We see it at USM, we see it at UC, professional, psychological, and physical intimidation of labor. Chop The Top. Unfair Labor Practices: UC administrators are barred under labor law from interfering with collective actions taken by workers, including petitioning managers, or, under certain circumstances, engaging in strikes. Last fall, on a number of occasions, representatives of UC management unlawfully interfered with graduate student workers’ rights to take collective action. We are experiencing a continued pattern of intimidation and threats. * Just in the past month UAW members in the UCSC Writing program were told by the department chair that if they participated in a planned strike, they would not work in that department again. • On November 20, UC student workers engaged in a one-day solidarity strike with service and health care workers represented by AFSCME 3299. In the days preceding the strike, management representatives sent misleading and intimidating emails to student workers in an attempt to discourage them from engaging in this protected strike. At UCLA, administrators sent an email warning international student workers that participation in the strike could result in the loss of their work visas, which allow them to remain in the country legally. At UC Irvine, graduate division sent emails to teaching assistants saying they were responsible for avoiding “disruption” of classes, while at UC Davis workers were informed (falsely) that participating in the strike was unlawful. At UC Berkeley, Vice Chancellor Breslauer sent an email encouraging deans and department chairs to inform graduate students that the strike was unlawful and that “they must meet their scheduled teaching responsibilities.” A number of chairs sent along this and other misleading emails designed to pressure UAW workers against striking. Our union has filed an charge with PERB over these incidents, and is awaiting a preliminary ruling. • On October 29, approximately 50 student workers at UC Berkeley gathered to deliver a letter, signed by 750 workers, to the Graduate Dean about student worker living and working conditions. When those assembled arrived at the Dean’s office, they were met with a locked door and a handful of police officers, who soon began filming those who gathered quietly outside of the Dean’s office. Labor law is very clear: it is unlawful for police officers working for employers to film protected activities undertaken by employees, such as delivering a letter. When police officers film employees, this has a chilling effect on the political activities of those filmed, who may fear retaliation on the job. Similarly, at UCSC members were filmed during the November 20th strike. Our union filed ULP charges with the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) and PERB issued an initial ruling stating that management’s acts do constitute an unfair labor practice. • UAW 2865 has also filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge over the UCs refusal to bargain with us over mandatory subjects of bargaining such as the growing intensity of labor caused by increased class sizes and the 18-quarter rule that is a condition of employment. This ULP is currently unresolved, as the UC has yet to provide a proposal to the union on these issues. • Finally, in the past weeks UC administrators have continued this pattern of intimidation, which has resulted in the filing of several new similar ULPs just this week.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 03:28:42 +0000
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