Coalition-building for labor actions in life sciences departments: lessons from the largest academic strike in history

Aspen A. Ellis; Jessie N. Beck; Elizabeth A. Howard; Ando L. Rabearisoa; Louise M. Alissa; Serena Barasi; Roxanne S. Beltran; Giacomo Bernardi; Kathryn Bernier; Melissa R. Cronin; Nicolas Cruz; Iris Flores; Francis D. Gerraty; Laura Goetz; Julia G. Harencar; Kristy J. Kroeker; Carolyn M. Kurle; Edith Y. Lai; Razi Lederman-Beach; Nikka J. Malakooti; Sarah E. Mason; Maya M. Mcelfish; Madeline Mcnelis; Megan M. Molinari; Cara M. O. Munro; Emily C. Nazario; Allison R. Payne; Sushmita Poudel; Milagros Guadalupe Rivera; Madeline Slimp; Nikita M. Sridhar; Bernie R. Tershy; Georgia M. Third; Kate A. Uckele; Florencia O. Vilches; Benjamin J. Walker; Van Wishingrad; Eric C. Witte; Mallarie E. Yeager; Jordann K. Young; Kelly M. Zilliacus; Donald A. Croll

doi:10.1093/biosci/biae123

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Coalition-building for labor actions in life sciences departments: lessons from the largest academic strike in history

Journal article

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Coalition-building for labor actions in life sciences departments: lessons from the largest academic strike in history

Aspen A. Ellis, Jessie N. Beck, Elizabeth A. Howard, Ando L. Rabearisoa, Louise M. Alissa, Serena Barasi, Roxanne S. Beltran, Giacomo Bernardi, Kathryn Bernier, Melissa R. Cronin, …

Bioscience, Vol.75(2), pp.152-162

03/06/2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae123

Abstract

Biology

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics

Science & Technology

In life sciences graduate programs in the United States, efforts are underway to address barriers to academic success-namely, using interventions targeted at addressing inclusivity and diversity concerns. However, graduate students are typically simultaneously workers for their institutions, where they face workplace challenges such as low wages, inadequate benefits, and vulnerability to harassment and abuse. These challenges may disproportionately affect workers with excluded identities and are thereby barriers to diversity and equity. In recent years, graduate student unionization has expanded. The outcomes of these movements may improve pay, benefits, and working conditions for graduate workers; however, labor organizing presents numerous challenges in academic environments. We reflect on our experiences in a life sciences department at the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 2022 during the largest graduate labor strike to date. We summarize the challenges and discuss successful interventions, including communication strategies for cross-stage coalition building at the departmental level.

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Title: Coalition-building for labor actions in life sciences departments: lessons from the largest academic strike in history
Creators: Aspen A. Ellis - University of California, Santa Cruz
Jessie N. Beck - Univ Calif Santa Cruz, Dept Ecol & Evolutionary Biol, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
Elizabeth A. Howard - University of California, Santa Cruz
Ando L. Rabearisoa - University of California, Santa Cruz
Louise M. Alissa - University of California, Santa Cruz
Serena Barasi - University of California, Santa Cruz
Roxanne S. Beltran - University of California, Santa Cruz
Giacomo Bernardi - University of California, Santa Cruz
Kathryn Bernier - University of California, Santa Cruz
Melissa R. Cronin - Marine Conservation Institute
Nicolas Cruz - Univ Calif Santa Cruz, Dept Ecol & Evolutionary Biol, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
Iris Flores - University of California, Santa Cruz
Francis D. Gerraty - University of California, Santa Cruz
Laura Goetz - Univ Calif Santa Cruz, Dept Ecol & Evolutionary Biol, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
Julia G. Harencar - University of California, Santa Cruz
Kristy J. Kroeker - University of California, Santa Cruz
Carolyn M. Kurle - University of California San Diego
Edith Y. Lai - University of California, Santa Cruz
Razi Lederman-Beach - University of California, Santa Cruz
Nikka J. Malakooti - University of California, Santa Cruz
Sarah E. Mason - Univ Calif Santa Cruz, Sociol Dept, Santa Cruz, CA USA
Maya M. Mcelfish - University of California, Santa Cruz
Madeline Mcnelis - University of California, Santa Cruz
Megan M. Molinari - Univ Calif Santa Cruz, Dept Ecol & Evolutionary Biol, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
Cara M. O. Munro - University of California, Santa Cruz
Emily C. Nazario - University of California, Santa Cruz
Allison R. Payne - University of California, Santa Cruz
Sushmita Poudel - University of California, Santa Cruz
Milagros Guadalupe Rivera - Univ Calif Santa Cruz, Dept Ecol & Evolutionary Biol, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
Madeline Slimp - University of California, Santa Cruz
Nikita M. Sridhar - University of California, Santa Cruz
Bernie R. Tershy - University of California, Santa Cruz
Georgia M. Third - University of California, Santa Cruz
Kate A. Uckele - University of California, Santa Cruz
Florencia O. Vilches - University of California, Santa Cruz
Benjamin J. Walker - Univ Calif Santa Cruz, Dept Ecol & Evolutionary Biol, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
Van Wishingrad - University of California, Santa Cruz
Eric C. Witte - University of California, Santa Cruz
Mallarie E. Yeager - University of California, Santa Cruz
Jordann K. Young - Univ Calif Santa Cruz, Dept Ecol & Evolutionary Biol, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
Kelly M. Zilliacus - University of California, Santa Cruz
Donald A. Croll - University of California, Santa Cruz
Publication Details: Bioscience, Vol.75(2), pp.152-162
Publisher: Oxford Univ Press
Number of pages: 11
Grant note: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship; Alfred P. Sloan Foundation FG-2024-21891 / Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Academic Unit: Department of Fisheries Oceanography
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae123
Record Identifier: 9914519213001301

Coalition-building for labor actions in life sciences departments: lessons from the largest academic strike in history

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