Should RAs be included in the Penn State graduate student union? University files appeal
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Penn State appealed to the PLRB to exclude research assistants from grad student union.
- The CGE launched a petition urging Penn State to drop the appeal.
- Graduate students voted in favor of unionizing during an election in the fall.
Graduate students at Penn State overwhelmingly voted in favor of a union last fall after a yearslong effort, but are now pushing back against the university’s legal challenge of who will be included in the bargaining unit.
Graduate students voted in favor of unionizing during an election in October; of those who voted, 90% voted for a union. Generally speaking, the union represents those who are on a graduate assistantship, like teaching assistants or research assistants. The union is represented by the United Auto Workers.
But after the election results were certified, Penn State filed an appeal with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board. The appeal only applies to including research assistants in the bargaining unit, the university said in a statement on its “grad facts” website.
“The University’s position is that the RA role is unique from other graduate assistant positions because research is an integral part of their academic training and degree requirements, guided by individualized faculty mentorship and scholarly expectations. Activities such as designing and executing their own research, developing methodologies, collaborating with disciplinary and interdisciplinary research teams and growing and demonstrating mastery and independence in their field are vital to RAs earning their advanced degrees,” the statement reads.
Penn State said it does not oppose teaching assistants and administrative support assistants being in the bargaining unit, and that it intends to “move ahead in good faith” and start negotiations with UAW on an agreement covering teaching assistants and administrative support assistants.
“As the University community waits for the PLRB to review the matter and issue a decision, activities will continue as usual, and Penn State will remain committed to providing a supportive environment for every graduate assistant,” Penn State said.
In a Dec. 12 newsletter, the Coalition of Graduate Employees at Penn State said it is “deeply disappointing” that the university is choosing to disrespect the will of graduate workers who voted in support of forming a union.
“We all know that RAs are workers who are essential to the research operations of Penn State. Tens of thousands of graduate student research assistants at dozens of other universities across the country have formed unions and successfully negotiated contracts that have made significant improvements to working conditions,” the newsletter states.
They also launched a petition urging Penn State to drop the appeal.
The petition outlines 10 areas where they want the university to begin negotiations with the union to improve existing work conditions, including: fair pay and financial security, comprehensive healthcare coverage, protection from harassment, discrimination, and bullying, support for international graduate assistants, clear and fair work expectations, support for parenting graduate assistants, air and easily accessible grievance process, strong union rights and representation, guaranteed paid vacation and leave, and a safe and productive work environment.
The Coalition of Graduate Employees at Penn State worked for years for the roughly 5,000 graduate students to vote in a union election. Graduate students previously tried to unionize in 2017-18 but were unsuccessful.
Other unionization efforts have also been in the works at Penn State, including for faculty. In December the Penn State Faculty Alliance filed a petition to hold a union election for Penn State faculty.
Teamsters Local 8, a labor union representing technical service workers at every Penn State campus, is also seeking to significantly expand its membership by organizing some university workers who currently fall outside of its scope.
