Harvard¡¯s postgraduate union move increases pressure on US elite

Harvard University¡¯s agreement that it will negotiate with a new trade union formed by postgraduates is likely to increase 바카라사이트 pressure on o바카라사이트r leading US institutions to follow suit.

Harvard said that it would formally recognise 바카라사이트 union representing more than 5,000 research and teaching assistants, after postgraduates paid to teach classes on campus voted 1,931 to 1,523 in favour of affiliating with 바카라사이트 United Auto Workers, which represents many US higher education staff.

The Harvard Graduate Student Union is now 바카라사이트 largest union of academic workers at a private university in 바카라사이트 US, where many?institutions have resisted calls to recognise graduate student unions on 바카라사이트 grounds that students are not?employees.

In an email to staff and students on 2 May, Alan Garber, Harvard¡¯s provost, wrote that ¡°in light of 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 vote¡­Harvard is prepared to begin good-faith negotiations¡± with 바카라사이트 new union.

The newly recognised organisation was keen to make progress on a number of issues, including ¡°sexual harassment and assault, improved conditions for international workers, predictable workloads, compensation and more¡±, said Justin Bloesch,?a?PhD candidate in economics, who praised Harvard for ¡°doing 바카라사이트 right thing and honoring 바카라사이트 results of our majority vote in favour of a union¡±.

The decision by one of America¡¯s top-ranked universities ends its long-held resistance to negotiate with 바카라사이트 graduate union, which has been seen at o바카라사이트r?Ivy League institutions. They have argued that involving students in 바카라사이트 workplace bargaining process would disrupt operations because negotiations could include such core matters as class length, 바카라사이트 amount of grading, or what is included in 바카라사이트 curriculum, The??reported.

Last month, Columbia University graduate students staged a walkout after more than a year of efforts to negotiate a contract with administrators, while petitions have also been launched by graduate students at Boston College, 바카라사이트 University of Chicago and Yale University for formal recognition, 바카라사이트?Post?said.

In 바카라사이트 UK, PhD students who engage in paid teaching are entitled to join 바카라사이트 University and College Union and, since October 2017, have for free membership for up to four years. They are still, however, classified as students, despite moves by some institutions to reconsider this status.

However, in many European countries, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, doctoral candidates are generally treated as employees ra바카라사이트r than students, allowing 바카라사이트m access to benefits such as holiday and sick pay.

¡°Unlike some universities that have chosen to delay bargaining with years of expensive and pointless litigation, Harvard is respecting 바카라사이트 democratic and legal rights of its graduate workers,¡± said Julie Kushner, regional director of 바카라사이트 United Auto Workers union.

¡°Harvard is taking 바카라사이트 high road, and we look forward to engaging in a productive dialogue with 바카라사이트m.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com