FAQ — MIT Graduate Student Union

Our Union and Contract

What is a graduate student union?

A graduate student union is a democratic organization of graduate student-workers that represents their interests as university employees and negotiates collectively over employment conditions like pay, benefits, health and safety, and protections against harassment and discrimination.

What is a union contract?

A union contract, or collective bargaining agreement (CBA), is a legally binding agreement between an employer and a group of workers that is negotiated through a legally protected process called collective bargaining. A contract outlines and protects the rights and benefits of the workers, and the employer is legally obligated to adhere to the contract’s stipulations. As individuals, we face a massive power imbalance with our employer. Only by acting collectively—with broad participation and democratic support—were we able to negotiate with our employer as equals and win our first contract.

Our contract was ratified by GSU members and went into effect on September 23, 2023! We will post a copy of the full contract soon. In the meantime, you can learn about the benefits and protections the contract provides MIT grad workers by reading the overview below. You can also read more about the campaign that led up to the ratification of our contract here.

What is in our contract?

The contract establishes new rights and protections for graduate workers, including timely protections from harassment and discrimination, with the option of full neutral third-party arbitration in all cases (Article 10). Any employment-related discipline and discharge measures must be taken with just cause (Article 6). Strong health and safety provisions will improve our working conditions (Article 13), and a grievable workload clause will help prevent graduate workers from being overworked (Article 19). New inclusive work environment provisions have been established (Article 11), alongside additional protections for international employees (Article 12). There will now be a centralized board for appointment postings (Article 14) and contractually guaranteed transitional funding to support graduate workers who switch advisors (Article 16).

The economic package includes an 83.8% dental subsidy for graduate workers, equivalent to that of other employees, and access to the employee vision plan (Article 23). All international workers will receive a one-time $1,200 grant to cover immigration fees (Article 26), and workers with children are eligible for a new $10,000 needs-based childcare subsidy (Article 25). Further economic improvements include stipend increases of 5.4%, 3.5%, and 3.25% across three years (Article 21), a 70% T-pass subsidy (up from 50%) (Article 27), and 15 vacation days per year (up from 10) (Article 24). The stipend increase includes backpay to June 1, 2023. Altogether, this gives a first-year effective compensation increase of over 10% for the average graduate worker. The MIT administration has indicated that they will establish equity of economic benefits for fellows.

The contract gives us the ability to enforce all of these wins through the grievance procedure, whereby workers whose contract rights are infringed can file a grievance (Article 5). The grievance procedure allows for the full, united force of our union to stand behind a worker. The security of our union and the power of our grievance procedure is bolstered by an agency shop, in which all bargaining unit members benefitting from the contract either pay dues as union members with voting privileges or else pay equivalent agency fees. Like a union shop, this fair-share provision means that all workers who benefit from the contract will contribute equally toward its costs. This will encourage broad participation in our union and provide the necessary funding and organizational capacity to enforce our contract and fight for even stronger contracts in the future (Article 3).

What does our union look like?

The primary strength of our union comes from the unity and participation of our membership. We hold general membership meetings, open to all members, every month. At these meetings, we collectively discuss, debate, and vote on the decisions of our union. Between membership meetings, these decisions are carried out by an executive board of grad workers, who are elected annually.

The other major structure in our union is our steward network. Stewards are graduate workers across the Institute who are elected by their peers to enforce our contract and organize the membership to defend and advance our rights on the job. Find a steward in your department here.

How can I get more involved in our union?

There are many ways to get involved in our union! First, every member is encouraged to attend our monthly general membership meetings, which are the primary decision-making body of our union. General membership meetings are generally held the second Wednesday of every even-numbered month, and the second Thursday of every odd-numbered month at 5:30pm. All members will be notified of the meeting location by email.

Additionally, any interested member may run for an elected position in our union. Stewards are graduate workers across the Institute who enforce our contract and organize the membership to defend and advance our rights on the job. Steward elections are held on the department level at the beginning of each spring semester, and on a rolling basis thereafter to fill vacant slots. Members may also run for positions on the Local Executive Board, which is elected annually at the end of the fall semester for a one-year term. Finally, any member may volunteer as an assistant steward to help organize their peers for better workplace rights. The role of assistant steward is an unelected position.

Who is Covered by the Contract?

What is the bargaining unit? Is it the same as the union membership?

The bargaining unit is the group of workers who are legally represented by the union and are covered by the current contract. If you are an RA or a TA, you are in the bargaining unit, regardless of whether you are a member of the union. There are some grad workers in the bargaining unit who are not union members, and there are many union members who are not officially in the bargaining unit (i.e., fellows).

I’m an RA/TA. Am I required to join the union and pay dues?

All RAs and TAs, who receive the full benefits and protections of the contract, are required to either pay dues as union members with voting privileges or else pay equivalent agency fees to cover the costs of collective bargaining and contract enforcement. Our union constitution sets the amount for both dues and agency fees to be 1.44% of our pay.

