From work email 2/8/22:
Good evening everyone,
First of all, we want to thank you all for your making our rally on Monday a success! We had a wonderful turnout in support of open negotiations and a 40 percent wage increase. Faculty from all three colleges gave powerful words on our working conditions. We were moved by the show of solidarity from our union siblings WFSE 304 and AFT SPS 5550, as well as solidarity from labor organizers from the community. Monday was a powerful showing of what the rank-and-file can do when we are organized. Our demands are achievable when we work together!
Today was also the first negotiations meeting. At the time of writing this, approximately 42 people rank-and-file members had tried to enter the negotiations on Zoom and were kept out by administration. This blatant show of disrespect for a democratic process was frustrating, but not surprising. An open negotiations process gives the rank-and-file and our negotiations team the leverage we need to fight for a thriving wage. The admin knows how powerful we are, and we must continue to organize a collective push from below until the bargaining room is open to us all, without invitation!
Our next RAF meeting will be Friday, February 18th from 3-5 pm. We will debrief on the rally, the first negotiations session, and figure out next steps to continue the push for an open bargaining process and a thriving wage. We will send out the Zoom link and an agenda next week.
We, rank-and-file academic workers, showed admin this week that we are organized, and ready to fight for transparency and a thriving wage. Join us on the 18th so we can continue the push for open negotiations and a 40 percent raise!
Solidarity,
Your rank-and-file colleagues