OPT // Appointment Extensions // Tax Amazon // & more!

Action items in this email:

Support international students & scholars

Take two minutes now to help support international students and scholars — write your Senators using this quick form!

Last week, our UAW 4121 International Solidarity Working Group launched a campaign to oppose any action by the Trump Administration to limit the issuance, renewal, and/or terms of appointment for non-immigrant visas. Actions being contemplated by the Trump Admin have the potential to jeopardize the careers of Academic Student Employees working on F1 visas or applying for postgraduate OPT extensions, and Postdocs working on F1-OPT extensions or H1B visas. Last week, as a Local Union, we sent a letter strongly opposing these measures to the U.S. Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Labor, as well as to our Washington State Congressional delegation. Our International Solidarity Working Group has now also urged UW President Ana Mari Cauce to join these critical efforts by sending similar letters as a University administration. You can help today by taking a few minutes to send a message to Washington Senators — this short form will take you through a few easy steps!

Appointment extensions: Our efforts are working!

Momentum is gathering around our urgent call to increase funding for higher education and research, including for international students and scholars, among the COVID-19 crisis! Over 2800 Academic Student Employees and Postdocs have now signed onto our petition calling for summer funding and year-long funding extensions for those who need it. Our Appointments Working Group has been leading department-based organizing around these issues, and our efforts are already leading to success! In a number of departments, organizers have secured summer health insurance, stipends, and new RAships. In addition, many of those facing extreme needs due to visa issues have already secured reappointments. Our efforts are working — let’s keep up the momentum!

As Summer Quarter quickly approaches, there are two critical ways you can help continue building power around these urgent needs:

WRITE CONGRESS (2 MINS): Pushing for funding from the federal government to support students and workers in higher education is a critical component of our collective fight to secure funding for those who need it. Nearly 5000 union members from academic worker unions across the country have already sent letters — take a couple minutes today to join the effort!
COMPLETE FUNDING SURVEY (2 MINS): Our Appointments Working Group has successfully secured support measures in the past weeks by working with concrete information about people’s circumstances and needs. Especially if you are facing funding or health insurance uncertainty in Summer Quarter, please take two minutes to fill out this short survey.

If you have questions or would like to get involved with organizing in your department, please contact appointments@uaw4121.org.

Organizing trainings start today

Starting today, join fellow 4121 members across UW for a series of organizing trainings to learn more about what we can each do to help build our collective power in the time of COVID and in preparation for next year’s contract campaigns. These trainings cover critical skills and information for department stewards, but are open to anyone interested in honing their organizing skills and getting more involved. The sessions build off of each other but are self-standing modules, so feel free to sign up for any and all that you’d like to attend.

Session 1: 1-to-1 Organizing, Thursday (Today) 5/28, 12-1:30. This session focuses on the nuts and bolts of one-to-one organizing, such as talking to our colleagues about membership and other organizing efforts we pursue as a union. We’ll also work through applying 1-to-1 principles in the current context of social distancing. All are welcome!
Session 2: Empowering Prevention and Inclusive Communities, 6/4, 12-1:30. This session takes an intersectional approach to understanding and organizing around sexual harassment, and building community in our departments.
Session 3: Power Analysis, Thursday, 6/11, 12-1:30. This session explores the nature and sources of our power as a union, and how we can leverage that power in order to push for change. This session is intended for people who have at least some previous experience with 1-to-1 organizing.

Learn more about the sessions and RSVP here.

Campus research ramp up

Many departments are developing plans to resume research operations. Updates from our Union and UW Office of Research can be found here, and we will provide any additional updates as circumstances change. If you have concerns over how new policies and procedures are impacting you, or your rights and protections under our contract, please reach out to contractenforcement@uaw4121.org.

Tax Amazon Actions

TODAY at 6pm: Join fellow 4121 members and community members for a Tax Amazon Town Hall to continue building momentum for a tax on big business for emergency COVID relief, green jobs, and affordable social housing! More info and RSVP at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1339257759595551/

Saturday, May 30, at 11am: Members from our Local will be joining one of the Amazon Tax Prime Delivery “hubs” in District 4! Weather permitting, we will meet in the median of Campus Parkway right by Schmitz Hall. If it rains, we will move the delivery hub to a spot under the Schmitz Hall overhang. We will carefully follow social distancing and professional public safety advice. All participants are urged to wear a mask and gloves – if you don’t have these items, they will provide them for you. Find out more and RSVP here!

In Solidarity,

UAW 4121 Joint Council

Douglas Avella-Castro
Leandro Casiraghi
Monica Cortés Viharo
Meg Drouhard
Max Friedfeld
Vern Harner
Dan Hart
Sam Kastner
Kyle Kubler
Kristin McCowan
Emily Myers
Anzela Niraula
Jacob O’Connor
Nayon Park
Marissa Parker
David Parsons
Cristian Proistosescu
Shua Sanchez
Paige Sechrest
Solmaz Shakerifard
Sam Sumpter
Judy Twedt
Jon Witt