From the group | Stanford should respect fellows’ proper to unionize

On April 26, in a letter to the group, former President Marc Tessier-Lavigne and former provost Persis Drell wrote to graduate staff in rationalization of why the administration refused to voluntarily acknowledge the Stanford Graduate Employees Union (SGWU) after a supermajority of us signed authorization playing cards signaling curiosity in forming a union:

“We imagine {that a} secret-ballot election is a basic precept of democratic decision-making and is essentially the most inclusive, honest and safe technique by which to find out whether or not a majority of eligible graduate college students want to be represented by a union. We really feel strongly that each graduate scholar ought to have the power, free from undue affect, to make this resolution on their very own.”

Each graduate scholar besides roughly 33% of us who’re funded by fellowships, based mostly on estimates from voter information offered to organizers by the College. In negotiations with the SGWU in preparation for the next election, the Stanford administration refused to agree to permit fellows to take part despite the union’s push to incorporate them. Of the 5000 graduate student-workers at Stanford, solely 3400 had been allowed to vote. After ignoring the evident curiosity of a supermajority of graduate staff within the identify of “democracy,” the administration proceeded to disenfranchise a 3rd of the voters.

The Stanford administration shouldn’t be serious about inclusive or honest democratic decision-making for graduate staff. They’ve made this clear earlier than the unionization marketing campaign, as they constantly ignored and disrespected our elected representatives on the Graduate Scholar Council. They’ve reiterated this antagonism to our pursuits as they moved to separate our membership. They inform us that they’re making an attempt to advertise our democratic will, however the exclusion of fellows from our bargaining unit is a transparent effort to restrict the ability of our union (see union busting). Fewer staff in our membership means much less energy to discount collectively for the pursuits of all graduate staff.

Stanford’s transfer to exclude fellows from union illustration follows on the instance of various non-public universities. The overall logic behind the exclusion is that due to fellows’ distinct funding association, they don’t fall into the normal labor relationship the place compensation is offered to an worker in trade for companies rendered. An identical logic is obvious in Stanford’s Graduate Tutorial Insurance policies and Procedures, which states that fellowships are “awarded on a benefit or want foundation,” and “no service is predicted in return for a fellowship.” 

These arguments and insurance policies, nonetheless, misrepresent the truth of fellows’ day-to-day work. Similar to staff funded by assistantships (whose standing as staff shouldn’t be disputed), fellows are anticipated to carry out analysis and instructing duties on the path of their advisors and in accordance with their program necessities. The efficiency of those companies interprets right into a direct financial profit for the College. Fellows writer extremely cited analysis papers that give our establishment its prestigious identify. Fellows train College undergraduates, performing the academic service that Stanford is charging tuition for. And, fellows apply for and herald grants, from which the College takes an enormous reduce within the type of “oblique prices” to fund broader operations. The labor of fellows is a direct income for the College.

Furthermore, similar to graduate staff funded by assistantships, fellows are topic to the working situations set by Stanford. If a employee’s fellowship doesn’t attain College minimums, Stanford tops up their compensation to make sure that these staff obtain the minimal pay. Thus fellows have a vested curiosity in College pay charges. Moreover, staff funded by fellowships pursue the identical grievance procedures when responding to harassment and discrimination, and share the widespread curiosity of graduate staff in securing honest, impartial arbitration of disputes. Fellows obtain the identical advantages as college students funded by assistantships and battle with the identical problems with affordability that include dwelling in one of the crucial costly areas within the nation. Denying fellows their proper to take part in negotiations for the betterment of their situations is a callous selection coming from an administration that claims to be selling our well-being.

Repeatedly all through their tenure, our former president and provost spoke to us about their dedication to listening to graduate staff and supporting our wants. They repeated this chorus of their April 26 message:

As “Stanford leaders we significantly worth the numerous contributions our graduate college students make to Stanford’s mission of instructing and analysis. We are going to proceed working to grasp, respect and be aware of the wants of our graduate college students, in order that we could foster their well-being all through their time at Stanford.”

Graduate staff have spoken unequivocally on what our wants are. The membership of the SGWU just lately ratified contract proposals calling for fellows’ inclusion in our bargaining unit. We now have issued a petition alongside to gather signatures in assist of this demand. We invite everybody in our broader group, graduate employee or in any other case, to signal and be a part of us in solidarity on this name.

President Richard Saller and Provost Jenny Martinez: We invite you to interrupt with the legacy of your predecessors. Exhibit your intention to discount with us in good religion by withdrawing the administration’s place that fellows shouldn’t be included in our bargaining unit. Voluntarily acknowledge all graduate staff, no matter funding supply, as members of our democratic union.

Ari Beller is a graduate employee in psychology and a member of the SGWU.