What is a union?

A union is an organization of workers formed to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment and to represent the members’ interests with respect to wages and working conditions. By forming a union, workers gain power to collectively bargain with their employer and can democratically determine the terms of their contract.

What is collective bargaining?

Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between a group of workers and their employers in order to agree upon salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other areas of compensation and worker’s rights. Collective bargaining allows workers to stand together and gives us power over the terms of our employment.

Are graduate students really workers? Do student workers have the right to organize?

Yes! In 2016, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that graduate students who work as research or teaching assistants are employees of their universities. We work for WashU and the university compensates us for our labor. This decision protects our right to organize under the National Labor Relations Act.

What’s happened at universities where students have won union contracts?

This is an exciting moment for graduate workers unions! Academic workers unions have won substantially higher wages, protections for international employees, improved benefits, expanded childcare, abolishments of student fees, protections from abuse, discrimination, and unfair termination, and more. Find out more here.

Because these improvements are made through legally binding contracts, they are enforceable and university officials cannot make unilateral changes. If WashU student workers unionize, our benefits and salaries would be legally protected from year to year.

Why do we need a union if we have university-affiliated organizations like GSA, GSS, GPC, and SAC?

Organizations like the GSA and SAC are ultimately controlled by WashU administration. They have no power to stand up to the University as equals and negotiate for improved working conditions. Our representatives on the GSA or SAC can only convey our wishes as requests to administration.

We saw the impact of this control when administration unilaterally created the GSA, assigned students to be GSA representatives, and tried to impose an activity fee to support the GSA, despite broad student opposition.

Can international students join the union? Will joining the union impact my visa status?

All academic workers have the legal right to join a union regardless of citizenship status. International students have led unionization efforts at many private US universities, and tens of thousands of international students are members of academic unions.

There has never been a reported case of an international student worker’s visa being impacted because of union participation. Many academic worker’s contracts specifically protect international students through legal funds, protection from unfair termination, reimbursements for visa-related expenses, etc.

Are there negative consequences for joining the union? Can WashU retaliate against me?

Union activity is legally protected. WashU cannot surveil or give the impression of surveilling union activity (for example, your supervisor cannot ask you if you support WUGWU). You cannot be fired or penalized for joining or supporting a union. For more information regarding your legal right to organize, see information from the National Labor Relations Board.