Join WOAW-UAW on Strike at Wellesley!
As of Thursday, March 27, the Wellesley Organized Academic Workers (WOAW-UAW) are on strike!
The non-tenure-track faculty at Wellesley College won their election to unionize with UAW last year, forming the Wellesley Organized Academic Workers (WOAW-UAW).
After nearly 100 hours of negotiations attended by 66% of the membership, 93% of members voting yes to authorize a strike, and over 300 supporters rallying at Wellesley, it's clear that striking is the only path left to win a fair contract in a timely manner.
How can I support WOAW-UAW members on strike?
Join WOAW-UAW members on the picket line starting tomorrow! Meet at 106 Central Street in Wellesley, MA, near public parking and the Wellesley Square commuter rail stop.
Call and email Wellesley College leadership—the Board of Trustees, President Paula Johnson, and Provost Courtney Coile—to urge them to return to the bargaining table and actually negotiate.
Donate to our mutual aid fund for those members who may need extra financial support if pay is docked during the strike.
For the latest updates, sign up for emails from WOAW-UAW and follow WOAW-UAW on Instagram and Twitter.
Why is WOAW-UAW striking?
Earlier this month, WOAW announced that if the College does not cease unlawful conduct and negotiate a fair contract by 11:59 PM today, they will go on strike on Thursday, March 27. The College is now forcing its workers to strike by refusing to bargain or schedule sessions until April 3.
The College’s stall tactics show they’re afraid of our union's power to win a strong contract—and they should be. A supermajority of our unit is striking. Over 70% of our tenure stream colleagues have publicly refused to cover our work. 550 students and counting have pledged not to go to scab classes, assuming they can even find instructors to cover our members' work.
We have already secured support from national political figures like Michigan Secretary of State (and Wellesley alum!) Jocelyn Benson and Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, and other elected officials have pledged to join us on the picket line. Hope to see you there!
In the News
- Wellesley News: WOAW to begin strike on Thursday (Mar. 25)
- Wellesley News: Wellesley’s administration is forcing students to pay for their own mistakes (Mar. 27)