tl;dr Admin is trying to negotiate over email with another “final” offer instead of sitting across the bargaining table as required by law. If we stand together, we can make them bargain with us and we can win a fair contract that actually meets our needs. Stay tuned for next steps after they send their coercive offer.
For the last nineteen months, we have been trying our hardest to bargain for a fair contract— one that provides for the basic needs, dignity, and safety of grad workers. But the University has dismissed us and refused to address our concerns every step of the way:
- They tried to deny our right to form a union and objected to our union election.
- After we won our union election overwhelmingly, they refused to meet for months.
- They slowed bargaining by refusing to meet frequently (only meeting once every 3 weeks) which could have resulted in an agreement years ago.
- They offered a terrible agreement in our second bargaining session, which was designed before they even heard from us about the issues we cared about.
- They dragged bargaining to a snail’s pace to exhaust us and try to force us to take a bad agreement.
- They stopped holding bargaining sessions altogether (in violation of labor law), in an attempt to push a “final” offer that would have been the worst grad contract in the country (which is also nearly identical to the original proposal in January of 2024, highlighting their refusal to even bargain at all).
A majority of us demanded better in January of 2025. Yet, Northeastern has refused to make meaningful improvements throughout negotiations. Instead of meeting to discuss our counterproposal, they dismissed further emails with the Bargaining Committee as “no longer productive,” especially when we pointed out their blatant violation of law.
Now the University is planning to give us another “final” offer, which they claim is coming sometime this week. We do not anticipate further improvements to address the concerns we have been raising for years. We cannot accept an agreement that a majority of our members rejected when we signed a demand for a better contract, and without substantive improvements, we cannot accept it.
Admins’ attempts to hide from us and bargain over email instead of meeting us at the bargaining table are counterproductive and disrespectful. From the beginning of negotiations, our bargaining committee has laid a foundation of transparency and encouraged members to come observe negotiations. Admins are trying to circumvent that transparency by using email and refusing to meet.
They are leveraging unlawful actions at the federal levels to pressure us into accepting pay and protections far below the norm at other institutions and the value we bring to the University. They think they can ignore our demands or suggest they address some without any enforceable language (e.g., a vague line about “dental coverage” with no specifics), and we’ll accept whatever conditions they’re packaged with. They think they can dismiss our concerns because we’re “just students,” but this University runs on OUR LABOR. We do the research, we do the teaching and when we stand together, we have the power to make this a place where we can all thrive.
We’ll be in touch with next steps once the University sends its offer.
In the meantime, you can:
- Talk to your coworkers! We need to make sure all of our fellow grads understand the stakes of bargaining and what we can do about it.
- Share your testimonial. Why does a strong contract matter to you? Tell your fellow grad workers what changes you want to see in your work and daily life.
- Reply to this email or fill out this form to get more involved!
Solidarity,
GENU-UAW Bargaining & Organizing Committees