Faculty in the Department of English write on the cusp of an authorized strike by our graduate instructors and other academic workers to affirm that we support graduate student instructors in their pursuit of a contract that includes a substantial increase in salaries and other matters. Our support is based on the recognition of graduate-student labor as foundational to the Department’s research and teaching mission. A fair contract for grad instructors is a step towards addressing structural inequalities that are undermining the public mission of the UC.

We call on the UC administration and the unions representing graduate students to continue to negotiate in good faith. We will be following the progress of negotiations and are prepared to consider additional actions.

As required by law, as a Department we will not penalize graduate students in any way for engaging in this authorized strike, nor will we endorse any disciplinary measures directed at graduate students who have participated in the strike. We will keep channels of communication open with all graduate students regardless of their involvement and participation in the strike.