RE: Research Strike Preparation
Dear Colleagues,
Recently, the UC received an official notice from the United Auto Workers (UAW) that four bargaining units it represents (Academic Student Employees, Academic Researchers, Postdoctoral Scholars, and Graduate Student Researchers) intend to strike starting Monday, November 14, 2022. The notice did not include a strike end date; therefore, the strike’s duration (if it occurs) is unknown.
Information about the strike’s potential impact is also unknown. Consequently, researchers should consider the following points when preparing and/or modifying their research continuity plans:
Review and/or modify your research continuity plans.
- All research labs, programs, facilities, and operations should have developed these as part of UCI’s phased approach in addressing the SARS-COV2/COVID-19 pandemic. Consider whether such plans consider a scenario where most research personnel (e.g., GSRs, postdocs, and professional researchers) are not available.
- For research involving animals, plants, cell lines, and other valuable research assets, prepare an alternative plan for their care and maintenance. In addition, safeguard critical data assets by backing them up, as well as ensuring their accessibility and security. For research labs that care for their own animals, please contact ULAR to discuss potential animal care support.
- Continue to follow all safety procedures and postpone experiments if minimal staffing requirements to ensure safety cannot be met.
- During a strike, campus community members and visitors to UCI may prefer to work or attend campus events remotely. Consider this when planning research-related activities and events, including postponing such activities and events or offering hybrid options.
- Check in now with shared research resources and facilities to learn about their continuity plans. Shared facilities and resources at UCI and other campus may be short staffed during a strike; therefore, be aware of local situations before traveling to and conducting research at other campuses.
- Consider the possibility that progress on research projects may be delayed. If you have questions about progress on sponsored research, contact Sponsored Projects Administration.
UCI Continuity Support Committee
For questions – especially those which school or departmental resources may not be able to address or resolve – please contact the Continuity Support Committee at continuity@uci.edu.
Pramod Khargonekar, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Research
Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science