UW Workers on strike

June 10, 2023

On Wednesday, thousands of postdocs and research scientists / engineers at the University of Washington struck citing unfair labor practices by UW management. I joined them on Thursday and briefly on Friday. Solidarity was in the air. When I arrived at 15th and Steven’s Way, I could instantly feel the power these workers were showing. These two bargaining units, like the Educational Student Employees at Western, had affiliated with UAW 4121 and as such were sporting the iconic “UAW // ON STRIKE // UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE” picket sign. We’ve all seen photos of picket lines, but seeing that teeming mass of picket signs in-person left me awestruck.