United Student Labor (USL) is an independent, UCSB student-run labor union that is committed to improving the working conditions of TAs, RAs, Readers and Tutors through democratic representation. We recognize that our working conditions are also our learning conditions, and the learning conditions of our students. We believe that, given the necessary information, graduate students can effectively participate in shaping a better working and learning environment.

We teach 60% of all the class hours taught at the University of California. In addition to being graduate students we are clearly employees. The administration of the University of California has steadfastly refused to recognize this fact. Even the meager pay, health benefits, and fee waivers that we have today were only given up by the University as a direct result of TA strikes that have been going on since 1989. And none of the few employee benefits we have today are protected by a contract. They can be taken away from us at any time.

By representing TAs, RAs, Readers and Tutors collectively, United Student Labor will be able to address a wide range of workplace issues that affect all graduate students at one time or another. We recognize that our working conditions vary across campus, but for many graduate students some or all of the following issues are vital to our survival:

• protection from discrimination on race, gender, sexuality, ability, age or national origin.
• pay rate, how many teaching positions we get per year, and for how many years.
• work load, including the hours we work and the number of students in our sections.
• better health benefits and coverage for our dependents.
• the amount of tuition we pay, our fee offsets and waivers.
• the unfair distribution of teaching jobs within and between departments.
• the exploitation of student researchers here on student visas.
• unfair academic sanctions that result from the exploitation of student employees.

In order for us to simultaneously survive, make reasonable academic progress toward our degrees, and provide the quality education our students deserve, we must have reasonable job security, health benefits, protection from exploitation and a fair work load. We must have a labor union.

USL was formed by graduate students in April 1999 as a democratic alternative to affiliation with an international union. USL advocates local control of workplace issues and contract negotiations. Unlike the international unions, USL believes that graduate students must be active and informed participants in the decision-making processes that affect their lives, including the negotiation of their labor contract with UC.

In contrast to the stated position of our current bargaining agent, the UAW, United Student Labor does not support "fair share" or mandatory union dues for all graduate students. We believe that union fees should be voluntary, paid only by students who choose to be union members.

United Student Labor, in sharp contrast to the UAW, believes that discrimination IS a labor issue. Your union should act to protect you from discrimination based on race, gender, sexuality, age, ability, or national origin. We believe any contract negotiated should include grievance procedures to protect you from discrimination by your employer.

United Student Labor, again in contrast to the UAW, believes that the membership of each campus must retain the right to strike and will not negotiate away that right in exchange for concessions from the University.

Yes, but UCSB graduates currently have no elected representatives in the negotiations, and the UAW does not recognize our right to elect our own representatives. Our elected representatives have repeatedly been barred from observing the negotiations by UAW staff. UAW negotiators have gone so far as to have elected student representatives arrested and removed from the system-wide negotiations. So far students have received very little substantive information about the bargaining process. It is not even clear if we will be able to review or vote on the contract before it goes into effect. The UAW has effectively closed the contract negotiations to the people they concern most: you, the academic student employee.

All students should be aware that a ratified contract will affect all student academic employees and undergraduates for the length of the contract, which could be as long as five years. USL members encourage all UCSB student academic employees to demand that your elected student representatives be included in negotiation of any contract that will affect your working conditions. Demand to see the full text of your labor contract before it is ratified. Demand time to review and discuss how the contract will affect you. And demand that a fair, well-publicized contract ratification vote take place on your campus before any contract is put into effect.

Actually, our most effective organizing efforts so far have depended more on our own grass roots tactics and not the UAW’s attorneys. It wasn’t until we organized our own strike, and walked out together, that the University started to bargain with us. Our collective action brought the University to the table. Our own collective solidarity alone will win us a contract that adequately and accurately addresses our unique workplace issues. And we already have one labor union on this campus, the clerical workers (CUE), that broke away from a bigger union and became an independent union.

Labor contracts between Universities and their student employees are not new. We have many examples to draw from, on this campus and around the nation. In addition, several organizations and a variety of resources are available to assist students in the negotiation of their own contracts (see our web site). In fact, student employees are the only logical choice for negotiating a contract because only we know our working conditions.

Isn't ASE/UAW the exclusive bargaining agent for TAs, Teaching Associates, Readers, and Tutors at UCSB?

It is. The UAW was elected as our exclusive bargaining agent on June 4, 1999 in a very narrow vote that was not very well publicized. Out of 1,000 graduates eligible to vote only 184 voted for the UAW and 130 voted for no union at all. No other option was presented to members.

Moreover, for some years now the actions of the UAW staff in charge of the UC campaign have undermined and trampled on the decisions made by UCSB student academic employees and their elected representatives (For a recent example, see ASE/UAW Bargaining Committee Resignation letter at www.gsa.ucsb.edu). We believe that the UAW has violated our trust and no longer has the right to represent us.

The entire elected UCSB bargaining committee resigned on Monday, October 25, 1999 in protest over the UAW's handling of system-wide negotiations. As of this time, the UAW has continued to negotiate our labor contract with the University without any elected student representation.

Unless an independent union like United Student Labor files a petition for recognition the UAW will remain our exclusive bargaining representative for the duration of their contract with the UC.

If ASE/UAW is the exclusive bargaining agent for UCSB, how can USL become the exclusive bargaining agent for UCSB student workers?

If there is no contract is signed between the UAW and the UC, and if thirty percent of UCSB’s student academic employees sign the petition for another election, USL can file the petition with the Public Employees Relation Board and force another election for union representation. At that election, UCSB student workers would have a choice between no union, ASE/UAW, or USL. (For more details on the procedures, you can call PERB at 415-439-6940 or go to its website http://www.perb.ca.gov/).

What happens if a ASE/UAW contract is ratified at UCSB before June?

USL members will then have to wait until the contract runs out. That means the ratification of a three-year contract, for example, would delay a new union election at UCSB for three years.

What is this business about the UAW announcing another strike?

It seems the UAW would like UCSB student employees to authorize another strike. However, this time it is not about gaining recognition for the basic rights of student workers. This strike would be to force the University to negotiate on the UAW’s terms. This strike is about the stalled contract negotiations between the UAW negotiators and the University administration. Negotiations that we have systematically been excluded from participating in.

We are not allowed to know the terms of the contract being negotiated on our behalf. We don’t know what the UAW is asking for on our behalf or what the University has offered. For us to agree to go on strike for a contract we know so little about is akin to signing a blank check to the UAW.

Will I be charged a mandatory union fee? Are fair share fees legal?

A new law makes "fair share" or mandatory union fees legal in California. It is up to individual unions to decide on charging them. Unlike the UAW, USL’s constitution specifically disallows fair share fees, or any assessments on graduate students that are not members of the union. USL members pay only $25 a year or $10 a quarter. Your dues are used to keep academic student employees informed about the vital workplace issues that affect us all. Your dues support things like printing The Phoenix newsletter, printing posters, and the USL website.

- email your questions to United Student Labor at usl_ucsb@hotmail.com

- visit our website at http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/usl/.

- contact your USL department steward.

- attend a USL meeting and talk to other graduates concerned about the same issues.

- become a USL member. Members receive notices about union activities and news updates.

- call the Public Employment Relations Board at 415-439-6940 or go to http://www.perb.ca.gov/.

To join USL all you need to do is get a USL membership card, either from your department steward or any other USL member. Fill it out, sign it, and hand it back to a USL member. You can also get a membership card by emailing us at usl_ucsb@hotmail.com or by visiting our website at http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/usl/.