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Syracuse Graduate Employees United members gathered in Maxwell Auditorium Wednesday evening to collect feedback on its first contract with Syracuse University, which it ratified in late March. Attendees were generally supportive of the terms during the forum but said that it is only the first step in its efforts to support graduate student workers.

During the meeting, union leaders described the history of SGEU’s negotiations and reviewed some of its agreements — including wage increases, healthcare benefits and union contract security. They then opened the floor to an audience Q&A and feedback session.

“It was finding a balance in negotiation of how much we can get and how much we’re willing to back off on those things for now and get them next time,” Bridget Mack, a fourth-year PhD candidate and union chair member, said. “A good first contract not only lifts everyone up, but it also lays the groundwork for future growth in the union and with our contracting.”

The agreement was approved by a vote of 92% on March 26, which came after over two years of organizing and bargaining. The contract raises the minimum wage for graduate student employees from $18,000 a year to $28,000, with the median wage rising by 24%. Employees are also granted a more flexible schedule, better preventive dental coverage and a work limit of 20 hours a week, among other benefits.

Following SGEU’s contract ratification, several other on-campus workers also made steps toward unionization. Hourly food service, library, facilities and maintenance workers unionized under Service Employees International Union Local 200United reached their own contract agreement this September. An organizer with SEIU told The Daily Orange in April that SGEU’s efforts motivated other groups to form unions.

Joseph Beckman, a former member of SGEU’s bargaining committee who attended the forum, described how graduate students were struggling on the wage SU provided prior to the agreement. He said many of his colleagues have families whom they were unable to support, making only $25,000 a year. Even without these extra expenses, Beckman said he could “barely get by” on his wage before the new contract.

Beckman said non-unionized graduate student workers who benefit from the agreement should acknowledge the union’s role in improving working conditions and urged them to consider joining.

“That doesn’t just fall out of the sky,” Beckman said. “That’s something that happens because, on the last day of bargaining, 200 people showed up and paraded outside of the office … it had the university representatives shaking in their boots.”

Despite these successes, Beckman said he still finds some of SU’s attitudes toward graduate students problematic. As a PhD student himself, he said that he believes SU continues to favor graduate workers pursuing doctorate degrees while it views masters students as “borderline worthless.”

During SGEU’s contract negotiations, university legal representation wanted to establish separate terms for master’s and PhD graduate student workers. Despite these efforts, the contract agreement gives both the same minimum wage and benefits, Beckman said.

During the meeting, graduate students also brought up concerns regarding receiving adequate recognition for their work as teaching assistants — bringing up the fact that the MySlice student portal does not list TAs’ names like it does for instructors.

Attendees also mentioned the expenses international student TAs face when paying for translators, which can cost about $400.

Mack said that, while graduate student workers will reap the benefits of the contract regardless of their union affiliation, he believes joining SGEU gives them a community that will continue to “go to bat” for them when engaging with the university.

“We run this campus,” Mack said. “(Classes) wouldn’t get taught, research wouldn’t get done. At the end of the day, it’s our strong workforce that does that.”

Published on November 14, 2024 at 3:44 am