#grad strike

[captain-lovelace]

The University of California grad student union and academic student researchers union has called a strike for next week (14th-18th) after an overwhelming majority of the 48000 of us voted yes on a strike authorization vote. We’re striking because the UC system has repeatedly refused to negotiate in good faith on things like increasing pay, international student equity, and childcare. Here are some responses the UC system has had to negotiations:

Please, if you can, reblog this and consider showing support for striking grad students and researchers on other social media as well! I know tumblr’s not necessarily an ideal forum for this kind of thing, but if we can get the word out even a little bit it’d be really helpful.

#Uc system #university of California #uc #strike #grad strike

[vakarians-babe]

After a historic 6 week strike, the Temple University Graduate Students Association - the first graduate worker union in Pennsylvania - has WON.

When we went out on January 31st, I don’t think any of us thought that we would end up here. This was a long and arduous process that could never have been accomplished without everyone involved—and I do mean everyone.

Numerous news outlets have been reporting throughout the whole strike, but I’d like to run through what, exactly, it is we’ve done.

After well over a year of negotiations (we went to the table in January of 2022 after the administration delayed responding to our RFIs for months) and more than a year without a contract (it expired on February 15, 2022), we were stuck with an administrative team whose position was, resolutely, “we are happy with the contract as it is.” Their belief was that teaching and research assistants, who facilitate—at a conservative estimate—approximately one-third of all instructional work here on campus were “not a core function of the university.” Pay was structured around a tier-based system that generated inequity as part of its structure which ultimately manifested as race and gender based wage gaps, and that pay averaged out between 19k and 20k for the majority of our bargaining unit. We had only five days of parental leave in the event of childbirth. To cover a single dependent on the dependent healthcare plan required an individual to spend approximately 30% of their paycheck. There had been no substantive raises or adjustments for the cost of living since our first contract as a union.

During the strike, Temple university cut our healthcare and revoked tuition remission, attempting to break us through punitive bills and threats. They quite literally threatened peoples’ lives in addition to their livelihoods. International students were threatened for daring to exercise the rights they have as visa holders to engage in protected concerted activity. They attempted to break our will and our organization.

They failed. We didn’t.

On Monday, voting on a second tentative agreement closed. The contract negotiations team and the executive board unanimously endorsed that TA. It passed at an overwhelming 98% vote among our members. That TA, which will now become our contract, did the following:

Eliminated the tier system completely

Brought our pay up to 24k at the beginning of our contract, reaching pay of 27k by its end in 2026

Introduced 25% dependent healthcare coverage which, in addition to the pay raises, lowers the burden of single dependent care to just about 18% of one’s paycheck instead of 30%

Increased parental leave to 21 days

While this contract is not the most perfect contract, it is one of the largest single contract wins in recent history. It signifies an incredible amount of organizing power and it opens the door for future negotiations that will make TUGSA even stronger.

But more importantly, this strike and this contract are incontrovertible proof that graduate worker unions can win. They are proof that we can do it, and that administrations cannot expect to silence us through retaliation. We are stronger than them.

The fight doesn’t end here. The union of graduate workers, faculty, postdocs and more at Rutgers University has passed their strike authorization vote. The graduate workers at Duke University are fighting for their right to be recognized as employees, and that fight will soon be passed up through the nation to challenge rulings made at the National Labor Relations Board. Graduate workers at other universities in Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia area are moving to unionize. TUGSA continues to organize—our next contract negotiations will begin in less than two and a half years. Now is the time to support graduate workers. We cannot backslide. We have to fight for each other, because when we fight, we win.

#tugsa #templeunionmade #temple university #grad worker strike #strike #labor rights

[ramshacklefey]

Universities: Why are our grad students so depressed and taking so long to finish their dissertations? Also universities: A $7,000/semester stipend (excluding the summer) is enough to live on for a year, right? Oh, and we'll be taking back about $1,000/semester to pay for uh... fees. No I know you got a tuition waiver, but y'know. There's all these fees. Ah, and another $1,000/semester because you have to have health insurance, which the university conveniently offers. By the way, you're going to be teaching a course by yourself, don't worry it'll look good on your CV later. Huh? Guidance on how to teach your own class? What do you need that for? Aren't you an expert in this field? Just be glad you're not an adjunct. They make about 1/2 what you do for each course they teach. Oh, and since this is a public university, we've actually made it illegal for grad students to form unions. Not that you'd have time to. And make sure you're getting stuff published, serving on committees, presenting at conferences, and making connections with other people in your field. You'll need it for getting a job later. Also it makes us look good and brings in a ton of funding which might even go to your professors' salaries. Also also universities: We've set up a mental health crisis center for our grad students uwu. Really though, you should be taking better care of yourselves. Don't you love your field? Aren't you doing this because you're passionate about your subject? Professors: You're getting a second job? I mean, ok, but you really should be focusing on your studies. Hiring committees: You took more than 6 years to finish your dissertation? Are you even serious about your work?

#academia #grad school #phd life #in fact i do love my field #that's neither here nor there #if we banded together with the adjuncts and went on strike we would literally shut down the university #which is probably why we're legally not allowed to form unions

[dreadfutures]

almost cried as my advisor introduced my talk and emphasized my dedication to science communication, community and coalition building, and broadening participation in stem alongside all my scientific achievements 😭 kept a brave face but I'm crying now tho

#personal #hes just an old gruff middle aged white ohio guy and not pc at all but this matters to him and he knew it mattered y #to me and gave me all the space to do it in my time here #when we first ever ever met we talked about my magazine and i havent published anything new since grad school and figured everyone forgot #but he remembered!!! #like oh my god i just #his not very pc thing is he actively shits on the social media activist bs so many of my colleagues perform this performative allyship #it gives them all these public kudos without ever lifting a finger #where were they during tbr strike where were they in the focus groups where were they in the letter writing #where were they in tbe classroom of the fundraisers or the REU programs or the outreach #nowhere #snd they get all the awards but im doing the work thanklessly bc i love my community and the kids and undergrads and junior scientists #and he gave me such a lovely moment of being seen in front of my whole department for all my work

[simply-irritable]

Nov 14, 2022.

