Dear Colleagues,
As you may have heard, members of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 4811, which represents four bargaining units of UC academic appointees – graduate student employees (Graduate Student Researchers and Academic Student Employees), postdocs, and academic researchers – voted to authorize a work stoppage (strike). This strike violates the no-strike clauses in the current bargaining agreements between the UAW and the University of California. You can find the latest University of California information on the strike online, including a high-level FAQ. We do not know at this time if the UAW Executive Board will call for a UC-wide or local (at UC San Diego) strike. The duration of a strike, if the UAW calls for one, is unknown.
UC San Diego will do everything it can to ensure the continuity of learning and research during this time, but we anticipate that some undergraduate, graduate, and research activities may be impacted. Currently, there are no plans to change class schedules, office hours or campus services. UC San Diego will provide additional information, including links to campus messaging and an online FAQ, in the coming days.
UC San Diego respects the rights of represented employees to engage in protected concerted activity, including the right to engage in lawful strikes. Supervisory and managerial employees should refrain from interfering with an employee’s rights to engage in protected union activity. Interference includes, but is not limited to, asking them about their union activity, including whether they intend to strike. It is permissible to ask employees if they plan on working or being absent (but not if they will be on strike) so that continuity of operations can be maintained. If you have any questions about what you can or cannot say to represented employees, please contact the Office of Labor Relations.
Recording Time
It is essential that departments accurately record employee absences. Both authorized and unauthorized absences, including those absences when work is withheld as part of a strike or protest, need to be recorded in Ecotime. In addition to reporting absences (also called “leave reporting”), please note that accurate effort reporting on sponsored research awards is a federal and university requirement; personnel expenses may only be charged to sponsored research awards for work actually performed.
All supervisors have access to Ecotime and should view and approve or disapprove leaves for their employees. If you are a PI with Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs), postdocs, and/or academic researchers, you are a supervisor. If you are an Instructor on Record (IOR) with Academic Student Employees (ASEs, e.g., TA, tutor, or reader), you are also a supervisor. It is important as a supervisor to properly record all absences of your employees. Instructors of Record and Principal Investigators should contact their Office of Labor Relations or Academic Personnel if they have questions.
Continuation of Academic Activity
While the strike is ongoing, class sessions, examinations, and other academic activities should continue and the university expects that all students will complete their academic work. We understand that this situation is extremely challenging. We greatly appreciate your resiliency and dedication to student learning during this time.
While one must prepare for potential absences in the event of a UAW strike, Instructors of Record should not survey or communicate with ASEs concerning their intention to participate or not participate in a strike. All that may be asked is whether employees are planning to be at work on specific dates.
Research Continuity
In the spirit of promoting successful research continuity, please be mindful of the following federal requirements:
- Principal Investigators are required to ensure that effort reporting on sponsored project activity is accurate and verified. Employees are required to accurately record their time worked on sponsored projects via the Ecotime system; supervisors are required to approve reported time worked.
- Accurate effort reporting on sponsored research awards is a federal and university requirement; personnel expenses may only be charged to sponsored research awards for work actually performed. Principal Investigators have primary responsibility for financial management and control of project funds in accordance with University and sponsor policies and procedures. This includes ensuring accurate reporting of hours worked and wages charged to sponsored agreements.
- Principal investigators (PIs) and research group leads should make plans now for alternate workflows to be prepared in the event that Graduate Student Researchers, Postdoctoral Scholars, and Academic Researchers do not appear at scheduled work times.
- Research facilities do not need to cease operations, but may need to adjust workflow if work stoppages occur.
- While one must prepare for potential absences in the event of a UAW strike, Principal Investigators should not survey or communicate with GSRs, Postdocs, and Academic Researchers concerning their intention to participate or not participate in a strike. All that may be asked is whether employees are planning to be at work on specific dates.
In Closing
The UC San Diego Principles of Community remind us to maintain the fairness, cooperation, and professionalism that will foster the best possible working and learning environment, even in times of disagreement. Triton academics, staff, and students are expected to practice these principles in all of their endeavors.
UC San Diego affirms each individual's right to dignity and freedom of expression. We are committed to sustaining a climate that supports our common academic mission.
We will continue to provide information via Campus Notices and plan to share information on a university webpage in the coming days. Thank you for your commitment to the scholarly and educational mission of UC San Diego. We appreciate your flexibility during these circumstances.
