UAW Resolution to support strike!

At tonight's UAW membership meeting, membership passed a resolution calling on the bargaining team to call a strike. In February, membership overwhelmingly approved a strike, but the bargaining team still has to call it for it to be official. So, the resolution below does not mean there will definitely BE a UAW endorsed strike, but it does mean that there is a strong mandate from rank and file! I am sure regardless there will be many ASE's on the picket lines Monday! Also, if you are an undergrad, ASE, or other worker, we encourage you to call the UAW office and tell them you want them to call a strike May 3rd for smaller class sizes, wage increases for TAs and RAs, re-hiring of lay-ed off tutors and writing center employees, and childcare for ASE's. Their number is (206) 633-6080 and you can also e-mail the bargaining team at uaw4121@uaw4121.org. See resolution below:

Resolution of UAW local 4121 membership calling on the bargaining committee to call a strike.
04.28.10

Whereas UAW Local 4121 and the University of Washington have been in bargaining for two months without reaching a new collective bargaining agreement;

Whereas the University of Washington has the financial resources to resolve this labor dispute while making improvements to the benefits and compensation of UAW 4121 members;

Whereas the University of Washington’s corporate benefits administrators have made profits off of UAW 4121 members by agreeing to inflated health insurance premiums in order to receive kickbacks from the health insurance carrier;

Whereas the University of Washington’s top administration payroll has only increased as vulnerable workers, such as UAW 4121 members, have been forced to shoulder the burden of budget cuts;

Whereas the Student Worker Coalition at the University of Washington has called on a strike on May 3 after the expiation of the current UAW 4121 collective bargaining agreement with the University of Washington;

Whereas the lead bargainer for the University of Washington, Lou Pisano, circulated an email calling on management to retaliate against employees participating in job actions; thereby directly attempting to silence the membership;

Whereas other campus unions, including SEIU 925 and WFSE 1488, have already passed resolutions in support of a UAW 4121 strike.

Be it resolved that the membership of UAW 4121 calls on the bargaining committee to exercise the authority granted by the membership by a vote of 90% on February 26th, 2010 to call a strike if an agreement cannot be reached with the University of Washington;

Further, the membership urges the bargaining committee to seek strike sanctions from the Martin Luther King, Jr. County Labor Council, increase grassroots efforts to organize for a strike, and continue to reach out to other local unions for support.