Statement of Solidarity and Support for MIT GSU from COGS-UE

We, the Campaign to Organize Graduate Students (COGS), are excited to welcome graduate student workers at MIT to the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America (UE). 25 years ago, graduate student workers at the University of Iowa won the election to unionize and affiliate with UE. Because we unionized, today graduate students at the University of Iowa have a tuition waiver, a better healthcare plan, and an organizing base for building power at our school and in our community. We chose UE because it is a rank-and-file union that is run by and for union members and that is committed to fighting for justice for workers and marginalized peoples everywhere. 

Many of the benefits COGS, with the support of UE, has won for the bargaining unit of TAs and RAs at the University of Iowa have been won through bargaining, including a liveable salary; a full tuition waiver; a second health care plan, which forced the quality of the other available plan to improve; paid leave, including sick and bereavement leave. COGS also bargained and won a grievance procedure, which has been central to protecting graduate students against exploitative conditions and mistreatment. In recent years, COGS has won back-pay for individual TAs as well as full departments, improvement of unsafe and subpar working conditions, payment of health care claims that were denied, restorations of appointments, and clearer language in contracts. These are just a few examples of the important work COGS does to make working at the University of Iowa fairer and more sustainable.

Furthermore, 30% of our bargaining unit is international students, and affiliating with UE has allowed us to put the needs of our international graduate workers—who experience discriminatory higher student fees at the University of Iowa and intimidation on a federal level from ICE—at the center of our organzing. COGS has historically won back-tuition for all international students who, in the past, were being charged for additional English-language job training through our grievance procedure. In 2016, we bargained and won a 50% fee waiver for all graduate students, significantly reducing the high fees paid by international students. During the pandemic, COGS took an active stance in agitating for greater protection for international students threatened with a lack of summer work and limits on travel. 

We stand in solidarity with MIT GSU as you fight for your right to work in just conditions and with fair compensation and benefits. COGS looks forward to building power with you and other higher education unions to improve the living and working conditions of higher ed workers and to fight the corporatization of higher education.

In solidarity,

UE Local 896 COGS