International Students & Scholars: COVID Vaccinations
As of October 18th, all UW employees (including ASEs and Postdocs) are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are an international student or Postdoc who has been placed on unpaid leave because you were unable to access COVID-19 vaccines in your home country, please get in touch with the International Solidarity Working Group at intl-workgroup@uaw4121.org.
Postdoc Childcare Fund Enrollment is Now Open
Postdoc caregivers: enrollment is now open for the Postdoc Childcare fund. Enroll today.
The Postdoc Childcare Fund is now accepting responses for the second half of 2021. Our collective bargaining agreement provides for a collective caregiving fund of $45,000 in 2021 that is distributed semiannually. Funds will be distributed in December for Postdoc caregivers who worked at UW anytime from July to December 2021. If you are a Postdoc parent or caregiver, enroll today. Please reach out to the Family Friendly Workgroup (familyfriendly@uaw4121.org) with any questions or to get more involved.
Get Involved with Your Union! Accept Nomination for an Open Position by Sunday at 5:00 p.m. PDT
As announced last week, there are several vacant leadership positions in our union available for Academic Student Employees and Postdocs. Nominations will close this Sunday, October 24th at 5:00 p.m. PDT. All members who are in good standing are automatically nominated for open positions in their department. This means that you do not have to be nominated by someone else–to run for the position, you simply have to accept your automatic nomination!
Members accepting nomination may also submit a candidate statement (up to 500 words) to the Election Committee. Candidates may also submit a photo, which must have a square aspect ratio and be at least 200×200 pixels in resolution. All statements and photos must be submitted by the nomination deadline.
Candidates and those campaigning for them are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the rules governing elections and campaigns as laid out in the UAW 4121 Bylaws and the Constitution of the UAW International. To accept your nomination and submit your optional statement and photo, please contact the Elections Committee (elections@uaw4121.org). You may only accept your nomination for one position.
We will announce all uncontested and contested positions by Wednesday, October 27th. Any candidate statements and photos for contested positions will be posted on our website on October 27th. Voting for contested positions will begin on Monday, November 8th and end on Wednesday, November 10th at 5:00 p.m. PDT. The Elections Committee will email more information about our online voting process at a later time.
1 Member 1 Vote: Ballots Are Out!
Ballots are now out for the important UAW-wide referendum, 1 Member 1 Vote (1M1V). Make your voice heard and fill yours out ASAP! It’s critical for every member to participate in this vote, and our ASE and Postdoc Organizing Committees are actively working to connect with as many 4121 members as possible. So once you’ve voted, please also take a second to let the Organizing Committees know you’ve sent in your ballot by filling out this form.
1M1V would change the way officers of the UAW International Executive Board (IEB) are elected, and is being conducted across all UAW Locals around the country. The referendum asks just one question: to adopt direct elections (“One Member, One Vote”) in which all union members get a vote to decide our union’s highest leadership, or to keep the current system in which delegates to a convention are the ones who vote.
The vote is being conducted by mail-in ballot. Ballots were mailed out on October 19, so you should get yours within a few days. The ballot will be very short and include its own postage, so should just take a second to fill out. For more information — including how to get a replacement ballot and how to get more involved — check out this page on the website.
Return to Campus Drop-In Hours
The Return to Campus Workgroup is gaining momentum and working on our safety at the UW during the COVID pandemic. As part of our ongoing work to ensure all ASEs and Postdocs are able to work and learn in safe conditions, we are establishing weekly drop-in hours, every Tuesday from 4:30-5pm via zoom. This drop-in time is open to all members and is a great place to come if you have any questions or concerns about your working conditions, vaccination verification, or any other topics related to how the COVID pandemic affects us at UW.
If you’re interested in getting more involved or want to get updated with the workgroup’s latest activities you can join the workgroup from 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm PST every Tuesday, also via zoom. For more information about updated policies, resources, and your contractual rights, check out the COVID Resource Center.
In Solidarity,
UAW 4121 Joint Council
