• Students and Workers Rally to Save Jobs and Education
    Students and workers rally to save jobs and education, February 19 2010.
  • Organizing for change at MTSU
    MTSU union members discuss campus concerns with State Senator Jim Tracy
  • Political Action
    UCW Members in Memphis meet with State Representative Barbara Cooper
  • Our Voice at the Legislature
    UCW-CWA members from across Tennessee during 2010 Lobby Day

United Campus Workers unites Tennessee's higher education staff and faculty into a strong voice to address critical issues we face. Our mission is to advance and defend the interests of all Tennessee higher education staff and faculty, as well as promoting solidarity, democracy, and advancing social and economic justice in our workplaces and in our communities.

Join our movement!

Get informed about where the candidates stand on higher education issues!

Layoffs at the UTHSC

Sun, 08/15/2010 - 9:30am

Layoffs began at the UT Health Science Center (UTHSC) in Memphis last Wednesday, August 11, 2010.  The UTHSC has chosen not to use stimulus funds to save jobs and has instead chosen this very negative path.

Check out union leader Michelle Burrell, who is one of the terminated employees, speak out about this injustice and what UCW's demands are for rectification in the following video.  Additionally, below the video is a letter sent from the union to UT President Jan Simek and UTHSC Chancellor Steve Schwab.

UCW-CWA Update: August 2, 2010

Mon, 08/02/2010 - 12:27pm

In this issue:

State Budget Passed- Includes "Workload Stipend"

Wed, 06/09/2010 - 1:37pm

Last Thursday night the State Senate passed a budget (30-3), and the State House followed suit on Friday afternoon (94-0).

Even though we did not cause this "great recession," working and middle class folks have certainly borne the brunt of its hard times. And as the recession continues, another year has come without a pay raise and hundreds of higher education workers face layoffs between now and when federal stimulus monies run out in June 2011. Despite these very difficult circumstances, our union has been able to force real progress this year

Public workers need an equal dollar service payment!

Wed, 05/19/2010 - 9:29am

Already public workers and desperately needed programs have taken drastic cutbacks. Our state's teachers, higher education staff and faculty, and state agency employees have borne the brunt of Tennessee's state revenue crisis. Higher ed workers are facing additional layoffs at UTHSC in Memphis, at community colleges like Roane State, with more job cuts threatened for hundreds maybe thousands next year.

In the face of all of this we have done the only thing we can: stand together and fight back. In these last few days of the 2010 General Assembly we have real opportunities for our campaign to win major victories. One of the key fights will be winning passage of an equal dollar one-time payment to all public workers.

UCW-CWA to Nashville: Workers didn't cause this crisis, cuts to workers won't fix it!

Sun, 04/18/2010 - 5:42pm

Media outlets are reporting that state legislators and Governor Bredesen are considering a pay cut of 5% for all state employees, including staff and faculty at Tennessee's public universities, colleges and technical schools. Many of the details of the proposals remain unknown at this hour. The Governor offered the pay reduction as the alternative to closing a sales tax loophole on large ticket items over $3,200 (such as jewelry, fur coats, top-end furniture, large business purchases, etc.).

UCW-CWA adamantly opposes this pay cut proposal. Public workers did not cause this crisis and further pay reductions to working- and middle-class higher education employees, teachers and other public employees will not provide lasting solutions. Go to http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/stopthesalarycuts to send an email to legislators about this issue.

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