Click here for a PDF version of this bulletin
Wednesday was another joyful day of picketing on central and north campuses. In pickets organized by department, grads in Political Science, English, Classics, History, Comparative Literature, Earth and Environmental Sciences, SEAS, Physics, Statistics, Astronomy, Anthropology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Math, American Culture, and History of Art showed up in force. The SEAS picket, attended by over 40 members, marched through the Dana Building, where SEAS is located. According to Brian, a SEAS student, “Admin said they won’t retaliate against us but the next day we started seeing emails requesting scabs. Hiring scabs IS retaliation! We want to make sure they know we know.”
Management was completely unprepared at the bargaining table, coming without a single counter to pass across. The session was such a waste of time that the state mediator recommended canceling Thursday’s session to give management time to come up with something serious.
At a celebratory GMM, members overwhelmingly voted to extend the strike for at least another week. Not a single worker spoke against extending the strike. The meeting ended in celebration, as grads belted out Solidarity Forever and chanted “Strike! Strike! Strike!”
Department Picket Dispatches
Josh, Philosophy
“I’m on the picket today because every grad worker, regardless of their department or their degree program deserves a living wage. The ability to participate in graduate school should not be predicated on family or generational wealth. If the university is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, they need to step up and put their money where their mouth is.”
Hannah, Molecular and Developmental Biology
“I’m here in solidarity with my coworkers. That grads are expected to live on $24,000 is just not tolerable. Not all of our proposals directly impact me, but I’m out on the picket line because there are people in this union who will be directly impacted when we win a strong contract, and that is worth it.”
Hot Labor Summer: Fun in the Sun on Friday
Undergrads and fellow grads, join graduate workers this Friday on the Diag at 12 PM to ring in Hot Labor Summer with a Strike Party and Teach-In! There will be tamales, BBQ, music and more. Go to to shape the teach in. Continue to sign up for picket shifts at
Comments are closed