Ok listen, I understand that PIs especially are worried about funding students at living wages. Its a lot! Where will it come from?? But: 1- We literally need it. To live. Living wage. To live. Like, food, rent, jacket… 2- UC has an investment portfolio of 152 BILLION.

Uh oh UC those pink shirts are on the march at UCLA again. ⁦@uaw2865⁩ ⁦UAW 2865 - UCLA⁩ @uaw5810 ⁦Student Researchers United-UAW⁩ #fairUCnow #STRIKE

Doxxing and bullying our bargaining team is messed up. Misleading people and telling them all PhD students agree with a strike that goes on perpetually where we make no concessions to the UC is ridiculous. You don’t speak for me at least. 1/3

Shame on the Provost and President for trying to threaten faculty salaries to pressure us to pick up struck labor. We are lawfully protected in honoring the ethically-initiated strike. The more solidarity we show, the sooner these exploitative practices will end. #FairUCNow

No, it is not fair. And this is why we keep fighting 💪🏽 #ucstrike #fairucnow #uawstrike

The imagery of the struggling graduate student is vivid; it’s easy to forget the humans behind the folklore. One cannot sustain strong academic contributions if they are living out of their car, foregoing meals to feed their children, or spending their hours fighting for access.

Cost of living is $54,000 in Irvine alone. When the UC continues to keep their grad students rent-burdened, they are going against all their supposed DEI promises. I do NOT feel comfortable encouraging any minoritized students from attending grad school if this is how its like.

The UC offer is detached from reality. They hide behind the complexity of the contract & our different circumstances as a group of workers but their impossible math is clear from the simplest & most easily quantifiable angle: rent versus salary.

6,000 dollars for the summer from my program at UCLA (not guaranteed after first year either). 2,000 a month. That’s 72.1% of my paycheck going to rent. I live in grad student housing. #FairUCNow

Looks to me there is room to reallocate funds to meet the demands of the academic workers

UC pitches their proposed wage increases for academic workers as "highly competitive". But have you wondered what these wages would look like if increased by the same % over time as UC employers, including your boss? You can do this now using ucmywages.com 1/n

Academia is crumbling at its foundation, and the mass exodus that has been happening with trainees is a big flashing alarm bell that the ecosystem is collapsing. Maybe bc we treat the ecosystem like a hierarchy instead of an ecosystem. 4/n

GOOD MORNING BEVERLY HILLS! UC Regent Jay Sures runs a talent agency. You’d think he could find some more talented negotiators! #FairUCNow

REGENTS ROMP - Dec. 14 at UCLA Luskin Center! Join striking academic workers, faculty, undergraduates, labor allies, and Tom Morello to show the University of California Board of Regents that the demand for a fair contract is not going anywhere!

“My grief is immense. But it is surpassed by my gratitude for getting to know him, work with him and share in his contagious enthusiasm for science. We will really miss you, Peter,” said NUIN Dr. Lucas Pinto. bit.ly/3va0JUm

Heartbreaking turn of events. My condolences go out to his family, friends, and lab!

Contract Ratification Vote ends TODAY. 12pm: Deadline to request a ballot if you have not received one yet. 5 pm: Vote Closes.

i am begging freelancers and remote workers to consider working at the library instead of a cafe