Letter to President Reif

President L. Rafael Reif,

We, the undersigned representatives of MITGSU-UE, write to inform you that the majority of graduate student workers employed by MIT have signed union authorization cards indicating our desire to be represented by the UE Union for purposes of collective bargaining. We are prepared to demonstrate majority support by submitting these cards to a mutually-agreeable neutral third party for verification. 

In signing these cards we are, as the MIT administration’s website states, “allowing the union to act as our exclusive representative for purposes of negotiating the terms and conditions of our roles.” This union of graduate student workers, empowered by the democratically expressed will of our members, requests that you voluntarily recognize us, meet us at the bargaining table, and begin the important work of improving the state of both science and scientists at MIT.

We invite you to the bargaining table not as adversaries but as allies in the pursuit of knowledge and a better world. We implore you to choose the path of collaboration over the path of conflict, and we eagerly await your decision by December 26, 2021.

The graduate student workers of MIT have spoken. Will you listen?

Sincerely,

The Coordinating Committee

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Graduate Student Union

United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America (MITGSU-UE)