Dear Friend --
The massive statewide strike of
48,000 academic workers at the University of California began Monday,
with strong support from DSA and YDSA. Academic workers
are scraping by, facing the East Bay’s steep rents, lack of job
security, and zero support for working parents. And the corporate elites who make up the UC
Regents want to keep it that way, insisting these workers should feel
honored to be exploited by such a prestigious university. But the
strike’s message is simple: academic workers are workers, and they
deserve a dignified life, with living wage and childcare benefits.
Stand
with UC workers - sign up to join us at the strike
>>
Friend, we’re your East Bay Labor Solidarity co-chairs,
Richard, Medb and Maddy Grace, and we’ve been on the line this week.
Here’s what we saw!
1. Socialists are out in force. At least 60 East Bay DSA comrades turned
out in solidarity on the UC Berkeley picket lines in just the first
two days of the strike, joining our Cal YDSA comrades, and many more
of our members among the striking workers. And Bernie raised his voice
in support of the UAW workers, as well.
Our presence has bolstered the
spirits of these workers, who are just getting started on what could
be a prolonged struggle. And we have been buoyed and transformed by
the experience of fighting in solidarity alongside our sisters and
brothers for demands that unite us as members of California’s working
class.
Sather Gate on Monday. Unaffordable housing is a major focal
point of the strike.
These workers need our support to
force the largest landlord in California – the corporate-embedded UC Regents — to
take on the housing affordability crisis. That will take strong picket
lines. This is an open-ended
strike, and we’ll be there
Monday through Friday, 8 am till 5 pm, for as long as it takes to win.
Sign
up to join us!
2. Solidarity is fun!
On Monday, the strike kicked off with large, spirited picket
lines at 8 locations across campus (find them on this
map). The pickets converged in a huge noontime rally at Sproul
Plaza reminiscent of the Free Speech Movement back in 1964. As
socialists, we felt right at home joining thousands of academic
workers and supporters in singing “Solidarity Forever.”
East Bay DSA and Cal YDSA comrades at Sproul Plaza on
Monday.
Tuesday’s pickets coalesced in a
noontime March that nearly encircled the entire campus. And we had a
lot of fun! Lines featured speak outs, teach-ins, live music and even
salsa dancing lessons and bagpipes.
3. Union members in other industries have got the academic
workers’ backs. Yesterday, at
the crack of dawn, East Bay DSA members, including several who are
also UAW workers, joined over 40 union members to convince building
trades workers to shut down a construction site.
On Wednesday, carpenters,
electricians and laborers agreed to honor the picket line at a large
construction site on the northside of campus.
Meanwhile, UPS Teamsters have
officially sanctioned the strike, and a constant cacophony of cars and
trucks honk in solidarity throughout the day.
This is the largest strike in the country since
2019. Be part of this
historic uprising against austerity and privatization in public
education. Sign
up and join us on the picket line
soon!
In solidarity,
Maddy Grace W, Medb G and Richard
M
East Bay Labor
Solidarity
(a subcommittee of East Bay DSA’s
Labor Committee)
Read more about UAW’s demands and the importance of this
strike in East
Bay Majority.
