Members of Harvard Graduate Students Union-United Auto Workers (HGSU-UAW) Local 5118 continue to hold the line for a fair contract as their Strike enters its sixth week and becomes the longest work stoppage in the Union’s History. Graduate Workers first walked off the job following 14 months of ongoing negotiations and nearly a year of working under an expired contract. University Administrators have continued to refuse to make meaningful progress around paid immigration leave, an agency shop, a formal grievance process for harassment and discrimination, paid medical leave and pay parity between Teaching Fellows and Research Assistants. A bargaining session was scheduled for late last week. “I sincerely hope that the University comes to the table before commencement and offers us movement really on any of our core issues,” HGSU-UAW Vice President Evan Lemire said. “In the absence of that, yes, we will still be on Strike and still be engaging in Strike activities on Commencement.”

Meanwhile, Wyeth Renwick and Claire L. Simon at The Harvard Crimson report HGSU-UAW has informed the University it would consider a Membership vote to end the Strike if Harvard moved on those five core issues outlined above. But University representatives are holding firm on two of those demands, declining to advance proposals on an agency shop or a Union-supervised grievance process for Title IX cases, according to Harvard Officials. The University’s lawyers told the Union the prior week that they were “considering” the grievance proposal - but were not prepared to make a counter-offer. On the remaining three issues, the University signaled limited openness. Harvard rejected the Union’s paid immigration leave proposal - but indicated it might discuss paid medical and family leave for non-citizen Graduate Students. The possibility was also raised of bringing Teaching Fellow pay closer to Research Assistant levels - the first time the University has engaged on pay parity, Officials said.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: HGSU-UAW Strike Becomes Longest in Union History as Harvard Holds Firm at Bargaining Table | News | The Harvard Crimson