Information about Graduate Assistant Unionization

Graduate Assistants at GW

Graduate assistants are an important part of our GW community, advancing knowledge, providing leadership, and contributing significantly to our growing reputation as a research institution. We embrace our mission to train the next generation of scholars, ensuring our graduate assistants develop the skills they will need as academics and professionals through our training courses and programs, and that they are supported through our policies.

On Monday, October 7, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to represent doctoral and masters students at GW who are working towards degrees offered by the university, and who are employed by GW as teaching, research, and instructional assistants (referred to on this site as graduate assistants) to provide instructional or research services.

Updates about unionization are available below. 

 

Updates

October 28, 2024: Message on NLRB Election for Graduate Assistants and NLRB Notice of Election distributed to GW graduate assistants.

Date, Time and Place of Election

Tuesday, November 12, 2024
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
University Student Center, Room 433
800 21st Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20052

Wednesday, November 13, 2024
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
University Student Center, Room 433
800 21st Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20052

October 10, 2024: NLRB Notice of Petition for Election distributed to GW graduate students.

October 7, 2024: Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 500 filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to represent GW graduate students.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

This list reflects many of the questions raised about union representation. If you have any specific questions, please contact the Office of Graduate Affairs at [email protected].

Background

What is a union and a “bargaining unit”?

A union is an organization that serves as an agent representing a specific group of employees. This group is called a “bargaining unit.” A union negotiates on behalf of this group of represented employees to establish collective terms and conditions of employment, such as pay and benefits.  

How is the union chosen? Who decides which union will represent graduate students?

Issues relating to unionization at private employers such as GW are governed by federal labor law, specifically the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Normally, a group of workers that want to unionize will affiliate with an established labor union, such as the Service Employees International Union, Local 500, for purposes of organizing. Once the group has affiliated with a labor union, organizers, usually employed by the union, will normally collect “authorization cards.” If a union is able to collect enough cards to constitute a valid “showing of interest” (generally a showing that 30 percent or more of the employees the union seeks to represent want union representation), the union can file a “representation petition” at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The NLRB will then hold a secret-ballot election.  

What are authorization cards? How are they used in the unionization process?

Authorization cards are written declarations signed by members of a potential bargaining unit stating that they want a particular union to be their exclusive agent for the purposes of negotiating the terms and conditions of their employment with their employer. Typically, unions collect authorization cards as part of an organizing drive – that is, an attempt to show that there is a substantial interest in unionizing and a desire to have the union serve as the exclusive bargaining agent.  It is important to remember that each eligible voter is always free to vote however he or she wants in the secret ballot election, regardless of whether a voter has previously signed an authorization card.

How do unions obtain the right to represent employees?

Union representation is determined by a secret-ballot election overseen by the NLRB in which those eligible to be in the bargaining unit are invited to vote “yes” or “no” on the question of union representation. If a majority of those who vote choose union representation, all eligible voters – and those who follow them into union-represented positions in the future – would be exclusively represented by the union in their dealings with the university concerning pay, benefits, and other “terms and conditions of employment.”

Has a union purporting to represent GW graduate assistants ever filed a representation petition seeking to hold an election under the auspices of the NLRB?

No, never.

Did GW ever have an election for union representation of graduate assistants?

No, never.

What is “GW Graduate Students United?”

GW Graduate Workers United (GWU2) is a group of graduate students affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, Local 500 union. GWU2 seeks to form a labor union of graduate teaching, research, and instructional assistants with SEIU as its exclusive bargaining representative.  

Election Process

What is the NLRB’s union election process?

A representation election is a secret-ballot election conducted and supervised by representatives of the NLRB. The date, time, and place details of the election are as follows:

Date, Time and Place of Election

Tuesday, November 12, 2024
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
University Student Center, Room 433
800 21st Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20052

Wednesday, November 13, 2024
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
University Student Center, Room 433
800 21st Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20052

Who should vote?

If there is a union representation election, every eligible person should vote because the election outcome is determined by the majority of those who vote, not a majority of those eligible to vote. Thus, union representation for non-voters would be decided by those who vote. Eligible voters are people who are part of the defined voting unit at the time of the election.

If I sign an authorization card and a union representation election is held, do I have to vote in favor of the union?

