Starbucks Solidarity Rally // The Black Art Showcase // Postdoc EPIC Trainer // & More!

Apr 22, 2022 | Membership Updates

UAW 4121

Support Starbucks Worker Organizing: Rally this Saturday

What: Rally and march to support Starbucks workers who are organizing to unionize
When: Saturday, 4/23 at 1pm
Where: Cal Anderson Park 
RSVP: Fill out this short form

Last week, UAW 4121 members joined Starbucks workers at two locations in Seattle as they held strikes over unfair labor practices, and earlier this month, Starbucks workers at Broadway & Denny in Seattle voted unanimously to form a union. These actions are part of an incredible wave of recent organizing at Starbucks corporate stores across the country. However, despite the clear mandates from workers, Starbucks executives continue to engage in union busting — retaliating against organizers, cutting employee hours, and more. The fight for unionization continues, and Starbucks workers need your support!

There are a few things you can do to support Starbucks workers in the next week:

  1. Join the rally and march on Saturday, April 23 at 1pm at Cal Anderson Park
  2. Donate to the Relief Fund for PNW Starbucks Workers United
  3. Check out this linktree with action items and info
  4. Share our solidarity statement from earlier this year

The Black Art Showcase on May 13

Blue image with white and gray flower design on the left side. In the top right corner are logos for BSU and BGSA. White text in the center of the image reads: BSU and BGSA Presents: The Art Showcase. Calling ALL Black Artists. This year's theme: Abolition as a means to reclaim our spring. Date: May 13, 2022. Time: 5-8pm. Location: The HUB 145.

All Black artists are invited to showcase their art at this collaboration event May 13th 5-8PM at HUB 145 from the Black Graduate Students Association (BGSA), Black Student Union (BSU), Decriminalize UW, and more! Please spread the artist interest form around within your networks — and we hope to see y’all there!

Based on the Cops Off Campus Coalition’s Abolition Spring (https://twitter.com/copsoffearth), this year’s theme is abolition as a means to reclaim our spring — a period to center creative, nurturing, and caring practices. Art in all forms from all ages is accepted, and adhering to the theme is strongly encouraged but not required.

Follow the collaborators on social media:

  • BGSA – @bgsa.uw (Instagram)
  • BSU – @uwseattlebsu (Instagram), @UWSeattleBSU (Twitter), @UWSBSU (Facebook)
  • Decriminalize UW – @DecrimUW (Twitter)

EPIC is Hiring – Postdoc Positions Available!

Empowering Prevention and Inclusive Communities (EPIC) is hiring for two Postdoc Training Specialist Positions! Postdoc Training Specialists focus on working with the UW Postdoctoral Scholar community and will build on the EPIC program that was originally developed in 2018-2019. The Training Specialist role is between a 20-40% FTE position. You can apply on UW Hires (UW Requisition #204931).

The EPIC program is an innovative peer-to-peer harassment prevention training program jointly run between our union and the university, and is a major win from recent ASE and Postdoc contract campaigns. Training Specialists will have the opportunity to work with a team to develop, implement, and evaluate the EPIC program, which includes information regarding sexual harassment, discrimination, intersectional power dynamics, bystander intervention strategies, response options, UW policies and procedures, and union rights. If you have questions, reach out to any of the current training specialists at epicprogram@uw.edu.

#LiberateLeah

Leah Eggleson is a 22-years-young mother of two children, daughter, sister, friend, and survivor of domestic violence and sexual abuse from Snohomish County, Washington. She is facing 20-to-life for defending herself against domestic abuse and her trial starts on 04/19. See below for more information and how to help, including sharing on social media:

Friday is Earth Day

The theme this year is Invest In Our Planet, and Earth Day is focused on solving the climate crisis, restoring nature, and creating a prosperous, sustainable and equitable future. Check out the official website for many ways to participate and take action.

Labor has a long history of supporting environmental policy, and the UAW was an integral supporter of the very first Earth Day. Now, UAW 4121’s Climate Justice Work Group works to advance climate, racial, and environmental justice policies at the UW, and on city, county and state levels. The Work Group is involved with policies like the City of Seattle Green New Deal, collaborates with groups including the Climate Alliance for Jobs & Clean Energy and the Blue Green Alliance, and helps build support for local divestment campaigns. Contact climatejustice@uaw4121.org to get involved!

Seattle’s Green New Deal Oversight Board (which includes UAW 4121 Board Member Emily Myers) is developing recommendations for the Mayor and City Council on how to spend a percentage of money raised by the City’s new payroll tax. You can add your input by taking this online survey by April 27th to help shape how Seattle moves forward with Green New Deal policies and programs. Survey link: https://seattle.surveymonkey.com/r/TBM75V6

Covid Resource Round-Up

In Solidarity,
Douglas Avella-Castro
Julia Ball
Nicholas Bolten
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