As the ongoing strike continues, all WOAW-UAW members participating in the strike face consequences highlighted by the college in an email addressed to all WOAW-UAW members by Chief Human Resources Officer Carolyn Slaboden.
One immediate consequence for striking faculty is the withholding of payment. The College stated, “All faculty members will have their pay withheld for any days not worked during the strike.”
Additionally, any bargaining unit member who does not participate in the strike must complete an attestation form for every day worked to receive payment. However, the College clarified that bargaining unit members on leave for parental, medical, administrative, or professional reasons will not have their pay withheld. However, this protection will be annulled if the strike is extended.
Beyond pay, striking faculty who are J-1, H-1B and E-3 visa holders face consequences regarding visa extensions and adjustments while their visa status will not be immediately jeopardized.
Foreign nationals working in the United States on J-1, H-1B or E-3 status will not have their status revoked due to a strike, or by participating in a strike, wrote Slaboden in an email to the Union members.
Participating in a strike does not automatically lead to a loss of immigration status. During a strike, employers must suspend Labor Condition Applications, thus affecting the filings of new petitions and visa applications. While current employment status is not revoked, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may deny petitions to extend or change these statuses during an ongoing strike.
It is unclear to the News how many striking faculty members are on these visas and petitioning to extend or change their visa status.
In response, striking faculty members believed that the College’s communication regarding visa status could serve more as a deterrent than a neutral clarification.
“We’re in a climate where people who are on visas are being targeted by ICE and are facing deportation,” said Anne Brubaker, Senior Lecturer in the Writing Program. “Rather than communicating that, apart from our efforts to strike, the College has only communicated broadly about seemingly to deter or threaten people regarding their participation in the strike,” she said.
Another faculty member, Jacquelin Woodford, Lecturer in Chemistry, echoed these concerns, stating, “We announced our strike 10 days ago, and it seems clear that they’ve been prepping for it based on the number of communications they sent out today. And so they could have sent out an earlier communication to be more helpful towards our bargaining unit employees who are on visa.”
As the strike and negotiations continue, striking faculty members could face rising legal and financial risks.
As the strike and negotiations continue, striking faculty members could face rising legal and financial risks.
The News has reached out to the College with a request for comment.
Contact the editors responsible for this story: Sazma Sarwar and Valida Pau
