San Francisco

“I am a Graduate Student Researcher in Bioengineering at UCSF studying transcriptional dysregulation in cancer. In conversations with my co-workers, I’ve heard so many incredible ideas about how to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion at the UCs. Forming a union gives us the power to decide and vote on our own working conditions. I look forward to the day where we, as Student Researchers, can negotiate with the university as equals to make graduate research more inclusive!” – Kate Crawford

“I am a Graduate Student Researcher in computational biology at UCSF studying neurodevelopmental disorders in the Willsey lab. Put simply, I believe in the power of unions. To me, organizing with my co-workers and winning workplace democracy will not only ensure that we are protected as workers but also will help cultivate transformational spaces where we grow as Student Researchers and as members of our communities. Unions have been at the heart of some of the greatest social movements and I’m excited to organize with my co-workers to bargain for major improvements at UC!” – Hasan Alkhairo

“I’m a graduate student in Neuroscience at UCSF, currently completing my rotations. When I first heard about student organizing efforts across the UC, I was unfamiliar with the concept and logistics behind unions. However, I’ve rapidly grown to be a believer in the power and potential of a union to enable Student Researchers to feel safe, respected, included, and have influence in their workplace, and am honored to work with so many motivated individuals seeking change and a say in our community.” – Deanna Necula

“My name is Miriam and I am a graduate student in Biomedical Informatics at UCSF developing statistical methods to better analyze microbiome data. Just like in any microbiome, no worker ever works alone and only through collective efforts can actually build something new. As a student worker in the UC, I belong to a very large and dynamic system that I as an individual have little power over. By joining my co-workers across the state we have the power to build equitable environments for all UC student workers. I am excited to band together with my fellow students to hold bad actors accountable and support all of those that need it the very most.” – Miriam Goldman

“I am a Graduate Student Researcher in Chemical Biology at UCSF, currently studying novel cancer therapeutics. Although we are students, being a Graduate Student Researcher is very much a work environment. As workers, we all deserve to be treated with equity and fairness at the laboratory, department, and institutional level. I believe that a union would be a democratic way to ensure every researcher is protected, understood, and properly cared for. This is the only way to increase retention and representation of minorities in STEM such as women, BIPOCs, the LGBTQIA+ community, and all diverse intersectional groups.” – Audrey Kishishita

“I’m Adam, a Graduate Student Researcher in the Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics graduate program at UCSF. My thesis work explores neural circuitry in the context of the endocannabinoid system. For the amount of work that’s expected from us Student Researchers, it’s quite shocking how little control we have over our workplace conditions. There has been a surprising amount of times throughout my PhD career where my peers and I have been frustrated at the way UC administration handled our concerns regarding wages, mental health, sexual harassment, discrimination, and racial injustice, to name a few. Forming a union will give us a voice to implement much needed change to our community on all fronts.” – Adam Melgoza

“I’m a Student Researcher in the Tetrad program at UCSF and the first in my family to break through the walls of higher education. Educational accessibility must fundamentally be grounded in an ability to advocate for ourselves (with real power) against barriers to our success. Student Researchers need living wages to pay for food & rent, safety from harassment and discrimination, access to adequate mental health services, and safe conditions amid UC’s disorganized institutional response to the global pandemic. I’ve seen in my time at UCSF that Student Researchers from marginalized backgrounds are especially vulnerable to exploitation and silencing. Unionizing will empower student researchers with more control over our rights to representation, compensation, and advocacy as a critical step toward achieving equity.” – Jesslyn Park

“I’m a Graduate Student Researcher in the Biomedical Sciences program at UCSF. It’s almost widely accepted that graduate students will break down in their work environment from the stresses they face, including financial strain, exploitation, harassment, and inadequate mental health resources. We need a real voice and real power to be seen on an equal level, rather than as subordinates, to fight for our own well-being. Unionizing will give us the power to be our own advocates when others will not.” – Jackson Gardner

“I’m a Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics graduate student at UCSF. Unionizing will allow Student Researchers to advocate directly for ourselves and our peers. It will empower us to make sure changes to better support mental health, DEI, Title IX, and multiple other anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-ablist efforts are truly enacted. The collective power SRs gain through forming a union will help protect and support people who don’t currently have a voice.” – Whitney Tamaki

“I’m a Graduate Student Researcher in the Tetrad program at UCSF. When I first heard of Student Researchers organizing to form a union, I was unfamiliar with the concept and I had some hesitations. However, after becoming involved with the movement, I believe in the strength of organizing to have a say in our working conditions as Student Researchers with real power. It is remarkable that other institutions have unions for Student Researchers, yet UC is lagging behind. We are workers and deserve to be treated as equals when demanding effective change from UC. I have supported and participated in many efforts to improve diversity, equity and inclusion policies at UCSF, and I believe forming a union is a way to make long lasting change for Student Researchers.” – Harold Marin