Student Researchers United-UAW

Student Researchers United-UAW (SRU-UAW) was a union representing student researchers at the University of California (UC). It was part of the United Auto Workers.^[1] The union was composed of more than 17,000 people who work across 10 UC campuses and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.^[2] They were the largest 2021 addition to the UAW, accounting for 0.1% of union members in the US, and, according to organizers, were "the largest academic student employee union in US history."^[3][4][5] The union later joined UAW 2865 and ceased to be an independent entity.^[6]

Research assistants were not considered employees in California until the passage of state legislation from Nancy Skinner, SB 201, in 2017.^[7][8][9] The UC opposed this legislation.^[10] Planning for the union began in early 2020.^[7]

To advocate for the union, organizers submitted more than 10,000 union authorization cards to California's Public Employers Relations Board and gathered more than 5,000 signatures from student researchers on a resolution in support of union recognition.^[1][3] In October 2021, a group of congresspeople that included a majority of the California congressional delegation and was led by Katie Porter sent a letter to Michael V. Drake, president of the UC, in support of the union.^[11] A group of 49 state legislators led by Buffy Wicks sent a similar letter on November 18, 2021.^[4][12][8] In November 2021, a majority of student workers voted to strike.^[13] The University of California recognized the union in December 2021.^[2]

SRU-UAW members were among the 36,500 academic workers who participated in a strike authorization vote that concluded on November 2, 2022, with more than 97% approving.^[14] The strike began on November 14 and ended December 23 with 69% of SRU-UAW voting to ratify their first contract.^[15][16]

The joint council (comprising executive board members of UAW Locals 2865 and 5810) voted for SRU-UAW to adjoin UAW Local 2865, forming one local with a single bargaining unit for all graduate student workers, a group that includes teaching assistants, tutors, readers, graduate student researchers, trainees, and fellows.^[17]