Join a UAW 4121 Working Group
If you are interested in getting more involved with our local, use this form to express interest in a working group and a member of that working group will follow up with you.
ONE SLACK WORKSPACE for the Local!
The former bargaining unit -specific Slack spaces are no longer being used. Instead, we now have one Slack space for all 4121 ASEs, PDs, and RSE A-4 members. A lot of information is being exchanged here, so if you haven’t already done so, fill out this form to join the new UAW 4121 Slack! If you have already completed this form and you haven’t seen your Slack invite, please reach out to uaw4121@uaw4121.org.
Contract Corner
Introducing a new segment in our member newsletter–Contract Corner! This section will highlight examples, updates, and info about contract enforcement strategies from members across UW to proactively enforce the rights and protections in our contracts.
- Surveillance of workers: A supervisor was monitoring employees in their workplace without consent through video and audio recordings. This was a clear violation of several articles in the ASE contract, including access to a safe, healthy, and mutually professional work environment. By filing a grievance, the affected ASEs secured remedies that included the removal of all recording devices, deletion of all recorded materials, and mechanisms to communicate and enforce expectations around professional and respectful behavior to the supervisor.
- Unjust termination: Through filing a grievance around the unjust termination of an ASE’s summer contract, we recouped the full balance of the ASE’s original compensation from the UW as outlined in their offer letter. As unionized workers, our contracts include strong protections around appointment security (generally, once you’re offered a job, it’s yours and cannot be taken away) and terminations.
- Salary increase mistakes & missing paychecks: The RSE A-4 unit’s first salary increases from the new contract should be reflected in the 10/25 paychecks! Several mistakes in these salary increases have already been reported, so please check your paycheck and get in touch early to effectively resolve any issues. Additionally, many workers across campus (including over 70 workers in Computer Science & Engineering) have reported missing paychecks and are organizing to address these issues. If you are affected by missing and/or late paychecks, or if you are an RSE that did not receive the expected salary increase, please contact the CE Workgroup immediately at ContractEnforcement@uaw4121.org.
Our Contract Enforcement Workgroup is open to all members across units interested in developing effective strategies to implement the contracts we’ve secured through collective action. To learn more, attend the fall quarter Contract Enforcement 1.0 training next Monday (10/30) from 4:00pm – 5:30pm – reach out to ContractEnforcement@uaw4121.org for details, including the Zoom link.
Upcoming Local 4121 Meetings, Events, Trainings
Organizing 101
Our union is made up of members and it is only through member participation that we can build a strong community of colleagues.
Every month over the fall quarter, we will have Organizing 101 trainings, which will cover the basics of effectively connecting with our colleagues to build power for structural changes. This next training will be Monday, 10/30 from 5-6pm and Monday, 11/13 from noon-1pm on Zoom.
RSVP HERE to attend a training with colleagues from across the ASE, Postdoc, and RSE units!
Our union is made up of members and it is only through member participation that we can build a strong, powerful community of colleagues.
November Monthly Membership Meeting
Our monthly membership meetings are the 2nd Thursday of the month at 5pm. Mark your calendar, our next meeting is November 9th at 5pm on Zoom.
Canvassing for November Election
To maximize our political power as a union, we’re sponsoring two door-to-door canvass events. Door-knocking is especially important in local elections like this, where media coverage is sparse, and the electorate is small. Please consider signing up for a canvass date and show up in your union gear (we’ll get you a shirt if you don’t already have one).
Beyond UW
All members in good standing can submit events/actions by emailing comms@uaw4121.org. Suggested content should be consistent with Local 4121’s core principles.
Solidarity & Political Actions
- The Black Lives Memorial Garden, founded during the 2020 protests against the police murder of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, is in danger of being destroyed by Seattle Parks Department for “turf renovation” any day now. Please go to bit.ly/saveblmg for actions you can take to save this garden.
- Yesterday, members joined many other organizations on UW campus and campuses across the country in a national walkout to end the siege on Gaza. One demand (full list of demands, endorsers) from the action was for the UW to cut ties with Boeing, which you can sign onto. For more information and to get involved in ongoing organizing around these issues, reach out to the Solidarity & Mobilization Working Group at solidarity@uaw4121.org.
Labor Actions in Higher Ed & Beyond
We’re part of a movement and it’s been another big week in higher ed organizing across the country:
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