Graduate Student Union Contract Ratification

On Thursday, March 25, Graduate Students United - United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (GSU-UE) informed us that a majority of their members who voted in their ratification election voted to ratify their first collective bargaining agreement with the University of Chicago.

The agreement covers the graduate students enrolled in degree programs who are employed to provide instructional or research services in the College; Divinity School; Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice; Division of the Social Sciences; Division of the Humanities; Division of the Biological Sciences; Division of the Physical Sciences; Booth School of Business; Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy; Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering; and the Law School, which held an election last week in which eligible students voted to join the union.

Among other enhancements, the agreement provides PhD students with competitive annual funding, clarity regarding their assignments required to receive funding, and the ability to teach beyond what is required if they wish. The agreement also provides for time off from covered obligations and the creation of a Labor Management Committee to discuss general areas of concern.

Additional information about the agreement details and the implementation process will be shared with units in the coming weeks. We will also update the graduate student unionization website with the full agreement. Although much planning is already underway, a graduate student union is new for the University, and we appreciate your patience as we work to implement the first contract.

This agreement is the result of strong partnership and collaboration with GSU-UE, and we appreciate their continued engagement. We are committed to supporting the success of all graduate students at the University, and to working with union representatives and University units to ensure a smooth implementation of the agreement moving forward.