United Auto Workers 2865

The joint-council, a body of elected officers from the United Auto Workers 2865, or UAW 2865 union, voted unanimously to merge with the Student Researchers United, or SRU union, at their meeting on Sunday. 

Tensions simmered following the University of California’s “final” offer on wages to UAW 2865 and SRU’s bargaining teams last Friday. 

Working as a graduate student at UC Berkeley, one of the top public research institutions in the world, can seem like a dream. Yet, for some, that dream can be tarnished when faced with the reality of campus working conditions amidst the costs of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities. 

While a few celebrated the Feb. 28 lifting of the mask mandate, many others argued that it is still necessary.

About 40 members and supporters of the UC Student-Workers Union, or United Auto Workers Local 2865, convened in the campus Graduate Division of Sproul Hall to protest against low wages in light of ongoing contract negotiations between the union and UC administration.

14,000 university student research assistants do not have the same right to collective bargaining as other student employees, including teaching assistants, readers and tutors.