MIT Graduate Student Union

Session Updates

Bargaining Updates

 
 

  • After months of stalling, MIT finally responded to some of our non-economic proposals. Rather than working with its graduate workers to solve the pressing issues we face, they came back with proposals that attack the very protections we fought for in our first contract.

    Instead of responding to essential protections for international workers, MIT rejected all of our priorities and put forward proposals that:

    • Threaten our health insurance coverage

    • Refuse to engage on fellows and academic just cause

    • Gut our hard-won and fair agency shop and grievance procedure

    We did respond, in the same meeting, to their only semi-serious proposal: Health and Safety. In our counter proposal, we reasserted the rights of graduate workers to decline unsafe working conditions. Check out the bargaining tracker for details on all of MIT’s egregious proposals and our responses. 

    At the bargaining table, MIT has made it clear: they don’t want to address the issues most important to graduate workers. 

    Just like our last contract, it is going to take participation from 1000s of graduate workers to move MIT to meet our demands and give graduate workers what they deserve. 

    Frustrated by MIT’s dismissal of our issues? Upset that after organizing for a strong contract in 2023, MIT is trying to take it away? Take action by coming to our General Membership Meeting this Thursday (5/14) and by joining the Contract Action Team. 

    In solidarity,

    UE 256 MIT GSU Bargaining and Grievance Committee

  • Today, we entered the second session of bargaining prepared for discussion and expecting answers to our urgent proposals to protect those most vulnerable in our community. We have now been at the table officially for 10 days. After presenting our proposals to MIT, here are the results: 

    • International worker protections: No response.

    • Fellows inclusion: No response.

    • LGBTQ+ protections: No response. 

    Nevertheless, we cannot wait for the administration, because graduate workers need a contract now. This morning, we proposed more non-economic articles, including Article 6 on academic just cause (read in depth details in the bargaining tracker). 

    We are at the contract bargaining table to improve the lives of as many grad workers as possible. MIT has shown that they are at the table to nitpick our proposals and delay meaningful change. We look forward to MIT’s proposals at our next session on May 11th. 

    In order to overcome MIT's delays, we need grad workers in every department and lab talking to coworkers about the contract fight. Join the Contract Action Team TODAY!


    In solidarity,
    MIT GSU Bargaining and Grievance Committee

  • Today was the first day of bargaining our union’s second contract, and we came to the table with proposals for a fair and secure workplace for all graduate workers. After coming together for a huge kickoff rally where we heard from powerful speakers on issues faced by fellows and international workers, we all walked over to drop off our Bargaining and Grievance Committee and member observers, a show of unity so powerful that it was commented on by MIT’s legal team. 

    At the table, we presented seven proposals grounded in the experiences of grad workers, demanding transparency and real protections. 

    First, we delivered over 1,600 signatures calling for full benefits of our contract to be extended to fellows. We also presented proposals to strengthen protections for international grad workers, including: 

    • Improved remote work flexibility

    • Guaranteed CPT/OPT

    • Protections against federal agents

    You can keep track of the exact language on our proposals throughout the bargaining process on our bargaining tracker here: http://mitgsu.org/bargaining-tracker 

    MIT has clearly s    tated that this will be a months-long process. Without MIT agreeing to the extensive additional time we have proposed, it essentially guarantees that members will not receive the raises they deserve come June 1st. Despite that, we’re excited to keep going and open further dialogue with the administration to make sure that MIT graduate worker interests are fully represented at the table as soon as possible. 

    Today was an important and succ    essful day for our union. Let’s keep the pressure hot and the progress going by joining our MIT community at a May Day rally on Friday 5/1 at 3pm! RSVP here and let’s bargain a strong contract together!

    In solidarity,
    MIT GSU Bargaining and Grievance Committee