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Graduate Student Employees Gear Up for Strike at UW
A group of University of Washington graduate Students, who may be on strike in a few days, pay close attention to a discussion of the fine points of picket lines. |
The group voted to strike earlier this month. "People have become increasingly agitated that the university still has not recognized and begun to negotiate with GSEAC, and therefore it looks like it will be a very disruptive strike," said Meade.
UW professors who utilize graduate students to teach undergraduate lecture classes could be the first to experience the effect of such a strike.
"My large undergraduate class is 350 students, and at this moment, I have not finalized an alternative plan for grading should the teaching assistants strike," said Andrea Simpson, assistant professor of political science.
However, Simpson was quick to point out that she is supportive of the graduate students' vote to strike.
"They have legitimate claims and should have the right to bargain," she said. "It was not so long ago that I was a graduate student and a teaching assistant. As an older student, I had to find additional employment to make ends meet. It would be nice to see those who are now in training earn enough to focus exclusively on their work."
History professor Richard Johnson, who also teaches undergraduate lecture classes, said he is prepared to take on the extra work if the graduate students strike.
"My responsibility is to the students who have fulfilled the requirements I set up for them in this course during the past 10 weeks," he said. "I will fulfill my end of the agreement by taking on whatever work is necessary for them to receive grades. The students should not be penalized in this matter."
Johnson said he understands the position taken by the graduate students, but expressed some concern.
"I accept that they feel that they need to make a statement about teaching loads and compensation, the latter being a general concern of those who teach at the UW," said Johnson. "I am concerned that, within my particular unit, a uniform campus-wide contract defining uniform working conditions will actually increase TA [teaching assistant] workload and/or reduce the quality of the educational experience of those taught."
Earlier this year, a union representing 9,400 University of California teaching assistants, readers and tutors finalized a contract with administrators after a 17-year campaign by graduate students.
The UW graduate students began their organizing effort two years ago after UW administrators cut their health-insurance benefits without notification.
Cynthia Jones is a student in the University of Washington School of Communications News Laboratory.
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