For more on union membership, dues, and agency fees, see below.

What is the current status of fellows and the bargaining unit?

Fellows who are 100% funded by fellowship are currently not included in the bargaining unit and are not formally covered by the current contract. While MIT is not legally obliged to do so and specific cases are generally left up to the discretion of departments, however, the MIT administration has promised to extend the contract’s economic benefits to fellows. Moreover, many contract provisions—for instance, health and safety protections and things like free menstrual products in restrooms—benefit the entire MIT community.

Since we began the legal process of forming a union, the MIT administration has sought to divide us by excluding grad workers who are paid through internal fellowships from the bargaining unit—even those who do the exact same work as RAs and TAs! In March 2023, a lower body of the National Labor Relations Board ruled that fellows are not workers and thus cannot be part of the bargaining unit. We are appealing this decision, but while the ruling is in effect, it does mean that fellows do not have enforceable access to the benefits and protections provided by the contract.

I’m partially funded by a fellowship and partially funded by an RA/TAship. Am I in the bargaining unit?

If you have any RAship or TAship, whether full or partial, then you are in the bargaining unit, which means the contract in its entirety applies to you. As long as you are a union member, you are also welcome to participate in all union member activities, vote in all union elections, and run for union officer and steward positions.

Joining the Union

How do I join the union?

Whether you’re an RA, TA, fellow, or MIT grad worker between appointments, you can become a member of our union by paying monthly dues. The easiest way to pay dues is to sign up for automatic dues payments here!

If you’re an RA or TA at MIT, the link above will walk you through signing your dues check-off card, which authorizes MIT to deduct dues from your paycheck. If you’re a fellow, it will direct you to sign up for voluntary dues collection (via Stripe).

Please email us at contact@mitgsu.org if you have any questions about the dues payment process.

What does it mean to be a member of the union?

Becoming a dues-paying member of our union (UE Local 256–MIT GSU) means that you stand with your colleagues for financial security, affordable housing, equal opportunities for international students, and a safe and equitable working environment for all. Although we already have a contract, it was only won through the unity and collective action of thousands of graduate workers, and our contract can only be protected and enforced by active and engaged membership.

Importantly, becoming a member of the union gives you the right to vote in union elections, run for union officer and steward positions, and participate in the decision-making and democracy of our union. Only union members are eligible to vote.

The easiest way to become a member of our union is to sign up for automatic dues payments here.

I signed a union card before the contract was ratified. Am I still a member of the union?

Unfortunately, no! To continue your union membership, you must sign a new membership card and pay monthly dues. The easiest way to pay dues is to sign up for automatic dues payments here.

I’m a fellow (funded fully by a fellowship). Can I join the union?

Yes! Fellows are eligible to sign up for voluntary dues collection and become members of the union. If you pay your monthly union dues, you are a member of our union regardless of your funding status.

Although MIT continues to refuse to include fellows in our bargaining unit, we know that many fellows do the same work as RAs and TAs and we are fighting for them to be included in the bargaining unit. We invite fellows to join the union to support this fight and help enforce the contract. Just like RAs and TAs, fellows who join the union as members can participate in all union activities and get the right to vote on all union matters and run for office. Many of our union officers and hundreds of our members are fellows!

The easiest way to become a member of our union is to sign up for automatic dues payments here. If you are a fellow, you will be directed to sign up for voluntary dues payments via Stripe.

Why are fellows eligible for union membership, even though they aren’t currently in the bargaining unit?

The reasoning behind the GSU’s long-held policy to encourage fellows to become union members and vote on things like ratifying the contract is twofold: First, it has always been the union’s position that fellows are workers who deserve the same benefits and protections as TAs/RAs, and we are confident that we will eventually prevail in our fight for fellows to be legally recognized as workers. Second, many MIT grad workers move between RA/TA and fellowship appointments from semester to semester—and thus in and out of the bargaining unit. It would not be fair to disenfranchise workers who are not in the bargaining unit at the moment of an important union vote but who will be affected by that decision during their time at MIT.

I don’t have an RA/TA or fellowship appointment at MIT this semester. Can I still be a member of the union?

If you have previously held an RA/TA or fellowship appointment at MIT but don’t currently, you are eligible to pay “unemployment dues” of $1 per month to become or remain a member of the union in good standing. When signing up for dues collection through the membership portal, choose the option to upload proof of your unemployment to have your dues reduced to $1 per month. Please email contact@mitgsu.org if you have questions about this option.

Union Dues and Agency Fees

How much are union dues?

Our union constitution, which was democratically ratified by our membership, sets dues at 1.44% of our pay (the minimum possible amount per the national UE constitution).

Based on the pay scale guaranteed by the contract but depending on an individual worker’s pay, this works out to about $29–33 per semimonthly paycheck ($690–810 annually) for a PhD student with a full, 20-hour, 12-month RA/TA appointment and about $26–33 per paycheck ($630–810 annually) for a master’s student with a full, 20-hour, 12-month RA/TA appointment. If you are a master’s student with a partial 50% RA/TA appointment (this is common in Architecture and DUSP), your dues will be about $11–21 per paycheck ($80–150 per term).

