By a margin of 2272 to 196, UAW Local 4121 members have overwhelmingly rejected the last contract offer that the UW Administration made on April 30th. It included:
- A 2% per year wage increase, but a major takeaway that would enable UW to impose any new fees or increase any existing fees (that would effectively negate any increases from wages)
- A refusal to make our health care plan fully trans-inclusive or improve mental health coverage
- No additional money for childcare assistance, despite massive increases in costs
While many of us have voiced support for the University’s willingness to accept our proposal to improve sexual harassment trainings, and to provide support for two 50% FTE positions to implement and coordinate a campus-wide program, these other terms are clearly unacceptable. The numbers speak for themselves: we need a better offer to ensure that Academic Student Employees can study and work at UW without having to worry about affording rent, food, and healthcare.
Associated Students of UW Support!
On Wednesday night the ASUW voted to pass a resolution in support of our bargaining demands! We’re grateful to the leadership of student government to express their solidarity with us, and to join the Graduate and Professional Student Senate in demonstrating their commitment to a contract for ASEs with fair terms.
UW Misinformation
We are disappointed to see that UW Administration has now published and circulated a document that is meant to justify their stance in bargaining, but misrepresents the facts. Please take a look at this document and our fact-checking response to it here, and be sure to share it with your colleagues so that everyone has the full facts about what is happening in bargaining and what the law says about striking.
Next Steps
We look forward to seeing whether the UW Administration provides us with acceptable proposals at our next bargaining session on May 8th, and remain ready and willing to reach agreement if a fair settlement is proposed. In the meantime, members across campus are rapidly organizing for a possible strike on May 15th. If you haven’t already, members of the bargaining committee are ready to help organize a meeting in your department to discuss what’s happening and plan additional actions if UW doesn’t reach a fair settlement. Email uaw4121@uaw4121.org if you’d like to have a bargaining committee member come to your department meeting! We will continue to post information as the process unfolds.
Please also join one of the following committees to help plan for the coming weeks!
- Communications Committee: Meeting Friday May 4, 10-11am (Research Commons Red A)
- Direct Actions Committee: Meeting Friday May 4, 12-2pm (Research Commons Red C)
- Strike Prep Committee: Meeting Friday May 4, 1:30-2:30 (room on campus TBD)
In Solidarity,
Theresa Aliwarga
Douglas Avella-Castro
Dianne Baumann
Andrea Canini
Anthony Castanza
Monica Cortes Viharo
Meg Drouhard
Kristen Garofali
Katya Kolesova
Dylan Mayer
Mandy McCourt
Kristin McCowan
Elizabeth Mills
David Parsons
Shua Sanchez
Maddie Smith
Sam Sumpter
Arash Tarkhan
Judy Twedt