Graduate student workers at American University voted earlier this month to organize a union with SEIU Local 500, which also represents AU’s adjunct faculty. It will be the District’s first union for working graduate students.
“Forming a union was never about quick fixes to issues," said AU grad student Scott Patrick, "but about creating a space for developing long term solutions to issues like economic and academic uncertainty." The National Labor Relations Board said last summer that graduate student employees at private institutions are entitled to collective bargaining. While a number of private institutions have challenged the NLRB’s decision, AU spokesperson Camille Lepre said that the university "respects the choice of the majority of the graduate students who voted, and it does not intend to file a legal challenge to the election results." Lepre added that "We look forward to engaging in a constructive dialogue with the union about issues related to our graduate students." On today's labor calendar: DC Jobs with Justice is hosting a May Day Art Build to prepare for next Monday's May Day march and rally. The Art Build runs from 6:30 to 9:00pm at the Jobs with Justice offices at 3412 Connecticut Avenue NW; you'll find more details and an RSVP link on our website at dclabor.org, click on Calendar. Here’s today's labor history: On this date in 1886, the New York Times declared the struggle for an 8-hour workday to be “un-American” and called public demonstrations for the shorter hours “labor disturbances brought about by foreigners.” Other publications declared that an eight-hour workday would bring about “loafing and gambling, rioting, debauchery and drunkenness.” In 1969, the Reverend Ralph David Abernathy and 100 others were arrested while picketing a hospital in Charleston, South Carolina, in a demand for union recognition. And in 1978, the Supreme Court ruled that employers may not require female employees to make larger contributions to pension plans in order to obtain the same monthly benefits as men. Today’s labor quote is by Ralph Abernathy, who said: “Bring on your tear gas, bring on your grenades, your new supplies of Mace, your state troopers and even your national guards. But let the record show we ain't going to be turned around.” Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which is committed to improving the quality of life for all working families; find out more at unionplus.org.
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