(Potential) Winter Strike News

From the Bruin: United Auto Workers Local 4811 demanded protections for immigrant workers, pay equity and pushback against federal funding cuts during negotiations with the UC beginning July 8. About 33,000 of the over 57,000 employees under UAW Local 4811, including academic student employees and graduate student researchers, are being represented in the ongoing negotiations. UAW Local 4811 is also representing nearly 5,000 student services and advising professionals in the determination of another bargaining unit contract – the first contract for the new group, which was recognized by the University in April.

There are five bargaining units under UAW Local 4811 – academic student employees, graduate student researchers, student services and advising professionals, postdoctoral scholars and academic researchers – three of which are being represented in the current negotiations. Once a new contract is determined, ASEs and GSRs will merge to simplify bargaining and implementation, according to a press release from the UC Office of the President. UAW Local 4811’s existing contract with the University will expire Jan. 1, with negotiations expected to run through the end of 2025...

Full story at https://dailybruin.com/2025/08/23/uaw-local-4811-pushes-for-immigrant-protections-pay-equity-in-uc-negotiations. 

A demand for "pushback against federal funding cuts" is complicated and ambiguous. If there is no deal between UC and the feds, many research assistants - supported by grants - will be out of work. As we have noted in addition, while the courts may well unfreeze existing grants, their ability to open the door to grant renewals and to new grants is more limited. Ultimately, it is the (past) expectation of ongoing funding that is critical. In complicated ways, funding for positions that are not directly supported by federal grants still depends on those grants, e.g., overhead on grants helps pay for general services.