Categories: Updates

Bargaining update: standing up to admin’s disrespect

Yesterday, graduate workers met with Penn for our second bargaining session of the Spring semester. On the heels of Tuesday’s Rally for a Fair Contract, we came into bargaining ready to make substantial progress.

During the session we introduced three new proposals: Workers’ Compensation, Transit and Parking, and Recreation. Four graduate workers delivered testimonies about the need for free SEPTA passes and safer infrastructure for bicyclists. We also received further counter-proposals from admin on Employment Files and Workspace and Materials.

We were able to come to an understanding about some aspects of these proposals. But we were once again met by admin with resistance and obstruction. Not even 15 minutes into the session, Penn’s bargaining team stormed out in “disappointment,” blaming grad workers for insufficient response to the University’s proposals. Penn admin left the room, forcing us to wait for over an hour with no indication of if or when they would return. While the Bargaining Committee is working on our response to Penn admin’s outrageous Management Rights proposal — which claims unilateral power over issues that are addressed in many other proposals — we reminded admin that they still have yet to respond whatsoever to eight of our proposals that were introduced over three months ago, in addition to six more that have been sitting in admin’s court for months.

In our discussion on Workspace and Materials, admin made it clear that they don’t want grad workers to be able to file grievances over inadequate access to materials required to do our jobs. This is unacceptable. If grad workers do not have access to the materials they need to work, they should have a clear avenue for addressing that problem. Admin also outright rejected our proposal on Recreation, which would enshrine in our contract the free access to campus recreational facilities that most grad workers are already afforded.

Amidst the Trump administration’s attack on the National Labor Relations Board, we cannot rely on anyone else to push admin to end their delays and disrespect in the bargaining room and win us the protections we deserve. Grad workers’ organizing outside of the bargaining room is more important than ever, and we have to continue to put pressure on Penn admin to win a fair contract. You can start by signing up to attend an upcoming organizer training or future bargaining session!

In Solidarity,

The GETUP-UAW Bargaining Committee

Clara Abbott

Emily Aunins

Peter Bailer

Oishi Bardhan

Kal Brown

Eli Fastow

Adina Goldstein

Sam Herrmann

Austin King

Sam Layding