Today was the 12th bargaining session for our successor RS contract. Management (finally) passed over several IMPORTANT initial and counter-proposals. Check out our bargaining portal for a comprehensive look at everything that was passed today.
Today’s big news: management made some movement to preserve protections based on medical condition, ethnic origin, political affiliation, and union membership. However, management continues to refuse to protect these characteristics from discrimination and harassment, proposing instead to protect them from “adverse and inequitable treatment”. They remain obstinately “not interested in adding caste”.
In the same breath, they also passed an initial proposal for compensation: 1% on April 1st next year, and 0% for the subsequent two years. This is hardly a way to value the work that made this university a top 3 public institution in the United States.
This compensation proposal is incredibly inequitable. 1% wouldn’t even keep up with the last 2 months of inflation in Seattle! It’s WAY below the 12% that our UC sibling union members won in their contracts earlier this year, and UC workers are funded by the same research grant sources. This was won by huge collective actions to exert their collective power.
Ready to build power to win equitable wages? Become a member today!
It’s our turn to similarly show up and flex our worker power at this Thursday’s Equity is Not Optional Rally! THE POWER TO MAKE CHANGES COMES FROM US!
To win powerful new protections and support for non-citizen colleagues, trans workers, and prohibit discrimination based on caste, attend and bring as many people as you can! Our power comes from our solidarity: showing up in massive numbers so Management cannot ignore our demands for a strong contract that ensures equity, inclusion, safety, and livability for all at UW.
If you can show up early to help with the day of events, just reply to this email with “I’m in!” Let’s demonstrate to the UW Administration that an injury to one is an injury to all, and the UW community will not just stand by.
In solidarity,
Your Bargaining Team
Gabriel Beuchat
Iván Cruz
Tess Grover
KeliAnne Hara-Hubbard
Evan Howard
Jessamy Johnson
Lucas O’Bryan
N. Shane Patrick
Gracy Shaw