GENU-UAW Bargaining Committee Responsibilities

We are student workers forming a union in order to improve our research and working conditions at Northeastern. Our work as researchers and teachers not only drives the academic mission at Northeastern, but also produces scientific knowledge that can benefit the greater community. While we work across many specializations, our dedication to our work unites us all.

By forming a student worker union, we can build a stronger, more democratic voice for us at Northeastern, with more power to negotiate for improvements and to secure our rights and conditions into a legally-binding contract.

Forming a union with the United Auto Workers (UAW) in particular means joining tens of thousands of student workers and other higher education employees who are already part of the UAW–this includes student workers and other academic workers at Harvard University, Columbia University, University of Connecticut, University of Massachusetts, University of California, and University of Washington. By working together with these and other academic unions across the country, we can also build political power beyond Northeastern to impact funding policies at the national, state, and local levels that shape our experience in Academia.

• Must remain neutral throughout the election. They cannot run for any position in the Local while serving on the Elections Committee, nor can they help campaign for any candidates running. 
• Must determine the best methodology to hold the election.
• Must approve all official communications about the elections that are sent to all members.
• Must determine if graduate workers who accept nomination are eligible to run for the position they accept.
• Must meet with candidates prior to running to ensure they are aware of all the rules of the election.
• Must oversee the election to ensure its integrity.
• Must vote to accept the results of the election, announcing the final tally.

Both a strong union and a student government can play an important role in improving the lives of Northeastern student workers. GSA is a University-sponsored and -supported student body that makes it possible for student workers to participate in numerous social and career development opportunities as well as advocacy efforts; however, it is not an alternative to a union.

While GSA can make recommendations to the administration on behalf of student workers, it cannot engage in collective bargaining. Unions and associations like the GSA often work together at academic institutions where both exist.

All graduate workers who are members of GENU-UAW are automatically eligible to run for the Bargaining Committee. Please email [email protected]  to submit your nomination. Nominations will be submitted to all members of GENU-UAW who will then vote to elect the graduate workers they want to represent them. 

Here is the eligibility language: 

All graduate students enrolled at Northeastern University who provide instructional services or research services at the Boston, Nahant, and Burlington campuses, but excluding all undergraduate students employed by the employer, managers, guards, and supervisors as defined in the Act, and all other employees.

Leading up to bargaining with administration, an average of 3-4 hours a week is expected of the Bargaining Committee as they research the needs of graduate workers (i.e., surveys, walkthroughs, etc.)

During bargaining, GENU-UAW bargaining members are expected to sit down with administration to write a contract and to get the contract ratified by GENU-UAW general members. An average of 3-5 hours a week can be expected at this time. 

Bargaining Committee members must be or become an active member of the GENU-UAW Organizing Committee which meets once a week for one hour. 

In this case, those who ran for a seat in those jurisdictions will be considered uncontested and no election will be required for those seats. If some seats are contested and others are not, then an election would proceed for the contested jurisdictions.