Crimson: Harvard Grad Student Union sets strike authorization vote

Harvard University Graduate Students will be holding a strike authorization vote next week, expected to begin on October 15th, the Harvard Crimson reports. The vote will require 2/3rds of HGSU-UAW members to give leadership the power to call a strike if deemed necessary.

At issue for HGSU in the now year long negotiations are wages, harassment and discrimination protections, and health benefits.

It is worth noting that a work stoppage by HGSU is currently protected by the NLRB, but a current rule change being considered by the NLRB puts future actions of this sort in jeopardy.

Library Worklife: NLRB moves to strip grad students of union rights

Library Worklife reports that, towards the end of September, the National Labor Relations Board proposed a rule change that would upend the 2016 decision that gave graduate students at private univsersities the right to unionize.

The rule is currently open for public comment through November 22nd. Such a move would dramatically upend years of victories and organizing by graduate students across the United States, often in the face of constant turn over and open hostility from administrations.

The rule would not prohibit private colleges from willingly recognizing student unions and some states may take action to protect the student unions. Past opposition from private schools suggests that few would recognize the unions if such an action was on a voluntary bases (under current rules some schools have ignored unions and refused to meet for negotiations).