Grad Student Strikes In The University of California System

The Final Straw Radio

This week, Scott spoke with Rebecca Gross and Robin, Teaching Assistants at University of California Santa Cruz and members of UAW 2865 at the uni, to get informed about the ongoing strike in the UC system for, among other things, a cost of living increase demand for grad student employees and TA’s.

• Transcript
• PDF (Unimposed)
• Zine (Imposed PDF)

The strike has extended throughout the UC system and picks up where the wildcat strikes of 2019 at that campus left off before the corona virus pandemic put so many things on hold. Similar strikes occurred earlier this year at Indiana University in Bloomington, are occurring in universities like New School in New York, as well as the system across the UK where the University College Union’s 70,000 members have voted to strike. These labor actions also touch on issues of housing affordability, tuition costs, as well as non-academic staff and employees. Check our show notes for links and social media to learn more or see how you can support or get involved.

• UC UAW Hardship fundraiser
• PayUsMoreUCSC.com
  • @PayMoreUCSC on twitter or instagram

Next week...

Next week, we hope to bring you an interview with someone involved in the UCU strikes planned across the so-called UK. Here's an article sent by a comrade from before the strike votes started.

Sean Swain segment

Just a correction to Sean's segment on Kevin "Rashid" Johnson, he split with the United Panther Movement and the New Afrikan Black Panther Party (Prison Chapter) to go on to co-found the Revolutionary Intercommunal Black Panther Party of which he's Minister of Defense. [ 00:57:37 - 01:05:14 ]

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Featured Tracks:

• To Hell With Poverty by Gang of Four from Another Day Another Dollar EP
• Fuck Society by Mac Quayle from Mr. Robot, Vol. 1