Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
More than 7,000 research and public service professionals (RPSPs) across the University of California (UC) system announced on Tuesday that they have overwhelmingly voted to form a union with the UAW.
RPSP-UAW members are in good company: They’re joining the ranks of over 50,000 other UC workers who are already part of the UAW. These staff members, who perform essential work like administering grants and analyzing data, are organizing in the wake of ongoing federal attacks on higher education funding.
“As the Trump administration continues its assault on workers, it’s never been more important to join the movement of tens of thousands of higher education workers throughout the country who are standing up for social and economic justice at their jobs and in their communities,” said UAW Region 6 Director Mike Miller.
“Forming a union has never been more important with higher education under increasing attack,” said Deborah Ferguson-Fitch, a research administrator at UC San Francisco. “We are joining a movement of research and professional employees in UAW who have been at the forefront of fighting funding cuts and protecting jobs and values in higher education.”