And like a meteor that barely missed the Earth, the University of California and the United Auto Workers started negotiating again. Life on campus went on as usual, and you still had to go to class. As the UAW declared on its Web site at 10 a.m., the university made a “tentative agreement” with the UAW “for a ground-breaking new 4th contract for Academic Student Employees!”

The Clog enjoyed attempting to interpret the obscure smoke signals sent to us by both parties in this almost-strike–we take the exclamation point to mean it’s all over for good. Other details about the almost-strike remain annoyingly vague. We’re just happy that we tentatively get to see our hot GSIs this week.

UAW Local 2865 [Web site]
Workers’ Union File Charges; GSIs May Strike [Daily Cal]
Earlier: Sections May Be Canceled Starting Today

It looks like there may be an empty classroom coming to a section or lab near you, due to a graduate student instructor strike across the University of California. That is, unless you decide to help do something about it.

The Clog recently received an e-mail stemming from a Berkeley Ethnic Studies GSI named Irene Nexica, who is also a representative for United Auto Workers–the union for GSIs, tutors and readers. In the e-mail she explains:

UAW Local 2865, the union representing over 12,000 Graduate Student Instructors, and undergraduate/graduate Graders and Tutors at the University of California, has been negotiating for a new agreement with UC since March. The current contract expires this Sunday – September 30.

Apparently, “university administrators have committed numerous Unfair Labor Practices that have become a major barrier to reaching agreement on a fair contract,” which now leads to the threat of a UC-wide GSI strike. The e-mail continues with a list of what you can do to give a swift kick to the stalled negotiations, including calling Berkeley officials and writing all over school property with some suggested chalking slogans. We’ve already spied some of these chalkings on the planter benches of Lower Sproul Plaza:

SUPPORT YOUR GSI
CHANCELLOR Birgeneau: OBEY THE LAW
UC: OBEY THE LAW!
BARGAIN FAIRLY WITH GSIs

SUPPORT JUSTICE FOR GSIs, GRADERS AND TUTORS!
FAIR CONTRACT FOR MY TA NOW

Unfortunately, the scrawled slogans and other forms of word-of-mouth information are all the details about the strike that’s available right now. The official union website hasn’t had a bargaining update since the 27th, and the countdown to contract expiration is up. Still, the question of whether or not you’ll have to wake up for that 8 a.m. section has yet to be answered.

Fortunately, the e-mail also gives us some semi-useful tips on what to do if there is, in fact, a strike:

If there’s a strike, should students go to class?
Yes, go to lecture, go to section, talk to your classmates and encourage them to call the Chancellor as well. If the University’s continuing Unfair Labor Practices force the Union to strike, we encourage you to go on campus and seek the education you have paid for and deserve.

The university likes to take its sweet time, and the GSIs are fighting to pay rent–but yes, we undergrads are still paying tuition. We do support the underpaid GSIs and their desire to afford wholesome meals. However, it would have been nice if they were a little more certain about the “classes may be canceled” issue or if they actually notified all students. Right now, the strike is just looking like talk, and half of the student body still has no idea that its GSIs may be canceling class this week.

To both the university and the union: Thanks for letting us know!

Here’s to better communication and speedy negotiations.

UAW Local 2865 [Website]
GSI Strike [UCB LJ Community]
Earlier: Workers’ Union Files Charges; GSIs May Strike [Daily Cal]