GRADUATE STUDENTS UNITED
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
Graduate Students United - United Electrical (GSU-UE) is the autonomous, democratic, member-run union of graduate student employees at the University of Chicago.
UChicago: Respect Our Union Rights!
On January 31st, UChicago admin delivered GSU a bargaining unit list missing over 2,000 graduate workers.
Without prior warning, UChicago justified this change through a bad faith interpretation of a recent court decision, Vanderbilt v. NLRB. The university administration claims that FERPA restricts them from notifying GSU of the workers the union has a responsibility to represent. This is an unacceptable position.
In our first contract, UChicago graduate workers fought for and won strong union rights protections that guarantee the information needed for our union to function. Further, FERPA explicitly allows access to directory information. No other university is known to be citing this court case to deny complete bargaining unit lists.
This is a clear move to chip away at the protections for our union and our collective power. Without a complete bargaining unit list, GSU stewards are denied basic information about employment status needed to represent their coworkers and are unable to reliably inform all bargaining unit members of their rights under our contract.
We will not allow UChicago to attack our union rights. We, the undersigned members of GSU-UE Local 1103, demand the university include ALL eligible graduate workers in bargaining unit lists.
Universalize Benefits
Last year, we won new benefits improving dental, vision, transportation, and childcare. We were also one of the first grad unions to win payments for retirement. These steps set a key precedent, but there is still more work to do.
Because the University only recognizes certain types of graduate student labor as “work,” only students with certain appointments, such as RA- and TA-ships, will receive this support. Many people move in and out of these roles on a quarterly basis. This means that even students who should rightly receive benefits under the current policy fall through the cracks, lost in university bureaucracy. We believe that no matter their appointment, all graduate workers, for their entire degree, should have the resources to care for their health and plan for their future.
Grad unions at other institutions, like MIT, Northwestern, Dartmouth, and Johns Hopkins have won broad benefits for students beyond this narrow range of appointments. If they did it, we can, too. It’s time to universalize benefits!
On January 31, 2025, we elected 146 new Union Stewards to the ranks of GSU. Our stewards span the whole university, comprising our coworkers, colleagues, and friends. Union stewards are the first line of defense in fighting for your well-being in the workplace. We encourage anyone with a problem to seek out advice from your steward as soon as one arises.
At our Know Your Rights page, you will find a summary of our record-breaking new contract. It also includes a page detailing the grievance process where you can find your union steward and ask for help!
We elected 146 new Union Stewards!
RECENT NEWS
Sign A new membership card
All graduate workers who will receive the full benefits and protections of the contract (including teaching assistants; research assistants; grader; lecturers; preceptors and CCTL fellows) must choose to either: become a member of GSU-UE Local 1103 and pay dues, OR not become a member, and instead pay an agency fee to the union. The easiest way to become a current member of the Union is to sign a NEW membership card and authorize monthly membership dues.
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WHO WE ARE
GSU-UE is the labor union for graduate students employed in teaching or research at the University of Chicago. We won our ability to collectively bargain after fifteen years of organizing on campus. We won our election in March of 2023, and we ratified our first contract in March of 2024!
