We pay dues to independently fund our work to organize and advocate for better conditions for academic workers and a stronger University.  Since we are the union, we democratically approve expenses and decide our priorities, and our advocacy extends beyond the bargaining table to include policy-making at the local, state and national levels.  Here’s what these resources have enabled us to do in recent years.

Improved Pay:

  • The Postdoc wage scale has increased by 37% since 2022.
  • ASE base wages have increased by 23% since 2023.
  • Research Scientist/Engineer minimum salary ranges have increased by 28% since 2022. 

Improved Benefits:

  • Annual out-of-pocket student fees costs for ASEs with full tuition waivers have decreased by $200 since 2014/15, even though total required tuition/fee costs have increased by over $1,000 (or more depending on your tuition category).
  • The International Student Fee was eliminated.
  • Child care subsidies were created for ASEs and for Postdocs.
  • Comprehensive health insurance benefits have improved (better coverage for mental health, gender-affirming care, dependent care) and RA/TAs pay no premiums for their own coverage.
  • 12 weeks paid family/medical leave under state law (and codified in CBA) for Postdocs and ASEs meeting the 820 hour eligibility requirement.

Anti-Discrimination At Work:

  • ASEs and Postdocs bargained first-of-its-kind jointly developed anti discrimination and harassment training specifically for ASEs and Postdocs that is peer-developed, peer-led, data-driven, and prevention-based. Goals are to shift culture and create new community norms, as well as explain what constitutes discrim/harassment and intersectionality of behaviors.
  • Established provides strong CBA protections and survivor-centered process, including right to neutral third party arbitration, to address complaints.
  • Established access to all-gender bathrooms.

A Stronger Voice in Public Policy:

  • Successfully defeated ICE directive to deport international students working abroad during Trump’s first administration.
  • Filed a declaration to the WA state Attorney General’s lawsuits and the Supreme Court against Trump’s Anti-Muslim Travel Ban.
  • Helped TAs and RAs at Washington State University and Postdocs at UW to win collective bargaining rights under WA law.
  • Fought for the inclusion of Postdocs in the new federal overtime regulations, which led to wage scale increase for Postdocs across the nation.
  • Fought for the extension of OPT for international students.
  • Advocated for the passage of WA State Paid Family-Medical Leave Act.
  • Constant advocacy for increased state and federal funding for research and University support and against tuition increases.

Membership dues make your union strong!  Dues cover all of the cost of having a strong union, including:

  • organizing resources to help keep people informed, grow our numbers and our strength;
  • subject experts to negotiate on equal terms with UW’s consultants to bargain the strongest contract possible;
  • legal and grievance representation costs to enforce our rights; and
  • staffing, rent, equipment, and supplies to support day-to-day costs.

Dues in UAW Local 4121 are 1.44% of gross pay received from UW for work performed that is covered by the contract.

Learn more about dues and how dues money is allocated: see our most recent IRS 990 non-profit organization tax returns here.