UC Student Workers Union

UC Student-Workers Union-UAW 4811:

The UC Student Workers Union is one of the biggest and first formed unions for grad student workers in the country! It represents 19,000 graduate and undergraduate student instructors, readers, graders and tutors across the UC System. Up until recently, postdocs/academic researchers and student workers were in two separate unions, Local 5810 and Local 2865, but they're now amalgamated into one big union - Local 4811. They do everything from mediating conflicts over working conditions for grad students to negotiating the contract for GSIs with the campus, and much much more.

Know your rights

Whether you're a student instructor, researcher, grader, or tutor, you have rights under the current UC contract, and can report violations. Check out links to the Contract, a summary of your contract rights, and a link for filing a workplace issue (this can help you get in touch with the most relevant Union resources and contacts). 

Become a member

All of the union's wins happen because a majority of student workers choose to become dues-paying union members. You can learn more and join the majority here!

Get involved

If you're looking to get more involved, ESPM elects union representatives but always welcomes more union reps. Being a union rep involves doing the contract enforcement training, and being a contact person for the GSA and for your fellow students when questions and issues around work conditions and compensation arise. You can also get involved with the union by attending monthly membership meetings or working on subcommittees (like the all-campus organizing committee). Look out for emails about their Organizing 101 training in your inbox, or reach out to union leadership for more information on how to get involved in organizing. 

** Note: if you experience any UC Path related issues, please report them HERE! An official system-wide grievance is underway and the more cases they have (delays, miscalculations, etc.) the better. 

Current union leadership in ESPM includes Felipe Montealegre-Mora (felimomo [at] berkeley.edu) and Kieren Rudge (kieren.rudge [at] berkeley.edu). Past leadership includes Kenzo Esquivel (kesquivel [at] berkeley.edu), Jessica Heiges (jessicaheiges [at] berkeley.edu), and Rachel Weinberg (rachel.weinberg [at] berkeley.edu). Contact us with any questions or issues no matter what your work status is!