The strike comes on the heels of an overwhelming mandate last week in a strike authorization vote last week in which 90% of graduate workers voted to strike if necessary.
“This school cannot function without grad workers and we will see the realities of that come April 21st.” Said Maeve Gillen, a PhD candidate in the Music Theory department. “Hundreds of grads are committed to striking and our 90% yes vote was a testament to that commitment. We do not want to do this, but until the university signs our election agreement, they leave us no choice.”
According to the union, the administration had previously negotiated and agreed to a fair, third-party election process in December—only to walk away weeks later, leaving graduate workers without a path to unionize.
“The graduate workers have done everything possible to implement the agreement they made with the administration last December,” said Thomas Gibson, a professor in the Department of Anthropology. “They’ve shown patience, flexibility, and good faith. The administration’s sudden reversal and refusal to engage leaves them with no other way forward than to strike.”
The strike has already galvanized broad support from the University of Rochester community. Faculty, undergraduates, and unionized staff have expressed solidarity.
“Grad students are a big reason this school runs in the first place,” said Guy Emrich, a junior at UofR. “They teach, grade, and handle the behind-the-scenes work in many of our classes. The university pulling out of the election agreement was a disrespectful move, and we support grads by not attending class if they strike.”
The Greater Rochester Area Majority Delegation, including Senator Samra Brouk, Senator Jeremy Cooney, Assemblymember Harry Bronson, Assemblymember Sarah Clark, Assemblymember Jen Lunsford, and Assemblymember Demond Meeks, released a joint statement:
"Graduate workers are essential to research and education at the University of Rochester, and they deserve the same democratic right to unionize as other workers. We hope the administration will honor their decision and engage in open, respectful dialogue to find a path forward together."
International students have also played a critical role in the campaign and are stepping forward despite heightened risks.
“As international scholars, a strike is far from a normal scenario for us,” said Santanu Poddar, a graduate student in Chemistry. “But the administration has left us no choice. Our strong participation in this vote sends a clear message: though weary, we will not surrender our rights as graduate workers so easily.”
The GLU Organizing Committee will be notifying the administration of the strike and has once again extended an invitation to return to the table. But until a fair process for unionization is agreed to, graduate workers are preparing to withhold their labor starting April 21.
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The Graduate Labor Union (GLU) is a union of graduate workers at the University of Rochester, affiliated with SEIU Local 200United. They are part of a national movement of graduate workers organizing for fair wages, better working conditions, and a democratic voice on campus. The GLU Organizing Committee is made up of graduate workers from across departments and campuses, committed to representing the voices of all graduate workers at UofR.