No. The act of signing an authorization card does not commit the signer to vote in any particular way in a union representation election.  The signer is free to vote in an election either for or against union representation.

If I do not sign an authorization card, can I still vote in an election? 

Yes, if you are an eligible voter. A graduate student does not need to sign an authorization card to be eligible to vote in a union representation election. Signing – or not signing – an authorization card does not influence your ability to participate in the election, and does not compel you to vote in any particular manner.  

Could graduate teaching/research/instructional assistants “opt out” of the union by not voting?

No. The results of any election would bind everyone in the bargaining unit, including students who do not vote, students who vote “no,” and future students who will not have a chance to vote.

If graduate assistants vote NOT to unionize, can they have another election at a later date?

Yes. There is usually a one-year waiting period after an election until another election can be held. If a majority of voters voted against union representation, the same union or a different union could seek an election then.

If an election results in representation by a union, when could there be another election to remove the union?

Union elections are not like political elections, which happen regularly to determine voters’ representatives. Once a union is certified as the exclusive representative of a bargaining unit (i.e., the group of people a union represents), it remains so indefinitely and will represent all graduate assistants who will matriculate in the future. The process to decertify (or remove) a union typically also requires a vote, and it is a complex process that can take years to complete.

Eligibility and Bargaining Unit

Who is an eligible voter in the upcoming union election on November 12 and 13?

All graduate teaching, research, and instructional assistants (graduate assistants) who are not based within programs housed within the Law School, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, or School of Nursing are eligible to vote.  

Would status as an international graduate student impact eligibility to be included in the union?

No. International student status does not impact eligibility. The process for determining who is included in the bargaining unit applies to all graduate students regardless of international status.

Can graduate assistants come in and out of a union depending on their position at the University?

Yes. Because a labor union represents graduate students only in their capacity as graduate assistants, students could enter the bargaining unit and be subject to union representation when serving as graduate assistants, but exit the bargaining unit and no longer be subject to union representation at other times. 

Would all members of the bargaining unit be represented by the union?

Yes, a union would represent every person in the bargaining unit. Also, under federal labor law, a union can bargain for a provision in a collective bargaining agreement that compels members of a bargaining unit either to become dues-paying union members or to pay the union an agency or representation fee (typically a similar amount to dues). Sometimes dues are a flat annual rate, while other times they are a percentage of wages. The union also could require bargaining unit members to pay initiation fees. Depending on the terms of the labor contract, failure to pay dues could result in dismissal from a teaching or research appointment.

If I am a graduate student but not included in the proposed bargaining unit, how will a union impact my graduate student experience?

We do not know what impact unionization of one group of graduate students will have on the experiences of a non-unionized group of graduate students. However, with regard to the various assistantships offered by the university, the unionized group of students would be represented by an outside organization (a labor union) for purposes of negotiating a unified set of terms and conditions of employment, and the non-unionized group of students would be able to directly and individually engage their faculty mentors.

Contracts and Dues

Will graduate assistants have access to a draft of the proposed contract or a list of provisions that would be negotiated prior to a vote on unionization?

No.  The National Labor Relations Act requires employers and unions to bargain collectively with respect to “wages, hours, and other terms of employment,” which are broad concepts.  Bargaining does not occur until after the union has won the representation election. The union’s agenda for bargaining is typically determined by union leadership, in this case the SEIU, in consultation with its members.

What would a union do for me as a graduate assistant?

We cannot definitively answer the question. The National Labor Relations Act requires employers and unions to bargain collectively with respect to “wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment,” concepts that the NLRB and the federal courts have interpreted broadly. Example terms and conditions of employment covered by public graduate student collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) include wages/stipends, working hours, health insurance, travel and meal expenses, leaves of absence, job postings, and access to offices. Example CBAs also contain language that  vests “exclusively” in the university the right to plan, direct and control the university’s mission, programs and objectives; to determine the content and process for performance evaluations, to determine when instruction is delivered; and, in recognition that such matters involve academic judgment, the right to determine who is taught, what is taught, how it is taught, and who does the teaching.

However, unions are large, complex organizations whose interests go beyond just those they seek to represent. Unions engage in political activities and take positions on any number of issues having no direct relationship to status as a graduate student. Unions ultimately do what they decide are in their best interests.

