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Grad workers won a massive victory in court on Monday, with Judge Carol Kuhnke denying the boss’ request for an injunction. UM’s attorneys – some of the same that blocked the investigation into the Flint, MI water crisis – asked the judge for an injunction. In doing so, they joined the long and repressive history of labor injunctions and unjust judicial intimidation that reaches back to the 19th century. By proving that forcing workers back on the job through an injunction is an unwarranted abuse of the legal system, our victory is a victory for all working people in Michigan, who now know they can strike without fear of being enjoined.
When the University admitted to being unable to produce more than a single undergraduate willing to testify against striking grad workers, the University’s legal counsel compared the strike to domestic violence, claiming that students were too intimidated to testify. As grad workers’ legal counsel told the court, “comparing a strike by hard working people to domestic violence is truly reprehensible”. Of course, we know that the University is struggling to produce undergraduate witnesses because undergrads largely support our strike (with huge majorities voting in the CSG referenda to support our demands for a living wage and an unarmed response program), as they know our working conditions are their learning conditions. According to Garima Singh, co-chair of GEO’s Feminist Caucus, “it is repulsive that the boss would compare our strike to domestic violence while rejecting our proposals to protect workers experiencing harassment.”
One witness for the University emphasized the importance of grade deadlines to the University’s functioning. He argued that grade submission was more important than even instruction – giving grads a big hint about where our power lies.
Celebrations Outside Court
Throughout the day, hundreds of grad workers picketed outside the court, defending ourselves and our right to strike. Workers’ chants of, ‘without our labor you can’t function, we’re not scared of your injunction’ were audible inside the courtroom. Passing cars and buses honked and passersby shouted in solidarity. Grad workers know the real power is in our collective action. Linda, a lecturer from Stamps, was one the lines today and told us “I’m here because I support unions. My union saved my job. My union got me healthcare and a living wage. GEO deserves the same. Without unions, workers don’t have anything. It’s only when we all speak up that the most vulnerable are protected.”
After hearing news of the ruling, grads celebrated outside the courthouse and all the way back to the Diag. Dozens of us marched through Nickels Arcade singing Solidarity Forever and cheering. The mood was exuberant. As Prayag, a PhD candidate in Statistics noted, “the boss fired their best shot at us and they missed!”
The Fight Continues: Pickets + Wednesday GMM
GEO members will come together to decide how to move forward at a general membership meeting on Wednesday, 4/12, at 7pm. We have the wind at our backs, now it’s time to bring it home. Sign up for picket shifts at
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