Halie Kines at The Centre Daily Times reports that following a years-long effort, Graduate Workers at Penn State University will have the opportunity to vote in a Unionization Election. The Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board has issued an order that outlined when and where voting would take place, and who is eligible to vote. The Coalition of Graduate Employees at Penn State is affiliated with the United Auto Workers. Jess Rafalko, a Research Assistant in the English Department, has been part of the Unionization effort since she started at Penn State in the Fall of 2020. For her, the fact that they're now at the point of voting in a Unionization Election is the culmination of five years worth of work: "I'm just really energized by the conversations I've been having with other Grad Workers at Penn State, (talking) to people about getting out to vote. There's a lot of enthusiasm here. So, it's an exciting time, I think." She said Unionizing is important for any workplace - but especially so for a place like Penn State. A Union would give them a collective voice to advocate for the roughly 5,000 Graduate Workers across the University’s campuses, she said.

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Will Penn State graduate workers unionize? Voting starts after yearslong push And Coalition of Graduate Employees at Penn State - UAW | CGE at Penn State