What would a union prevent a graduate assistant from doing?

It would depend on what is included in the labor contract and what is contained in the union’s by-laws.  It is important to take into account that a labor contract governs only students’ activities in their capacities as graduate assistants.  The following are some examples of aspects of your experience as a graduate student that may be affected.  Faculty may no longer be able to negotiate pay for graduate assistantships directly with students.  Likewise, rules could be implemented that dictate the processes for appointing (or not) graduate assistants.  It may be that faculty members will not retain the right to suggest teaching/instructional assistants for their classes, for example; it could be that graduate assistantships and the processes related to them must be negotiated exclusively with the union, with the union deciding what it thinks is best for graduate students.  Additionally, disputes that arise under the labor contract between the university and the union ultimately could be decided by an external labor arbitrator.  Also, union by-laws often contain provisions that provide for punishment, such as fines, for various infractions such as coming to work during a strike.

If I join Service Employees International Union, Local 500, would there be rules I would have to follow?

Yes. SEIU, Local 500 members must adhere to SEIU’s constitution and bylaws.

Would the university be able to make exceptions to provisions in the contract to accommodate the individual needs of individual graduate assistants in the unit?

No. Unless such exceptions are provided for in the labor contract or otherwise agreed to by the union, they are not permitted. Collective bargaining agreements focus on graduate assistants as a collective, not as individuals.

What if an individual graduate assistant objected to a provision in the labor contract? Would they still be bound by it?

Yes. Collective bargaining is, by definition, collectivist in nature. This means that the union speaks and acts for all graduate assistants in the bargaining unit, and the provisions in the labor contract it negotiates apply to all unit members, unless exceptions and differences are provided for in the contract.

What can a union bargain for? 

The National Labor Relations Act requires employers and unions to bargain collectively with respect to “wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment” – concepts that the NLRB and federal courts have interpreted broadly.

What is the typical length of time to negotiate a first contract?

The average length of time it takes to reach a first collective bargaining agreement between parties is often one year. However, the length of time depends on the parties’ proposals and how the good faith negotiations between the parties progress; it could be longer than one year or shorter.

If a union wins an election, will graduate assistants’ tuition remission, stipends and teaching or research remuneration increase? What about benefits?

Not necessarily. There is a common misperception that current stipend levels, remuneration, and benefits serve as a floor and can only improve with collective bargaining. In collective bargaining, stipends and other parts of the graduate assistant package could be bargained up, down, or left the same. There is no guarantee that any union can obtain improvements in any economic area. 

Would union representation lead to changes in teaching, research, and/or instructional assistantships?

There is no guarantee that collective bargaining would benefit graduate teaching, research, and/or instructional assistants. A collective bargaining process could result in no change in current arrangements, some additions or some subtractions. What would definitely change is that there would now be a third party in the relationship between the university and its graduate assistants and they would have an additional required cost to their educational experience in the form of mandatory union dues, initiation fees and/or other charges. This could significantly impact the individualized relationship graduate students have with their faculty mentors.

Could graduate research assistants in the sciences have their hours capped?

We do not know. Hours of work would be subject to bargaining and the negotiations could impact research assistants’ work. Research assistants in the sciences have been included in graduate student bargaining units at public institutions and some of those collective bargaining agreements include maximum hour limitations for time spent by research assistants in their capacity as workers and some do not.

How could a union impact the grievance process?

A union would likely negotiate a contractual grievance process, but there is no guarantee that it would be different than or an improvement over existing procedures. With or without a union, GW will continue to work to foster an environment where there is open dialogue and transparency and where all students feel comfortable using the grievance process when it is needed. It is not only having a grievance process that matters – it is creating and sustaining a culture where grievances can be openly aired and resolved in a manner that is consistent with our academic values and principles. 

What are union dues and agency fees?

Unions often include a provision in their contracts that require all employees in the bargaining unit to be members and pay full dues or pay an agency fee, which is often not substantially less than full dues. If a provision like this is negotiated, all bargaining unit members would have to pay dues or fees in order to keep their jobs.

How are union dues calculated?

The union sets dues, not the university. The money collected by unions is often used to support contract negotiation, media support, and administration. Union dues may also be used for political causes supported by Service Employees International Union. Union dues are not tax deductible.