If you’re a grad worker at MIT between appointments and do not have an income from MIT, you can pay “unemployment dues” of $1 per month to remain a member of the union in good standing.

What do union dues pay for?

Approximately one-third of our dues will fund the operation of our local union. This includes compensating organizing staff, putting on events, maintaining organizing infrastructure, initiating mediation and arbitration of grievances, building a local strike fund, and whatever else our membership deems appropriate for advancing our collective interests. The remaining dues go to the national union, helping to pay for professional legal and research resources, national union staff who support campaigns like ours, and a general fund to support workers who strike.

Importantly, UE does not make political contributions, so none of our dues will be used to support electoral campaigns. In fact, UE has long been a leader in open ledgers and accountability in rank-and-file union democracy. To read more on UE’s philosophy of utilizing dues and their open ledger system, see Open Books, Tight Fists.

How are dues collected?

When you sign up for dues check-off as an RA or TA, you are giving MIT permission to deduct your union dues directly from your paycheck each pay period (similar to tax withholding).

When you sign up for voluntary dues collection (via Stripe) as a fellow, you are giving us permission to charge your dues monthly to a payment method of your choice.

The member portal will automatically detect whether you are an RA/TA or fellow and direct you to sign up for either automatic payroll deduction or voluntary collection via Stripe accordingly. If you are not seeing your RA/TA/fellow status being represented accurately in the member portal, email contact@mitgsu.org for help.

Note for master’s students in Architecture and DUSP: By default, fellows who sign up for dues collection via Stripe will be charged a monthly fixed amount that is based on the standard stipend rate for PhD students. If you are on a tuition-only fellowship or a stipend fellowship that pays less than the standard rate, when signing up for dues collection through the membership portal, choose the option to upload proof of your stipend rate to have your dues adjusted to 1.44% of your pay.

Please email us at contact@mitgsu.org if you have any questions about the dues payment process.

What are agency fees?

Members of our bargaining unit (RAs and TAs) who decline to become dues-paying members of the union and forfeit the right to vote on union matters must instead pay an agency fee. This fee ensures that everyone is contributing to the common good of negotiating with MIT and enforcing the contract. Our union constitution sets agency fees to be 100% of union dues.

Electing to pay agency fees means that you will not be a member of the union, and you will not be able to vote on union matters or run in union elections. For more information about this option, please email contact@mitgsu.org.

What if I have other questions or issues about dues or agency fees?

Please email contact@mitgsu.org.

Know Your Rights

I’m having a problem in the workplace. What do I do?

Our contract affords us many rights and protections, including safe working conditions, an inclusive work environment, protection from harassment and discrimination, fair work expectations, appointment security, and much more. If you think these contractual rights are being violated, or if you are having a problem at MIT, you should reach out to your union steward.

Our union stewards are trained to help resolve problems that MIT graduate workers are facing in their workplace. Stewards are workers in your department or lab who can answer questions about the contract or grievance procedure, can act as your representative to your boss, and can help you file a grievance. Find your nearest steward here, or reach out here if you’re not sure whom to talk to.

Under US law, you also have Weingarten rights, which means you have a right to request to be accompanied and represented by a union steward in any disciplinary meeting. If you are being called into a meeting you believe may be disciplinary, you can request to be represented by a steward. After you make that request, you don’t have to answer any questions until your steward is with you. Stewards are here to make sure you don’t have to deal with these problems alone.

Can the university retaliate against union members?

No. The National Labor Relations Act, to which employers such as private universities must adhere, protects the rights of workers to unionize. Grad workers have the right to support and participate in union organizing and collective action at their workplace, and it is illegal for MIT (including Institute and department administration, faculty, and staff) to retaliate against us for doing so. They cannot fire, discipline, or discriminate against you in any way; they cannot ask you about your support for or participation in the union; and they cannot make threats or promises about how union membership will change your privileges, benefits, or working conditions.

Do international students have a right to join the union?

Yes, international student-workers absolutely have the same rights as US citizens to organize and become members of the union! It is illegal for any employer to punish workers for participating in workplace organizing. Additionally, there are no effects on visa or immigration status due to union participation or membership. International grad workers have been participating in and leading graduate union organizing for over a half-century now, and no one has brought forward cases of any complication arising from their status as an international student and union organizer or member. International grad workers have been integral to organizing and building the MIT GSU from the start, sitting at the bargaining table with MIT administration, bringing their coworkers out to actions, and helping to draft our union constitution.

Further, no one organizes on their own. Our union is built on broad, public, majority support. This gives us both significant collective power and protection in numbers. We will not stand for any grad worker at MIT, whether domestic or international, facing retaliation for helping to build and strengthen our union with their coworkers.