Dear Devan Desai,
We write, collectively, as representatives of UAW 2865, UC-AFT, and SCFA. Due to the UAW’s strike over UC’s unfair labor practices during contract negotiations, a significant amount of the labor required to complete Fall 2022 grade submission remains outstanding.
We wish to inform you that workers represented by our unions understand their rights and protections. Senate faculty members and lecturers have no obligation to volunteer to pick up labor struck by ASEs employed in their classes. Readers and teaching assistants in UAW 2865 enjoyed legal protections during their strike, and their appointments for the Fall Quarter terminated on December 14, while the strike was active.
Should the University require additional labor for the submission of any Fall 2022 grades, we expect that it will hire readers under the terms of the new contract, and/or hire lecturers at a rate consistent with their contract and negotiated between UC-AFT and the university administration. Further, given that departments were not responsible for the strike’s duration and/or resolution, we also expect this labor to be centrally funded. Finally, we ask that the administration communicate a process for accessing these funds as soon as possible, so that course sponsoring agencies can hire replacement workers, and so that instructors are not subjected to pressure to take on labor beyond their customary duties.
We are willing to meet to discuss this matter further.
Yours,
Jack Davies
Unit Chair, UAW 2865 at UC Santa Cruz
Joy Hagen and Emily Sinclair
Co-chairs, UC-AFT, Santa Cruz Chapter
Josh Brahinsky
UC-AFT Vice President for Organizing
Jessica Taft and Steve McKay
Co-chairs, Santa Cruz Faculty Association
cc:
EVC Lori Kletzer