As Universities Fold to Trump, This Union Is Still Fighting for International Students

"During its current contract bargaining process, the United Auto Workers Local 4811-the union that University of California academic student employees are eligible to join-has made protecting immigrants a top organizing priority. It's no wonder: as the Trump administration seeks to terminate student and work visas, international students represent around 40 percent of people in graduate programs across the UC system."

"When members of the UAW 4811 bargaining team met with university officials last August, the counterproposal was amenable to some of the union's terms, including agreements to not cooperate with or disclose worker information to federal immigration enforcement agencies, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement; providing job security for employees whose visas have been terminated; and establishing a legal fund of $750,000 for individuals seeking to reinstate their work authorization."

"For the union, protecting student activism and free speech has been essential. As UC Berkeley and UC San Diego fold under pressure from the federal government to target-and in some cases, prosecute-students involved in pro-Palestinian action, unions have shouldered the task of including free speech protections for international student workers' into contract language."

UAW Local 4811 prioritized protecting immigrant academic student employees during contract bargaining with the University of California. International students make up about 40 percent of graduate programs across the UC system and face risks from visa terminations. The union won tentative counterproposal agreements on noncooperation with federal immigration enforcement, job security for employees whose visas are terminated, and a $750,000 legal fund to help reinstate work authorization. Protecting student activism and free speech became central amid federal pressure on pro-Palestinian campus actions. Progress on finalizing international student protections has since stalled.

Read at The Nation