VIDEO–GSRAs speak out: GSRAs are workers

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Hi, I’m Christie Toth and I’m a Graduate Student Research Assistant at the Sweetland Center for Writing at the University of Michigan.

I support GSRAs’ right to form a union because I believe research assistants are employees.  I love the work I do at Sweetland.  All the research I do there is related to improving writing instruction for undergraduate students at U of M, and I’m proud to be part of a great research team.  

However, the work that I do for my RA position is completely separate from my dissertation.  The argument that my work as a research assistant is indistinguishable from my progress as a graduate student simply isn’t accurate.  And the claim that I’m not a worker is disrespectful.  

GSRAs are workers and we have a right to vote on whether or not we want to form a union.  And it’s up to us to decide what we want to bargain for when we negotiate our first contract with the university.  I urge GSRAs to get involved: Share this video on facebook, like it on YouTube, and visit us at gsracampaign.org.