Comment by Tom Raley

Just today, Graduate Assistant employees at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities delivered a request to University President Eric Kaler to file a joint petition for union certification. The Graduate Student Workers Union/United Auto Workers (GSWU/UAW) have been organizing a union drive on campus to organize the 4,500 graduate assistant employees, and upon obtaining a majority of signed union cards, are able to request a joint petition with the University for union certification. If the University rejects the request, the workers will move to hold a union election.

This is a historic step for graduate assistant employees at the U of M and illustrates how people all over the state of Minnesota, and the country, are beginning to realize that the best way to improve their working and living conditions is to work together towards shared goals. Despite the U of M’s union-busting tactics, the workers have remained strong and will hopefully soon have the benefit of collective bargaining.

Check out their press release here!