Student Researchers United-UAW

Student researcher union in California

SRU-UAW

Student Researchers United–United Auto Workers

Merged into| UAW Local 2865 (November 2023; 1 year ago (2023-11))
Formation| 2021; 4 years ago (2021)

Region

| California

Parent organization

| United Auto Workers
Website| https://studentresearchersunited.org/

Student Researchers United-UAW (SRU-UAW) was a union organizing drive of student researchers at the University of California (UC). It was part of the United Auto Workers.[1] The campaign 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 campaign joined UAW Local 2865 in 2023 and ceased to be an independent entity.[6]

## History

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### Beginnings

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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]

### 2021

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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]

### 2022

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Main article: 2022 University of California academic workers' strike

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]

### 2023

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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]

## References

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1. ^ a b "Thousands of Student Researchers Are Unionizing". Teen Vogue. 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
2. ^ a b "University Of California Recognizes Graduate Student Researchers' Union". LAist. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
3. ^ a b Banks, Jess; Akhtar, Ahmed (2021-12-17). "How the Largest Union Fight of 2021 Was Won". ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
4. ^ a b Howard, Phoebe Wall. "UAW grows by 17,000 academic workers in California after threat to strike UC". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
5. ^ "17,000 University of California Researchers Could Soon Win a Union". jacobinmag.com. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
6. ^ https://dailybruin.com/2023/02/28/student-researchers-united-merges-with-united-auto-workers-local-2865
7. ^ a b "Amid pandemic disruptions, grad students push to unionize". www.science.org. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
8. ^ a b Madsen, Julie (2021-11-23). "10K UC student researchers authorize a strike to recognize their union". The Daily Californian. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
9. ^ Liu, Nicholas (2021-12-31). "UC Student Researchers Union Gains Recognition". The Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
10. ^ "Beyond Bruin Walk: California must do more to support employee unions, labor-friendly laws". Daily Bruin. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
11. ^ Hanshaw, Annelise (2021-12-14). "University of California recognizes Student Researchers United". Santa Barbara News-Press. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
12. ^ "UC Student Researchers Threaten To Strike If Union Goes Unrecognized". LAist. 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
13. ^ "Recognition strike: UC student researchers favor walk out". Capitol Weekly. 2021-12-07. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
14. ^ Miller, Maya (November 2, 2022). "Thousands of UC researchers, teaching assistants authorize strike across 10 campuses". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
15. ^ Toohey, Grace; Lin, Summer; San Román, Gabriel (November 14, 2022). "UC officials call for mediator as strike by 48,000 academic workers causes systemwide disruptions". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
16. ^ "UAW ratifies contracts for graduate student workers, ends historic UC-wide strike". Daily Bruin. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
17. ^ "Unit Modification FAQ". UAW 2865. Retrieved 2024-01-27.