recognize that we’re uniquely affected by declining state allocations for higher education, combined with increasing tuition/fees, and their statement urging President Wise to settle our contract is a plea to keep the University from falling too far behind in maintaining its core research, teaching and service missions.
As we approach our June 1st contract deadline, it’s more critical than ever that we demand a fair settlement before summer quarter begins. We deeply appreciate your support and engagement in these past few weeks – please stay tuned for further updates.
Reminder: Membership Meeting today (Tuesday, May 31st at 3:30 p.m. in Foege N130).
Solidarity,
UAW 4121 Bargaining Committee