January 12, 2021
Academic employees have advocated for the rights of parents at UC for years, and Postdocs and Teaching Assistants haveeven won significant paid parental leave time, safe lactation spaces, and childcare reimbursements through their union contracts.
Right now, UC is considering a systemwide policy to expand paid parental and family
leave, but part-time employees do not qualify. That means all Student Researchers, typically working at 50% appointments or less, would be unable to participate in the proposed paid family leave program. Let’s change that – click here to send a comment to UC during the open comment period ending February 8th.
By forming a union, Student Researchers can negotiate for paid leave, but our position will be greatly increased if UC includes us now in its paid parental leave program, and if we can push the University to make that program better than it is currently proposing. Members of UAW 5810 (the union of Postdocs at UC) and UAW 2865 (the union of TAs) are writing letters to UC admin demanding that UC:
- Expand leave with pay: Instead of partial pay for a limited period (8 weeks at 70%), enable academic employees to receive full pay for the entire period of pregnancy, disability, parental bonding, and family care leaves;
- Make paid leave available to all academic employees: Allow academic appointees to take leave without regard to the appointment percentage or the length of their employment at UC;
- Allow flexible use: Paid family leave should be available in any interval and duration to help parents balance work and family responsibilities.
Click here to send an email to UC now – it just takes a minute!
It’s clear UC will not really respect the work of Student Researchers until we form our own union: reply to this email to help with the effort of forming this new union! You can also attend the town hall on this issue organized jointly by UAW 2865 and UAW 5810. RSVP here.
In solidarity,
Claudia Avila
UC Riverside
Environmental Sciences
PS – if you’re a parent and you sometimes work as a TA, check out your rights under the TA union contract for paid parental leaves, a child care reimbursement program, and safe and accessible lactation spaces (Article 20 Section D) at work.