Academic Workers at UCSD on strike.

#academic #SRU #uaw #strike #unicersity of California #san diego #ucsd #unions #grad school #California

[clonerightsagenda]

Really I feel like the core comedy of this au is hard to relate to unless you had a similar experience to me because the joke is that my student government acted like everything they did was part of a life or death, good versus evil battle for the soul of a small nation. Which, I mean, their health insurance was on the line, so I get it. But I once sat through a 3 hour student government meeting where we got so buried in levels of resolutions that they had to look up Robert's rules to see how to get out of them, and it never occurred to any of the officers to just Not do that. The undergrad government had to pass a resolution to declare that the current month was actually a different month, for procedural reasons. Roy and co. are taking this campaign 100% as seriously as they take planning a military coup in canon.

#fma college au #the number of sga scandals when I was at uni alone was unreal #this is not even getting into the union drive and hunger strike going on simultaneously #I am not going to make jokes about those though #I can make jokes about grad student council arguing for 45 minutes over gender

[halchron]

figured i should make this post before i forget but i start back to school next week ! my classes aren't until the afternoon / evening so i should still be active, but i wanted to let y'all know in any case

#✧ ━ ooc. #I was actually supposed to start back today but my teachers are striking lmao #so i have another week of freedom lol #also my classes are only monday to wednesday but I'll no doubt have some assignments before long so yeah #back in the bullshit but this is my last like. actual semester of grad classes before I have to work on my final project so that's good

[the-everqueen]

PINS

#two coco themed pins for fun #enamel pins #strike gently #these both feel very relevant to #la guard dog #also got one that says ''it gets worse before it gets worse'' which IS how grad school feels sorry but it's true #also tw i guess for the accidental blurry shot of my toes #for 6k a month you can get hi-def pics

[etudiantfantome]

"More than 87% of University and College Union (UCU) members at the south London institution voted for strike action in a ballot with a turnout of 69%, as well as backing action short of a strike, such as a boycott on marking papers and submissions.

The ballot is in response to what the union described as “extraordinary cuts” under consultation that would lead to almost half the academics in the schools of arts and humanities, culture and society, professional studies, and science technology being axed, representing a cut of 91.5 from 262.9 full-time staff members, and one in six academics at the institution."

#academia #university #strike #studyblr #gradblr #litblr #grad student #grad school #travail

[fitzroycontent]

Listening to grad ep 6 this is the episode where they get married (when they form thunderman llc)

#when you hear the lightning strike #coming over the mountains #what’s that noise #you better hide your #children. and your #BARN animals #taz #taz grad #taz graduation #taz g

[inthenight-inthedark]

Just FYI: 48,000 grad students, post-doctoral fellows, and academic researchers across the 10 UC campuses are currently on strike for fair bargaining practices, marking the largest academic strike in history.

This strike is incredibly important for setting a precedent. I have seen first hand how overworked and underfunded my colleagues are; they are the backbone of the university and the academic system as a whole. They deserve better, and I am in full support of their efforts

Images caption: UCSF grad students take to the literal streets, hang banners from buildings, at the Mission Bay Campus

Image source: Personal images (I am supporting my colleagues by maintaining experiments in the lab)

Images caption: Berkeley students rush the Chancellor’s office and president’s office in Oakland during week three of the UAW strike

Image source: my partner, unnamed for privacy, on strike at UC Berkeley

Spread the word, and be sure to donate to the cause if you can

#grad students #university of California #academia #academia critical #uc system #union power #uawonstrike #uaw #California #uc strike

[pokemontwink]

#pokemon #pikachu #united auto workers #california #workers on strike #strike #striking workers #electric types #workers rights #labor rights #labor unions #Pokémon sv #ucla #1u #FairUCNow #higher education #phd life #grad student #comrade Pikachu #golden state of mind

[dionysus-complex]

.

#we're now 3 weeks into our strike and i get the feeling things are just beginning #and it has me thinking very seriously about my future in this field and the academy as a whole #like to be clear i fully intend to finish this program if i can and i still want my phd #but this university system has effectively told tens of thousands of us to go fuck ourselves and that we're not worth a living wage #and that's not something that can ever be taken back. i will always feel a deep sense of bitterness toward this institution after this #i will never feel proud to have a degree from this institution in any sense except as a reflection of my own labor and research #and i'm lucky in that my department has been fairly good about standing in solidarity with us. but if i feel like this now #what does it mean months from now? or years from now? and how can i get a degree and go back into the same exploitative system? #i don't want to leave i've given this place so much of my time and labor and taught so many wonderful students and california is my home now #but fuck man. i didn't expect the disgust i feel with my institution to hit this personally. #thoughts from a grad student on strike

[coccolithophore]

MY ECONOMICS FINAL GOT CANCELLED

#the grad student strike meant my prof didnt have any TAs to grade so he just gave up lmao i love my life thank u activisits #kiwi.txt #fish school

[the-saucy-wave-equation]

starting to get a little bit stressed about going on strike on Monday

#aaah #UC grad students and TAs and researchers are going on strike Monday #and UC sent out a bitchy email about it this afternoon #we'll see what happens #i signed up for the picket line so we'll see how that goes #i'm kinda hoping i wont have to picket but dammit i'll do it if i have to