Bargaining Blog

Bargaining Update – February 4th

Since bargaining began, NYU has offered grad workers a $1 raise, or no more than $20 extra a week—which barely covers 2 meals in NYC! Last week, after NYU kept us waiting for 70 mins, our new bargaining committee presented a compensation counterproposal. We are fighting for funded grad workers to receive a minimum income when they hold bargaining unit positions. This minimum income would consist of $45,000 plus their hourly or teaching pay, which would raise compensation and address existing inequities in funding across schools. We are also still fighting hard for tuition waivers and higher hourly pay! NYU, per usual, didn’t take the bargaining seriously and arrived with zero counterproposals. 

Negotiating has been going on for over 7 months, and it’s not working. NYU continues to stall our bargaining committee. Sign our petition here if you’re ready to join your fellow workers in the fight for a better contract with fair pay and working conditions! 

Join our next Assembly of Stewards at 4:30 pm on Tuesday, Feb 16th, and RSVP for our next bargaining session on Feb 18th, 10:30 am here.

Why are we bargaining with NYU for better compensation? 

Currently, NYU pays grad workers $20/hr. The maximum NYU permits a grad worker to work is 20 hours a week. That means the highest-paid grad workers are making a maximum of $1,600 a month, and many of them are still paying NYU’s ridiculously high tuition and 10% of their healthcare plan. We’re asking NYU to pay us a living wage. That looks like $40/hr for all grad workers, tuition waivers for all grad workers, and a minimum income for all funded grad workers! 

With negotiations at a standstill, what power do we have as workers? 

We show NYU we are willing to strike! The university depends on our labor for revenue and day-to-day operation. By preparing to collectively withhold our labor we are able to show NYU that we are strong and united in our demands for a living wage in NYC. To decide whether we want to get a better contract by striking, we would hold a “Strike Authorization Vote,” or SAV, which is a way for all grad workers to have a say in how we want to move forward. 

SAVs are powerful and get material results. In 2015, when NYU stalled on negotiations, 95% of grad workers voted to authorize a strike. NYU knew it could not function without CA, RAs, and TAs. It caved to many of the union’s demands. Our contract was settled when there was a credible threat of a strike. 

If NYU does not stop stalling, our bargaining committee is ready to call a vote on striking this spring. By signing this petition you can let the bargaining committee know that you support the call for a Strike Authorization Vote. 

Questions about the strike or SAV? Reach out to your steward to talk about what grad workers are asking for, what NYU is offering, and what you can do about it. 

Only have 5 minutes? Catch up on the GSOC contract demands here.