Currently, SEIU requires its members to pay approximately $35 monthly.

Strikes

What is a strike?

A strike occurs when union members collectively agree to stop working in order to gain concessions from an employer, typically after contract negotiations break down.  

Could the union call a strike? 

Yes. While we are not saying that a strike would definitely take place if a union represented graduate assistants, it is possible. Being on strike could affect students’ stipends and jeopardize their academic standing and ability to continue progressing to their degree.   

Could a strike impact international students? 

The answer is not entirely clear.  However, Sec. 214.2(f)(14) of Federal Immigration regulations states in relevant part that “Any employment authorization, whether or not part of an academic program, is automatically suspended upon certification by the Secretary of Labor… that a strike or other labor dispute involving a work stoppage of workers is in progress in the occupation at the place of employment.”  (emphasis added). View the regulation on USCIS.

The University's Position

Is the university anti-union?

No. The university has for many years had a positive relationship with several unions that represent some GW staff.  

What is the university’s position on graduate assistant unionization?

Our graduate assistants play an important role in our labs and classrooms as part of their educational experience. They are first and foremost students and their teaching and research engagements are inseparable from their educational experience. 

The university’s primary concern is how unionization of graduate teaching, research, and instructional assistants would alter the mentorship relationship between students and faculty that forms the basis of graduate education. Like the majority of our peers, we believe that our graduate teaching, research, and instructional assistants play an important critical role at the university, but this role is part of their academic experiences to prepare them for their future careers. Having a labor union represent graduate teaching, research, and instructional assistants in one limited aspect of this relationship will likely affect the entire relationship, and limit the flexibility and quality of students’ overall academic experience, both now and in the future.

Currently, graduate students who serve as graduate assistants work directly with faculty members and department chairs on all aspects of their teaching or research assistantship, including addressing or resolving questions, needs or issues as they arise. A union would introduce a third party into this relationship and graduate assistants would no longer have the flexibility to independently raise and resolve issues that may arise.  Instead, graduate assistants would need to work through the union, which would represent all graduate students serving as graduate assistants. The union would determine what issues should be raised and addressed with the university. The union also would engage with the university in a collective bargaining process that would result in an overarching agreement to which all graduate students serving as graduate assistants would be bound, regardless of their personal situation or views. 

Support for GW Graduate Assistants

What financial support does GW currently provide to its graduate assistants?

GW provides its graduate assistants with a competitive array of financial assistance that includes tuition remission, a stipend, and a teaching and/or research assistantship service component. In recent years, the number and value of graduate assistant packages have increased in order to attract the best graduate students from around the world. View a fuller description of graduate funding programs and opportunities.

What other services and resources does GW provide to its graduate assistants?

GW provides a wide array of resources and support to its graduate assistants through a variety of central and school-based programs and offices. These include financial aid counseling, new graduate student orientation programs, career advising, disability support services, student health support, and thesis and dissertation resources. View a summary of some of these central support services.

What are some specific examples on how GW has enhanced the general graduate student experience over the last several years?

As outlined in the email from Vice Provost Subramaniam to graduate students on September 26, 2024, GW has enhanced the general graduate student experience in many ways, often in response to direct feedback provided by graduate teaching, research, and instructional assistants. Specific examples include the following:

  • Creation of the Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs position to serve as a direct advocate to the Provost for the graduate student experience.
  • Establishment of an annual university-wide graduate and professional student celebration through weeklong activities in April.
  • Enhancement to health insurance subsidies for graduate students with GW now covering 80% of the SHIP mandatory rate premium.
  • Consistent review and adjustment of graduate assistant compensation.
  • Increased baseline package value for OGSAF-funded fellowships/assistantships to $28,300 plus full tuition coverage ($35,000 for our most prestigious packages, plus full tuition).
  • Enhanced student support and communications, including advising hours and instituting a monthly newsletter to announce relevant funding opportunities to students.
  • Comprehensive application support for international fellowships (Fulbright Hays & Boren).
  • Development of a social media presence.

The university will continue to provide updates on this website as appropriate. Members of the university community can also submit questions to the Office of Graduate Affairs at [email protected].

 

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