Social Media & Labor Organizing
As a union representing 6,000 academic workers at the University of Washington, we have a lot going on! Our many active workgroups and committees are constantly organizing around issues important to our members, whether that’s around housing, healthcare, international student solidarity, departmental level issues, or something else.
A substantial part of this organizing work includes communicating to broader membership about current and ongoing efforts and actions. Our local primarily does this through 1-to-1 conversations and building networks of department organizers across UW, but also through monthly membership meetings, emails like this one…and our social media accounts! You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
Social media is not a replacement for organizing, but it is being used to show solidarity across local unions, to learn about labor organizing history, and to stay up to date on current actions or strategies. You might notice some similarities across what we are fighting for! Here are some other Twitter accounts you might check out:
- Harvard Grad Students Union-UAW Local 5118
- Student Researchers United at the University of California-UAW
- MLK Labor Council – the coalition of unions in WA
- Student Workers at Columbia University
- UAW Local 5810 – postdocs and academic researchers at UC
Solidarity Budget
The 2022 Seattle Solidarity Budget is a collective call toward a city budget that centers the needs of the most marginalized and vulnerable Seattle residents, responds with funding that is commensurate with the crises we are facing, and prioritizes collective care and liberation. There is a public budget hearing this Thursday (the 18th) at 9:30am and the city council will vote on the budget this Monday (the 22nd) at 2pm. Contact your city council member before the 22nd to urge them to pass the solidarity budget!
Kshama Solidarity Campaign
Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant has continuously fought with UAW 4121 members during her entire time in elected office, from spearheading the $15 NOW and Tax Amazon campaigns, to leading the charge for renter protections and rent control, and speaking at our Rally for a Fair Contract last year. But now, a billionaire-led Recall Campaign is trying to remove her from office because of her strong track record fighting for working people.
As we’ve seen in the most recent Seattle city elections, big business can and will pour money into city politics in the (sometimes successful) attempt to buy elections, and this Recall Campaign is no different. In addition, the Recall Campaign has intentionally delayed this vote to a special election on Tuesday, December 7th in the attempt to suppress voter turnout, particularly among students, renters, people of color, and queer folks.
In the next few weeks, there are a few important ways you can help defeat the recall attempt, whether you’re a District 3 voter or not:
- Check if you live in District 3, and if you do, plan to vote! Ballots will be mailed out starting on 11/17, or you can print a ballot and vote early at the Block Party on Sunday 11/21.
- Help connect with voters in District 3 to ensure they are prepared to vote later this month by joining a canvass on November 21 at 11am.
- Help connect with fellow UAW 4121 members who live in District 3 and encourage them to vote by signing up for 1-2 hours of phone/textbanking.
1 Member 1 Vote Ballots Due Soon!
Ballots are now out for the important UAW-wide referendum, 1 Member 1 Vote (1M1V), and your completed ballot must be received (not postmarked) by November 29. Send yours by this Friday 11/19 to ensure it arrives in time to be counted!
If you haven’t received your ballot, you can request a replacement by emailing uawballot@merrimanriver.com or calling 855-433-8683 (here’s a template email you can use!). For more information — including why this important vote is happening and how to get more involved — check out this page on the website.
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.
Postdoc Childcare Fund Enrollment is Now Open
In Solidarity,
Douglas Avella-Castro
Julia Ball
Nicholas Bolten
Tucker Burgin
Amanda Clouser
Kate Conroy
Max Friedfeld
Vern Harner
Colleen Hoffman
Levin Kim
Brianne King
Avi Matarasso
Erin Morgan
Emily Myers
Amal Nanavati
Anzela Niraula
Nayon Park
Marissa Parker
Anastasia Schaadhardt
Solmaz Shakerifard
Sam Sumpter
Samantha Thompson
Braeden Van Deynze
Yuying Xie
Momona Yamagami
Christian Zimmermann