September 9, 2021
Last week, UC refused to recognize SRU, claiming that Fellows and Trainees are not employees and don’t share a “community of interest” with other Student Researchers. The University tried to subvert the law by attempting to “recognize” only a portion of us. Legally, that was not an option. The workers, not the employer, decide who forms the union.
In response to the UC, the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) issued a letter clarifying that UC could not partially recognize SRU. From their letter:
“It appears that the University sought to recognize only part of UAW’s petitioned-for unit. This was not one of the choices available to the University….Because the University failed to recognize the petitioned-for unit, PERB must treat the University’s September 2, 2021 response as a denial of recognition.”
SRU also filed its own response to UC’s denial of recognition. The letter called on PERB to conduct a “Board Investigation” and promptly certify SRU as the Union for all the petitioned-for Student Researchers, including Fellows, and Trainees. While the University is delaying bargaining and denying Student Researchers’ collective bargaining rights, SRU/UAW is arguing that Fellows, Trainees, and GSRs are all employees and deserve the right to collectively bargain together. You can read more about SRU’s legal arguments and the UC’s legal arguments here
For more information about what all of this means, check out this FAQ.
The University is attempting to slow down the momentum Student Researchers have built to form a union and bargain a strong contract. Sign this petition telling UC to stop their delay and deny tactics!
Solidarity,
Rachel DeBarge
Graduate Student Researcher and NIH F31 Fellow
Biomedical Sciences, UCSF
P.S. Watch UCSF Fellow Elizabeth McCarthy describe her work as a GSR, Trainee, and Fellow at UC, in the same lab, doing the same work.