UAW 2865 Irvine, the union which represents TAs, research assistants, readers, tutors, and other academic workers has decided to go on one-day strike on Thursday, April 3, 2014 in response to a number of unfair labor practices on the part of the university during contract negotiations.

WHEREAS,

UAW 2865 has been bargaining a new contract with the university over the past year.  Within that context, the university has committed a number of unfair labor practices.  In the current round of contract negotiations, management has repeatedly mis-characterized issues such as TA/student ratios and the 18 quarter rule (which bars graduate students from receiving more than 18 quarters of teaching assignments) as subjects that they are not required to bargain over in order to avoid bargaining responsibility. These issues directly affect working conditions and management is in violation of labor law by not treating them as subjects of bargaining. They also affect the quality of our education; in order to maintain an effective learning environment for undergraduate students, management has an obligation to all students to bargain on these issues.

WHEREAS,

The university has engaged in the unlawful intimidation of student workers, suppressing their right to organize together to address issues in the workplace free of undue interference.  Across the UCs, this interference has taken the form of the police filming academic workers’ peaceful collective activities, misleading emails from administration officials, and misinformation that threatened international students for engaging in legal political activity.  At Irvine, specifically, the police have filmed legal protests and the graduate division has sent emails to student workers saying they were responsible for avoiding “disruption” of classes.  These events have led student workers to decide that they have no choice but to withhold their labor.

Let it be resolved that ASUCI stands with student workers in demanding that management bargain in good faith over the aforementioned issues;

Let it further be resolved, that it is strongly urged that ASUCI executive officers not hold any meetings with administration on this day, due to pledged support for UAW and other workers;  

Let it be further resolved, that it is strongly urged that ASUCI conduct all business necessary on April 3 at the UAW strike at the flagpoles;

Let it finally be resolved, that the ASUCI Executive Vice President strongly urges release of a statement on ASUCI media to communicate this stance. Moreover, ASUCI urges all students to support the student workers’ union strike.