PITT GRADS—WE WON! WHAT’S NEXT?

After a robust majority of Pitt grad workers signed USW union authorization cards, we filed for a union election with the state labor board.

The election was held November 18-21, 2024 for every GSR, GSA, TA, and TF at Pitt – and we won! Now we’ll begin preparing for our first contract negotiations.

  • In order to build solidarity and union power, we have to keep organizing! We’ll continue to build our Organizing Committee on an ongoing basis and provide additional training on organizing best practices for a first union contract and building our union membership.  

  • Our Bargaining Committee will be made up of grad workers and USW Staff and technical experts. All grad students will be able to nominate co-workers to serve on the Bargaining Committee and then vote to elect their Bargaining Committee representatives.

    The Bargaining Committee will represent the interests of all grads in negotiations with the Administration and fight for the contract we deserve!

  • We’ll conduct a bargaining survey to get input from grads and show the Administration we’re all paying attention and in this together.

  • The Bargaining Committee will meet to discuss the survey results, determine priorities and develop a bargaining strategy.

  • We’ll reach out to the Administration to schedule initial bargaining dates, set ground rules and request important information that we’ll need in order to develop our proposals.

  • Now that we won our union, the Administration is required by law to negotiate with our union over any major immediate changes to our working conditions, such as changing our healthcare, as well as negotiating our first union contract.

    Our Bargaining Committee will work to both address immediate issues and bargain a comprehensive contract that will protect grad workers now and into the future.

    We’ll share updates on negotiations through our text system, e-mail and website.

    Throughout the process, we’ll also ask everyone to step up and show your support for a fair contract.

  • Once our Bargaining Committee has reached an agreement with the Administration that they believe is acceptable, they will bring it back to the membership to review. All union members will be able to vote to ratify (accept) or reject the agreement. Once ratified, the agreement will be mutually binding: the Administration will have to abide by the terms of the contract that we negotiate!