What’s the big picture?
Approval of labor unions is at its highest point since 1965. Graduate student worker unions are popping up at private universities all over the country; here is an inexhaustive list of recent wins that show us the power of organizing together!
See how other university graduate students organize!
2023 Wins
Only a few months into 2023 and we’re already seeing some MAJOR wins by graduate student workers at private universities!
“In those six elections [Yale, Northwestern, USC, Boston University, UChicago, and Johns Hopkins], 10,266 workers voted yes and only 665 no—94 percent in favor, representing bargaining units covering more than 19,000 workers.” — LaborNotes report
April
Syracuse University (SEIU Local 200) won their election by a 95.3% margin (728-36) (read more here)
March
University of Chicago (United Electrical Workers), won their election by a 92% margin (1,696-155) (read more here)
February
University of Southern California (United Auto Workers), won their election by a 93% margin (1,599-122) (read more here) after their historic five-week strike in 2022.
Johns Hopkins’ Teachers and Researchers United (United Electrical Workers) won their election by a 97% margin (2,053-67) (read more here)
January
Yale University's Graduate Employees and Students Organization, Local 33 of UNITE-HERE, won their election by a 91% margin (1,860-179) (read more here)
Northwestern University (United Electrical Workers) won their election by a 92.5% margin (1,644-114) (read more here)
Columbia — Grad workers won a contract after a 10-week strike that includes a pay bump from $15/hr to $21/hr!
2022 Wins
2022 has been a huge year for graduate student wins. Along with these victories have come much needed contract stipulations including: non-discrimination clauses, grievance procedures, and improved health care benefits. Check out a summary of just a few of these wins here.
December
Boston University (also affiliated with SEIU!) won their election by a 98% margin (1,414-28).
November
Graduate student workers in the University of California system gained national attention by organizing the largest higher-ed strike in our country’s history. (read more here)
September
Boston University — the Boston University Graduate Workers’ Union officially kicked off their NLRB card campaign!
August
Emory University — EmoryUnite! officially announced their NLRB card campaign!
July
Indiana — “In an enormous win for the IGWC-UE and step toward Union recognition, IU Bloomington Admin announced an increase to the minimum SAA pay and end to the mandatory fees, effective immediately.” (IGWC statement 1 Aug 2022)
April
MIT — Grad student workers won a resounding 2 to 1 victory to register their union!
Princeton –The graduate school voluntarily raised their stipends to roughly $40,000 a year, the school’s largest ever annual increase for grad student pay. This increase was in direct response to threats of a graduate student union drive.
Indiana — Initiated a 4-week strike for minimum pay increases and an end to mandatory fees.
March
Brown — The graduate union negotiated a stipend increase to $42,000!