FAIR AND SECURE WORKPLACE FOR ALL 

UE 256 STRIKE PRIORITIES FOR FALL 2026

Our first collective bargaining agreement ratified in 2023 made significant improvements to graduate worker benefits, rights, and protections and laid the foundation for our union.

Since April 2026, we have been bargaining for a successor contract to continue the gains we made three years prior. However, almost five months and 10 sessions into negotiations, MIT has not only refused to improve but has even proposed rolling back the standard on issues which matter to thousands of graduate student workers:

• Healthcare that preserves our current benefits and coverage;

• International worker protections that support workers facing vulnerabilities under changing federal policies;

• A union shop that ensures our ability to effectively enforce our contract and preserves our union for future generations.

• Fair compensation, vacation, and leave which match standards at peer institutions.

MIT's stalling has left us no option but to prepare for a strike. To win a fair contract which reflects our world-class teaching and research, we need to show MIT that we are united and ready to strike if MIT does not meet our demands.

Some high-level questions about a strike are answered in our Strike FAQ.