MEDIA ADVISORY: STUDENT STRIKE!

Interview on KUOW w/Mark Emmert, with key questions by UWSWC members!! http://kuow.org/program.php?id=19569

Already had coverage in PI, and check out KIRO Radio (97.3) Dave Ross Show archives for an interview that occurred today! Also, there has reportedly been coverage on King 5...

MORE!!: http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=292004

_____________________________________

MEDIA ADVISORY

For Immediate Release: Monday, March 1, 2010

Contact: UW Student Worker Coalition (UWstudentworkercoalition@gmail.com)

UW Students Strike to Defend Public Education

Seattle, WA- Since the first round of budget cuts and extreme tuition hikes last Spring, workers and students have been working together to fight the restructuring of the University that President Mark Emmert has called a “market-driven business model.” So far, this model has included unsafe working conditions, extra-work and layoffs for workers and larger class sizes, higher tuition, and less access to teaching assistants and writing tutors for undergraduates. The restructuring of the University has hit working students, students of color, and students with disabilities particularly hard, and also made access to the University more difficult for low income youth and youth of color, as well as those currently attending Seattle’s community colleges. UW currently educates about 40,000 students and is the third largest employer in the state of Washington.

In solidarity with the March 4th National Day of Action to Defend Public Education, the UW Student Worker Coalition (UWSWC), comprised of workers, students, and community members, is organizing a student strike to take place at 1PM on the quad, where many classes are held. This student strike was called in accordance with the general strikes called in California by AFSCME Local 444 and the San Francisco Labor Council. Many other unions and organizations across California have called for strikes or other actions. At UW, UAW Local 4121 (Academic Student Employees, such as TA’s and tutors), WFSE 1488 (mostly trades workers and custodians) and SEIU 925 (office and technical workers) have all endorsed the student strike and encouraged their members to attend the picket lines on their own time. Workers and students will stand together on picket lines in the quad, while For a Democratic University, a graduate student organization, keeps up displays and information sessions about the legacy of activism at UW, the significance of strikes, and the budget cuts at UW. In addition to UW workers and students, high school students from West Seattle, community college students, and other organized workers from around the city plan to attend the strike as well.

UW SWC’s demands include transparent and democratic budget allocation; cut from the top administrators with a salary cap of $150,000; no lay-offs; no speed-ups for workers; accessible public education especially for people of color, women, queer folks, and people with disabilities; a freeze on tuition; and to replace loans with grants for financial aid.

Who: Sponsor- UW Student Worker Coalition (UW SWC)

What: Student Strike, part of March 4th National Day of Action

When: Thursday, March 4th 1 PM

Where: University of Washington Campus, the Quad

For more information, contact UW SWC at uwstudentworkercoalition@gmail.com